Ideas for Eco-Friendly Mishloach Manos

Ideas for Eco-Friendly Mishloach Manos

Green Purim Sameach! Canfei Nesharim has developed a selection of five eco-friendly and fun Mishloach Manot themed package ideas for you or your group to prepare and distribute to your constituents on Purim. Our aim was to create healthy, earth-friendly, and economical Mishloach Manot without the waste. To make this as easy as possible, we found many of the products on the web. You can order them directly by clicking the links below!

New! You can also include a simple printable message in your mishloach manot, explaining why you've chosen to be "green" this Purim. Simple, respectful, and easy! Download and Print

The five packages are the following:

• Lunch Break
• Health Nut
• Cold Kit
• Pesach Welcome Kit
• Blessing the Sun (Birkat HaChammah)

Scroll down to browse them all.

All the food and non-food items are to be packaged in a either a reusable container such as a washing cup or baseball cap or a biodegradable disposable container. The price key will help you (or your organization) find the products that fit your budget. Although we tried to help by organizing the Mishloach Manot items by bracha, and suggesting a number of items to choose for each, feel free to personalize the packages to suit your needs. (The mitzvah, of course, is to include at least one item from at least two different bracha categories.) Many thanks to Stephanie Frumkin for preparing this information.

Kashrus Note: While every effort has been taken to include only Kosher items, Heksharim do change, so please always check for up-to-date information. Note that dairy items listed are not necessarily "Chalav Yisrael."

Price Key
! = $.50 or less
+ = $1.00 or less
* = $2.00 or less
– = $3.00 or less
No symbol = more than $3.00

First, a few general eco-friendly suggestions:
– To keep items in place you may want to use a pretty handkerchief, kitchen towel, or bandana to either line the container or to wrap the container up and tie it with string or a ribbon.
– You can fill in extra space in the container by shredding (with a paper shredder or scissors) colorful old magazines or newspaper comics.
– Another option is to use whole, in the shell nuts as “packing peanuts.” You may want to also include a nutcracker.
– Enjoy!

Lunch Break

Choose One Container Option:
! 100% Recycled Paper Bag Order (can be decorated by kids or adults)
! Compostable Food "Clamshell" Container Order
! Compostable Two-Piece Deli Container Order
+ Colored Tote Bag Order
+ 12 oz. Corn Plastic Cup with Lid Order
+ BioPak Fiberboard Lunch Container Order
+ Compostable Food Salad Bowl Container Order
– Organic Cotton Muslin Produce / Snack Bag Order (can be decorated)
ChicoBag – Colorful, Compact Reusable Shopping Bag Order
Insulated Cooler Order

Choose One Mezonot Bracha Option:
+ CLIF Organic Z Bar, Chocolate Chip Order (other flavors available)
+ Barbara's Bakery Crunchy Organic Granola Bars Cinnamon Crisp Order (other flavors available)
Organic Kids: Cookie Snack Pack – Hunka Chunka Chocolate 1 oz. Bag Order

Choose One HaEitz/HaAdamah Bracha Option:
! Newman's Own®Organics California Raisins, 1.5-Ounce Box Order
! Organic or Locally Grown Fruit (in its own wrapper): apple, clementine, orange, pear, banana, pomegranate, or coconut (can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or your local health food store or farmer’s market)

Choose Two Shehakol Bracha Options:
Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops (Order FREE from Canfei Nesharim)
! Real Salt Packets (Kosher for Passover) Order
+ FruitaBu Organic Smooshed Fruit, Smoooshed Rasberry Order
+ Let's Do Organic Jelly Gummi Bears Order
+ Santa Cruz Organic Cinnamon Apple Sauce, Snack Size Order
* Humm Foods Larabar, Jocalat, Organic Chocolate Food Bar Variety Pack Order (other flavors available)
* Horizon Organic Reduced Fat Milk, 8-Ounce Cartons Order (or "Chalav Yisrael" milk boxes where available)
– Lake Champlain Organic Dark Spicy Aztec Chocolate Bar Order

Choose One Non-Food Item (Optional):
! Biodegradable Mini Towelette Order
! Biodegradable Cutlery Combo Set Order
+ Cloth Napkin – Natural Impressions Outdoors Order (other options available from Amazon.com)

Health Nut

Choose One Container Option:
+ Large coffee mug (from your local dollar store)
Or see Lunch Break container ideas

Choose One Mezonot Bracha Option:
! Homemade Organic Whole Wheat Hamantaschen (made by you)
+ Late July Organic Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers Order
+ Barbara's Bakery Crunchy Organic Granola Bars, Toasted Almond Order (peanut butter flavor also available)
* Clif Bar Energy Bars, Black Cherry Almond Order (other nut flavors available)

Choose One HaEitz/HaAdamah Bracha Option:
! Mixed Nuts in Shell Order
! Organic or Locally Grown Fruit (in own wrapper): apple, clementine, orange, pear, banana, pomegranate, coconut (can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or your local health food store or farmer’s market)
! Sunland Salted Valencia Peanuts in Shell, 4 Ounce Bags Order (or buy in bulk and separate intobiodegradable baggies)
*Galil Organic Roasted Chestnuts, 3.5-Ounce Pouch Order
+ Organic Sweetened Dried Cherries Order (separate into individual packages using biodegradable baggies)

Choose One or Two Shehakol Bracha Options:
! (individual tea bags) or – (box) Stash Premium Decaf Chocolate Hazelnut Tea Order (other nut flavors available)
+ Organic Honey Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs by Justin’s Nut Butter Order (other flavors available including almond)
+ Java Juice ® Liquid Coffee Extract, Organic Hazelnut Order
* Rigoni Acacia Honey (organic) 30 grams Order
* Fairwinds Hazelnut Coffee – One Pot Sampler Order (other brands available at gourmet-coffee.com)
* LaraBar: The Original Fruit and Nut Food Bar – Pecan Pie Order (other flavors available)

Choose One or Two Non-Food Items (Optional):
* Nutcracker (Order this one or see other options available on Amazon.com)
– Dr. Bronner’s Organic Almond Castile Soap Bar Order

Cold Kit

Choose One Container Option:
! Tissue Boxes – Collect used tissue boxes, cut on one side to open, and tape up after filling with goods. If you need to purchase tissues boxes, Kleenex brand makes large, pretty floral boxes and may be available at your local Costco (not online) in bulk. You may want to roll up some tissues and tie with a colored string (or put inbiodegradable baggies) and include them in the Mishloach Manot packages. Leftover tissues may be used as Shabbat toilet tissue.
! Bagasse Soup Bowls Order
! (with Lids) Order
! Bioplastic Soup Bowls Order
+ Reusable Soup Bowl (from your local dollar store)
+ Large Coffee Mug (from your local dollar store)

Choose One Mezonot Bracha Option:
Nature's Path Organic Optimum Energy Bar Pomegranate Cherry Order

Choose One HaEitz Bracha Option:
! Organic or Locally Grown Clementine or Orange (for extra vitamin C)

Choose Two Shehakol Bracha Options:
! (individual tea bags) or – (box) Taanug Mint Tea Order
+ Ricola Natural Herb Cough Drops Order
+ Honest Kids Tropical Tango Punch USDA Organic Thirst Quenchers 8pk Order
– Imagine Vegetable Broth, Organic, 16-Ounce Box Order
Imagine Organic Soup, Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, 16-Ounce Box Order
Marshall’s Raw honey 3 oz Order

Choose One or Two Non-Food Items (Optional):
! Trader Joe’s 100% Recycled Facial Tissue Pocket Packs – 10 Packs (not available on-line)
+ Handkerchief Order
+ Clean Well Natural Hand Sanitizing Individual Wipes Order
– Dr. Bronner’s Orange Ginger Organic Lip Balm Order (other varieties available)
– Dr. Bronner's & Sun Dog's Magic Peppermint Organic Lip Balm (other varieties available) Order

Pesach Welcome Kit

Note: The goal of this Pesach Welcome Kit was to provide items which would help you prepare for Pesach — and not add more chametz to your kitchen! However, we found it extremely difficult to find healthy or organic Pesach foods, especially in time for Purim. We've listed the ideas we came up with; we welcome your suggestions!

Choose One Container Option:
* Washing Cup Order
+ Colored Tote Bag Order
+ Wicker Basket (from your local dollar store)
+ Oven Mitt (from your local dollar store)
– Organic Cotton Muslin Produce / Snack Bag (can be decorated) Order
ChicoBag – Colorful, Compact Reusable Shopping Bag (to use in Pesach shopping) Order

Choose One (or none) HaMotzei Bracha Option:
Organic Kosher for Passover Matzah (may be ordered from your local kosher grocery store—Yehuda or other brands)

Choose One (or none) HaGefen Bracha Option:
Kedem Organic Grape Juice 22 oz. Order

Choose One Mezonot Bracha Option:
Streit's Matzo Crackers, Organic Cracker, Round (may be ordered from your local grocery store that carries Streit’s products)
Shibolim Whole Wheat Stone Ground Organic Crisp Bread Order (not kosher for Passover but looks like matzah)

Choose One or Two HaEitz/HaAdamah Bracha Options:
! Mixed Nuts in Shell Order
! Organic or Locally Grown Fruit (in own wrapper): apple, clementine, orange, pear, banana, pomegranate, coconut (can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or your local health food store or farmer’s market)
+ Organic Dried Apple Rings, 5 lb Box Order (separate into individual packages using biodegradable baggies)
– Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Order (must be checked prior to Pesach)

Choose One or Two Shehakol Bracha Options:
! Real Salt Packets Order
! (individual tea bags) or – (box) Taanug Chamomile Tea Order (other flavors available)
– Real Salt Travel Shaker – 2 oz. Order
Gefen 100% Organic Honey Order

Choose One or Two Non-Food Items (Intended for Pesach cleaning):
* Naked Sponge #55 – Biodegradable Sponge Order
– Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Liquid Soap – 2 oz Order (other scents available)

The Blessing Of The Sun – Birkat HaChammah

The goal of this package is to remind your friends about Birkat HaChammah, the blessing of the sun which occurs every 28 years in the Jewish calendar. Last year it took place on April 8. Accordingly, the items including have a "sunny" theme, with names or shapes that reminded us of the sun. (In order to meet this goal, we sometimes compromised and chose non-organic products for this package. We noted where this is the case; you can choose whether you'd like to do the same.) You can also include our free "Appreciation for Creation" wallet cards, which include the appropriate blessing.

Choose One Container Option:
* Sun hat or baseball cap Order

Choose One Mezonot Bracha Option:
! Earth's Best Sunny Days Snack Bars, Apple Order
! Late July Round Saltines, 2 Crackers per Packet Order (round like the sun)
+ Late July Organic Mini Peanut Butter Bite Size Sandwich Crackers Order (round like the sun)

Choose One or Two HaEitz/HaAdamah Bracha Options:
! Sun Maid Raisins, 1.5-Ounce Cartons Order (not organic)
! Sunland Salted Valencia Peanuts in Shell, 4 Ounce Bags Order (or buy in bulk and separate intobiodegradable baggies)
* Sunflower Seeds Order (separate into biodegradable baggies)
– Roland Sun-Dried Tomatoes Halves, 3.5-Ounce Order (not organic)

Choose One or Two Shehakol Bracha Options:
! Yummy Earth Organic Candy Drops – Cheeky Lemon Order (these yellow, circular candies look like the sun)
! Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops – Cheeky Lemon Order Order (look like the sun)
! (individual tea bags) or – (box) Stash Premium Organic Chamomile Herbal Tea Order (logo is a sun and yellow box) (other yellow flavors available)
+ Sunbutter Creamy Snack Pack Order
– Trader Joe’s Sunflower Seed Butter

Choose Two Non-Food Item Options:
FREE "Appreciation for Creation" Wallet Card (Order on Canfei Nesharim website)
+ Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Protectors Sample Size Order (several different options available)
* Burt's Bees – Lifeguard's Choice Lip Balm Order
– Sun & Earth Liquid Hand Soap Pump, 8-Ounce Bottles Order
– Dr. Bronner's & Sun Dog's Magic Organic Lip Balm, Lemon Lime Order

This content originated at http://canfeinesharim.org/learning/holidays.php?page=19586.

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