I'm always amazed at new things I read, watch on TV, or find on this site. I would never have thought to use empty egg cartons for ice trays. You can make ice using an egg carton, same way as you use your trays. The ice forms in a neat shape, larger then usual trays. They are especially great when, like me, you add cucumber, lemon, and other flavors to your water. I just did this with my watermelon juice I told you about beginning of summer. It worked great!
I made what I had ahead of time marked on the container what flavor each contained. I saw this on TV decided to try it and loved the fact I could just use one section per serving. Add a raspberry, lemon, orange slices, strawberries, or blueberries. Since egg sections are larger I got a larger, more satisfying taste to my ice.
I just threw these away before, now I'm going to play with different ideas. Since it doesn't cost a penny these would be great for showers or parties anywhere you are making cold drinks away from home. There are no worries about leaving the "trays" behind.
My ice came out easily. The cartons can be reused for freezing ice or flavors to add to your water. I have a large bottle that I use over and over again. Now I can put these cubes into my reusable bottle and then when melting the flavors spread throughout.
The same things you do with trays try with egg cartons. Put a stick or spoon into a frozen treat for on the go Popsicles. They are heavy, better then some I have seen at discount stores. The best part is you can throw them away so take your idea anywhere. Being able to enjoy the outing, party, barbecue, or church get together is what is important.
If you make your own soap this would be good for that, too. You can use these for separating vitamins and medications in advance. 12-18 separated sections for dividing daily doses. No extra cost is the part I love. I'm sure everyone can think of a different use for these equally separated cartons most of us have. Let me know what you come up with.
Source: I saw them used for ice cubes on RR repeat. I tried and it worked.
By Luana M. from San Diego, CA
This page contains the following solutions.
I saw the best tip on TV the other day; use your styrofoam egg cartons to make ice cubes. I usually buy eggs in the cardboard cartons, but occasionally I end up with the 18 pack styrofoam cartons (like now, I have 2 in my fridge).
One particularly useful household item normally finds itself in the garbage can, but it can be put to better use elsewhere. Before they find their ways into the garbage or recycling bin, catch those egg cartons and put them to one more better uses.
Use egg cartons to prop your vegetables up out of the dirt in your garden when they get too heavy.
We all have them! Styrofoam, cardboard, etc., they are fabu for storage! Fill each cup half full with poster paint, let it dry, and bam! Water color paint for the kiddies to use!
I use Styrofoam egg cartons for mailing in place of packing peanuts. I never throw an egg carton away. They are far less messy than the peanuts and cost nothing.
Use cardboard or foam egg carton as buffers for packaging (you can easily cut them to size). You'll never waste money on bubble-wrap or padded envelopes again.
When making meatballs, I always make extra and freeze them in washed egg cartons. It recycles the cartons and keeps the meatballs well.
I keep all the containers eggs come packaged in. You can use them to place eggs in from your local farmer's market.
I save egg cartons of both kinds cardboard and Styrofoam. I use the bottom of all sizes in the Styrofoam to use when I do watercolor painting. They can be used for any painting medium and also for crafting.
Baby's little socks fit perfectly into the bottom of an egg carton. When they are rolled up, they fit like little eggs!
Still trying to come up with a foolproof way to store those fragile Christmas ornaments? Try using egg cartons.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Does anyone have any suggestions on using empty Styrofoam egg cartons?
Thanks.
By carla from Huntington, WV
I saw a craft article a while back that made crowns out of egg cartons - cut & spray in a metallic color (or not).
I am using my empty egg cartons (bottoms only) to put broken egg shells (two pc. egg shells) in and the carton top will be cut away and used as a tray for the bottom carton to sit in. I'll add potting soil to each double thick egg shell to make little seed planters early next year for spring planting.
Thanks guys. Great advice. I never thought of offering my empty cartons to the egg vendor. I also really like the idea of using the little compartments for starting seeds. carla
I use them to hold jewelry in my dresser drawers; primarily earrings, pins, and rings.
Call your local elementary or high school. I was an art teacher, and I used to love it when people would drop off things like this. They are great for using in papier mache sculptures and other projects.
A friend of mine works witha food bank. They get eggs donated in large boxes. We save our cartons and give them to her so they can more easily give them out.
At Easter you can cut out the cups (different colors are great), and put a pipe cleaner in and create some unique looking
flowers-great things for kids to do!
When I was a kid my mother had planted a green bush on either side of the driveway down by the street. They were the type that stay green all year. Along about early March or so every year she'd take some different colored egg cartons and cut off the cups making zigzag shapes around the edges.
It never failed, we would have dozens of strangers stop by and many people would even come to the door to ask what type of bushes those were to produce such strange and pretty flowers! She'd just smile and say they were her own creation.
I remember making small trash cans out of used egg cartons.
The cavities in egg crates are just the right size for starting many types of seeds. An added advantage to the paper style is that it can be cut apart and the seedling planted in the soil container and all. This is a page about egg carton gardening.
The kids needed a treat to take to a church party. I had made mini cupcakes and I had saved a lot of egg cartons so I decided to put them in there. It was easier to cart them and they fit perfectly. Then you don't have to worry about getting your containers back.
When it is time to paint get out your empty egg carton! When using the inexpensive small bottles of paint from the craft stores you can squeeze small amounts of different colors into each egg section.
Got a leak? Make a gasket out of a Styrofoam egg crate. I can't tell you how many times something is leaking and it's after 5 o'clock or it's just too inconvenient to run to the store, not to mention the expense. So here is my thrifty tip on how to make a gasket in less than five minutes.
Egg cartons are often reused for craft projects, but they can also be used for organizing small craft supplies as well as other small items. Some suggestions for organizing using egg cartons can be seen below.
Some smaller vegetables can be stored in an empty egg carton to keep them separate from other vegetables. This is a page about using egg crates for veggie storage.
This is a page about crafts using egg cartons. Egg cartons are an essential in many crafts for children, including seasonal decorations.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I'm looking for interesting uses for everyday objects like egg cartons.
