I’ve looked for years for a small water bottle for taking a drink in a child’s lunch. There’s really only one out there for purchase that’s small enough for a lunch box and made out of the right plastic.

We tried it, and it leaked.

I started off with this one by packing my son’s juice (or milk) in a medela breastmilk storage bottle — those things are amazingly leak proof — and taking along a cup.

The downside to that plan was that the cup took up a lot of space, had to be taken home wet, and then he’s drinking from a non-sippy cup.

Then I had the idea! Drill a hole in an extra medela bottle lid, and stick a straw in it! Pack the extra lid and straw in with his lunch! He loves his “juice box,” we reduce our trash, and best of all, I don’t have to remember to go to the store the day before co-op to buy expensive juice boxes.

Want to make one? My husband shares this tip for drilling plastic: tape duct tape on the spot where you plan to drill, this keeps the plastic from cracking.