I learned quite quickly the importance of self-care as a doula. If you are not well-rested and properly nourished, it becomes difficult to support families for an extended period of time. With that knowledge came the need for a convenient, and sustainable, way of carrying nutritious snacks to births. Enter the Built Bag and BentoGo.

My wife and I recently threw away all of our old tupperware in the hopes that it would force us to use only metal or glass food storage containers. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the perfect metal/glass container to hold my meals (I may be on to something, will let you know). In the meantime, my BentGo All-in-One Stackable Lunch/Bento Box in purple has been incredibly useful, not to mention, adorable. My BentGo contains two levels and three compartments for food. I'm still learning how to make quick healthy meals in small quantities (to fit into the box), but it's been fun to prepare food for it thus far. The main downside is the smell of plastic but after baking in the sun for 24 hours, it seems to have dissipated.

My Built Bag, officially named "Gourmet Getaway Mini Snack Tote" holds my matching BentGo box. It's made of neoprene which means it can expand to hold a substantial amount of food and folds into a smaller size when not in use. It's also machine washable which is great for sanitizing after each birth. I purchased this Built Bag at a cute gift store in Park Slope, Brooklyn, but they can easily be found on Amazon or on the built store for around $15.

To complete the lunch bag, I throw in the amazing Klean Kanteen I've been using for 4 years now.

I hope this helps you find a more sustainable solution for bringing food to your next birth! Stay tuned for another post on what to pack inside your BentGO box.