As kids head back to school, many families are looking for ways to promote more recycling in their children's lunches. Packing sandwiches and snacks in reusable bags is one way to do this, and several new products are available.

Kirsten Quigley and Cristina Bourelly, co-founders of 3greenmoms, along with creative director Jennie Stoller Barakat, had packed a lot of school lunches over the years and had been concerned about all of the plastic storage bags being thrown way.

Even so, in 2008, they were surprised to learn how quickly those sandwich bags add up. More than 20 million a day wind up in landfills.

They decided to create a greener option for parents and kids that was stylish, durable and food-friendly. LunchSkins are reusable sandwich and snack bags made from a thick cotton fabric used in commercial bakeries and restaurants and lined with food-safe polyurethane, so they're dishwasher and washing machine-safe, BPA-free and don't give food that "plastic" smell. The fabric comes from Europe, but the bags are manufactured in Wilkes-Barre in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Choose from snack size (61/2 inches by 31/2 inches), sandwich size (61/2 inches by 61/2 inches) and a sub size (8 inches by 7 inches), all offered in a variety of colors and patterns.

Recommended prices are $7.85, $8.95 and $10.95.

LunchSkins can be purchased locally at the Green Ostrich gift shop in Wexford (www.greenostrich.com, 614-547-3366) or online at www.lunchskins.com.

Another similar project is Reusies, which are made of 100 percent cotton, lined with waterproof nylon, free of lead, BPA and phthalates, and fastened with Velcro. Reusies sandwich and snack pockets can be washed by hand, in the dishwasher or laundry. Find them at Reusies.com.

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