Don't cut up your plastic milk jugs! I wash them out and then use them for storage. It's much easier to pour powdered milk from the plastic jug than the large cardboard boxes and I can see how much I have left. Prevents running out when I need it for a recipe. I also use the jugs to store dried beans that I buy in bulk (cheaper), elbow macaroni, sugar, flour, and corn meal.. The handle really makes the jobs easier.
I have been told that it is not possible to get all traces of milk and bacteria out of a milk jug, so you should never, ever use it for long-term storage of drinking water (like in emergency supplies). That said, I suppose that if you've washed it thoroughly, it's *probably* safe to use for preparing drinks for immediate use, or for storing dry foods like beans. I wouldn't store powdered milk in it, though, or anything powdered or granulated, just to be safe.
By
01/15/2006
I LOVE this idea. With 2 young children we go through quite a bit of milk and I would love to reuse the many empty milk jugs instead of pitching in the recycling bin; however I would just want to be certain that the plastic they are made out of is not harmful using long term. Does anyone know?
By (Guest Post)
10/31/2004
Milk jugs are also great for storing wet stuff. They hold 4 litres of liquid. (Ours in Canada do.) I mix up, by the milk jug, Round-up and Malathion (I buy them in a concentrated form) to use around our acreage. I also like to use empty washed out milk jugs when we have a lot of people over and are needing lots of iced tea or koolaid. I've also seen people cut out a hole in the side opposite the handle and place their clothes pins inside (easy to grab and use on wash day).