Reusing Food Packaging

I reuse bread bags for used kitty litter. The plastic grocery bags are easy to tear, but the bread bags are more durable. I reuse the plastic grocery bags (what few I get) in my bathroom for those smelly items before I put it in the trash.

I also take the large dry dog food bags, (the kind that are made out of some sort of fiber, not the regular paper ones) and made tote bags, etc. I made one crossover type bag for picking blueberries. It is hard to sew, but if you sew with tissue paper, it doesn't slide as badly. I've got one now that I cut down and cut square handles in it for when I brush my dog, iI put the hair in it, or I put all his grooming stuff in it. I found the tips for doing these on this site!

Of course, I can hardly ever throw out a plastic butter container. I reuse them for leftovers, cold, old grease, etc. I borrowed some softener and put it in a plastic squeeze mustard container I'd saved. And the plastic squeeze ketchup/mustard bottles you can buy at the dollar store, I put liquid shortening in one, and some vinegar in the other, so when I want to add some vinegar to my pot of beans to get rid of the gas, I just squeeze it in.

I rinse out plastic "zip" bags and reuse if they've had cookies, chips, or sandwiches in them. I'm careful not to reuse any that have had meat, etc. in them.

I've been recycling food containers for many years before recycling was hip. I used to save boxes, cans, etc. for my preschool room's kitchen. It was much cheaper back then from the "store bought" play food.

Probably the best, most recent re-use of an item is what my dad did last week. He killed a copperhead snake and didn't want the cat to get to it, so he put it in a plastic coffee container with a tight lid before disposing of it. He offered the container to me, and I quickly told him "No Thanks!"

By Denise from GA