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I bought some pull-apart bread last week. The tray that is on the bottom is black, but can't be recycled in this state. The center has a ring in the middle, and two other rings larger toward the edges.
I save the bags from empty cereal, they are super to use to take camping to use as bowls, or cereal. When used, fold up to carry home to discard.
Use cookie packs to make handbags, this is great for kids to use, for storing your shopping receipts, etc. I have used the 2 packs back to back and belting material.
I make my own chili seasoning and keep it in a Parmesan cheese container. The container has an easy opening to put your spoon in and it also has a holes for shaking in a little more, if needed.
I sometimes get packaged molasses cookies at the DT. They have the coolest plastic containers that I often reuse.
In the produce section, there are the large apple boxes that come with recycled layers of pocketed cardboard (like eggs) that protect the produce during shipping. They are kind of lavender in color.
Recycle your flour bags by reusing them to store your homemade baked goods (cookies, pastries, etc). I carefully open the bags to begin using the flour and when its finished, I reuse the bag.
Keep all "disposable" containers (juice bottles, margarine tubs, peanut butter jars, etc). They are great for taking to lunch for work, on picnics or to send leftovers home with dinner company.
When I put my 5 lb. bag of sugar in my storage bin I carefully clean it out, roll it up, and put 3 into a ziplock bag to use as freezer bags for my homemade sandwiches or cookies.
One of my mottos is "think before you toss!" Now and then, I buy a deli pie, muffins or cake, or someone brings a similar product to a "bring your own dish to share" gathering.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
For several years we've been Costco members. We mostly purchase food items from them, especially prepared meals sealed in vacuum bags and also packaged in sturdy black plastic trays that have no lids. I've been using the trays as desk drawer office supply holders (the trays are the right size for pens, paper clips, little note pads, etc.), but I now have accumulated way more of these trays than I need.
Perhaps you could donate some of your trays to your local schools for students to use in their art class or to nursing homes to use for the elderly to make of in activities. Also to church's at VBS time. Children are making things and could possibly use them.
You can use them for winter sowing seeds. Cover with plastic and make some vents.
Maybe a senior center can use them as paint trays or for crafting!
YES!!! This is the answer!!! I vote for this one! I do this all the time--write letters and send emails to companies asking them to reduce their plastic uses and have packaging with less impact on our world. Sadly most either never respond, or I get the form, "thank you for you comment" message. I think if the more people expressed this request, and showed they are serious by buying less at these stores, they would get the message. We have significantly reduced shopping at places that we feel are poor environmental stewards. Sadly we can't eliminate it completely because some are places that we need to go for prescriptions.
As an aside and to answer your immediate question--There is a very small resale market for these items...I found one sold listing for people selling a lot of 4 13 3/4" x 10 1/2" (on eBay) for 16.99 which included SELLER paying shipping.
These items make a great drainage system for plants that you water in your home. You can sit the plants in them and when watered the tray will collect the excess water. I would also use the trays to start new plants with. You can also grow small herb gardens in your kitecne in you use two trays.
Here is an inner seal from a large 'can' of coffee. I have been saving these things for quite some time. I save them because they are so tough and durable. I'd like to find a good use for them. With all you members, especially the ladies, coming up with great ideas for crafts and reuse of items, I'm hoping to get a couple ideas about how to put these seals to good use.
Any ideas, Y'all?
Doug
Hmm... IF you have a garden you could punch a hole in the little tab and hang the disk on your garden fence to deter birds or other critters.
You could also form the disk over a cup of tea/coffee/drink to keep it hot or cold.
You can use them as coasters to prevent spills or stains on furniture when you place a cup down on them.
You can fit them over an open small paint can if you are painting a project.
You could place them under a potted plant (and even shape them to the bottom of the pot) to prevent water from spilling out or staining the table.
How about any of those ideas? :)
Donna
Mockingbirds are pecking holes in all my tomatoes. I hung a few of these seals on each plant. It did nothing to deter the birds.
I have some indoor plants in 'designer' shiny black plastic pots.
Use these to line the inside of bird cages for the winter..would make great insulation..also wrap around rocks/stones to place in garden..
Does anyone know a craft using the thin, clear plastic cookie dividers that come with Oreo cookies? I have a bunch of them. Some are from my friend who wanted me to save them for her, but now she has moved. So I really don't want to just put them in the recycling container, if there's another use for them first. Any ideas will be appreciated.
By Helene from San Antonio, TX
Off hand the only thing I can recommend is using them for craft supplies. I use the ones I get from the dollar stores for just that and they work great.
I have a big stack of clear plastic dividers used for Oreos. Does anyone know if there is a craft or other use for them? I hated to just stick them in my plastic recycle bin if they can be used again for something.
By RHS
I would like to know how to get rid paint markings on flour bags?
By Joy from Philippines
Can be removed by acetone thinned out in water.
Check out these photos.
I save the wrappers the crackers come in, because they're a wax paper. I use them to wrap sandwiches for lunch and to wrap meat when I buy a large package of meat like chopped meat.
I recently helped a friend clean her kitchen during a surgery recovery. While she was chatting with me, I gathered some cookie and cake containers for recycling. I snagged them for my own use.
By cutting my kitchen cardboard empties into 3 different star sizes, then stacking them I now have "chunky stars" to use in decorating. I fasten them with glue or tape, and paint them and add glitter or cover with pretty paper to disguise them from their original state.
Empty snack food bags can be reused at least once before they are simply thrown into the trash, thus serving a dual purpose. This is a page about uses for potato chip bags.
When care is taken to sanitize these containers, they can be reused to organize, catch water under plants and a wide variety of ways. This is a page about uses for plastic meat trays.
Ever wonder what you can do with those little squeeze bottles shaped like a lemon? Here is one solution; make a recycled plastic lemon vase.
This is a page about uses for Styrofoam meat trays. Reusing Styrofoam packaging helps keep it out of the landfill. There are a variety of uses for the trays used for packing meat.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I reuse food packaging. I open up cardboard boxes (cracker and cereal) and save them for putting fresh baked cookies on to cool using the inside part of the box.
