Any ideas on how to re-use plastic yogurt containers?

Question

My town does not recycle quart-size plastic yogurt tubs (#5 plastic). I hate to throw them out, so I have been collecting them and they are piling up. Any ideas (fun or practical) on how to re-use these containters?

Answer 1

I use them to start plants, but also to mix paints, store little items, like erasers, pins, etc.

Answer 2

yogurt containers work well as stack able storage too...sounds weird, but what you do is put the lids on them, cut out a half circle shape just big enough for toy cars, blocks,etc. and let the kids go crazy decorating. Viola! you find something use full to do with those pesky containers and your little ones can help keep there things picked up and in place. This also works well if you cover them in some kind of fun wallpaper and glue them together(lids on, holes cut out)and use them for hair ties,cotton balls,q-tips, and other stuff in the bathroom.

Answer 3

Plant seeds

Store items in; safety pins, paper clips, marbles, etc.

Candle holders

Animal feeders; squirrels, birds, chipmunks, etc.

Make musical instrutments for kids; glue beans in them for rattlers, small drums, etc.

Make popicles holders

Answer 4

I have used them to store hardware like screws , Nuts , Bolts and Nails.  It is a nice way to keep them sorted.  Also you can if they have lids make games for small kids.  Like put a page out of a coloring book and something to color with in there and say things to make them excited like do you know what I have in here just for you.  Let them guess or a few seconds to a minuite and then let them open them or help them if they need it.  This is also a good way to keep things in the car or van to keep kids busy on long road trips.  Take some of them and put some different things in each one and give each kid a few to play with.  If they where smaller you could put beads or beans in them and glue them shut really tight and that makes for really nice rattles.  I even used cheerieos one time.  So if they broke open they would not chock if they put it in their mouth.  I hope this helps.

Answer 5

Donate to schools for crafts, or make jump rope steppers for kids. Like from the party store. You poke two holes on the sides, towards the bottom (one hole on each side). Then thread a jump rope or somewhat stretchy rope through the holes. Knot the ends inside the cup. It should look like an upside down cup with a giant rope handle. Then the kids can walk around on them.

Answer 6

You copuld use them for growing seedlings in on your windowsill or in the greenhouse, just put some drainage holes in the bottom, grow some cress with the kids for fun or pot some basil/corriander up. hope this helps.

Answer 7

Use as telephone to talk to your neighbors or

as a "microphone" to the intercom/buzzer system

With all these great ideas  -- start a business,

Flood Wal-Mart with these nifty bits

But remember "freecycle" when you're a millionaire

Answer 8

I use plastic containers (yogurt and others) to store beads, string (cut a hole in the top to pull the strand out and does not tangle as much), paint, knick nacks, pens, etc.

With children, you can use them with paint, for water play, sand play (good buckets for sand or snow), and storing all sorts of items in them. I have seen them used for paint, sparkles, markers, ribbon, stamps, and other stuff.

You can also use them to store other foods in them to take for lunches.

Craft wise, you can paint them (upside down), and create clowns, angels, penguins, and other animals by using paint, paper, pipe cleaners and other art items. My kids loved that.

Answer 9

When you learn to make yogurt, you'll be set with the containers for the home made version.

Answer 10

The most obvious response (for potting plants) was obviously the first response......

So for me...I use them about 1-5 times as portable, semi-disposable storage containers, when I don't want to use my tupperware to bring food to work.

The advantage is that they are of zero value, basically. You didn't pay for them. So when home-cooked meals (particularly beef) are stored in a plastic container or tupperware, you'll find in many cases that the food permeates into the plastic so much as to make it permanently discolored (and maybe a little stinky). That affect especially occurs when you nuke your food directly in the container. I have thrown away alot of yogurt tubs after putting very greasy spaghetti with meatballs in them and then microwaving it for lack of a better plate or bowl in the breakroom.

Answer 11

You could use them as flower pots.  poke a couple of small holes in the bottom for drainage put dirt and a plant in it and there you go!  You could decorate them too.  You could also use them for storing items like crayons, nails, markers.  Or take them to the beach and use them to build sand castles!

If you have elementary school age kids, ask the art teacher!  They are always looking for containers to hold paints and glue and brushes!

Hope this helps!

Answer 12

This may not work as well with the quart-sized containers, but whenever I buy the small yogurt cups (with lids) or the little plastic tubs that baby food comes in, I re-use them by washing them, preparing a box of Jell-O, and filling each container with a single serving size. This is much cheaper than buying the pre-made single serving packs of Jell-O, and I can make whatever variety of flavors my kids want!

Answer 13

Turn them into bird feeders. You can use them to start off seedlings for flowers and veggie plants. Cut off the tops and use to cover baby plants to prevent frost on the leaves and stems. Cut them in half so you can ue the bottoms for organizers in the bathroom or wherever for smaller items that seem to get everywhere. You can use them to make giant ice cubes to keep things cold in a cooler if you want to take a picnic lucn out while camping or fishing. Paint them, place small holes in the bottom and use them as decorative, cheap flower pots.  Have fun, imagination is a wonderful thing!

Answer 14

Most likely, any preschool or lower elementary teachers or upper school art teachers could use the cartons.  Also, you can try community art classes.  The tubs might be useable by science teachers or anyone else who works with plants.  (You must be a packrat a.k.a. keeper, like me!)

Answer 15

yes - take your empty clean pots to any local school - they are great for paint/glue pots or for the children to make models. hope this helps!