Litter-free lunch

With scheduling shackles slackened for the summer, a leisurely afternoon picnic is perfect on a hot lazy day. But why not make it easy on the planet too? This means skipping the plastic wrap, Ziplocs and tin foil and instead tucking food into washable boxes, thermoses and stainless steel canisters. Here’s some places to shop for your earth friendly containers:

Comondi You’ll want to show off one of these eye-catching recycled Bazura insulated lunch boxes.

Grassroots Environmental Products Find stainless steel food, lunch and stackable containers, plus water bottles, at this all-purpose eco store.

Kids on the Hip Pick up stainless steel bottles from brands such as Kleen Kanteen and bamboo kid’s utensils at this store, which has spun off from the successful Baby on the Hip.

Organic Lifestyle Choose from a big selection of eco-containers, including steel food containers, PVC-free laptop lunches, BPA-free lunchboxes and even reusable sandwich wraps.

If the thought of cutting watermelon slices and slapping sandwiches together ruins your summer Zen, then just bring containers to your local organic food market to scoop up some prepared foods and drinks for the picnic.

Stop by one of these stores to set up your perfect picnic:

The Big Carrot Natural Food Market Pick up sandwiches, salads, fresh juices and more.

Karma Co-Op Food Store Find picnic-friendly snacks such as fruits, cheese and nuts.

Organic Garage (organicgarage.ca) Stop by the bakery or pick up some prepared foods in this unique store.

Whole Foods Browse the prepared foods counter for organic and non-organic food selections in Toronto or Oakville.

Finally, the hardest part of all, choosing your picnic paradise. Visit toronto.ca for a complete list of all the parks the city has to offer.