Reusing a Strawberry Basket
Happy Hump Day! 
Lately, I’ve been in a crazy reuse mood so everything I see gets dissected and often times is recreated into something new. Last week, we bought a 2 flats of organic strawberries. I can hear you now, big deal. It is a big deal in a sense because those flats come packed with individual plastic containers to keep the strawberries contained. The ONLY part I hate about purchasing strawberries is the pesky plastic green containers. They’re so nostalgic to me, actually. I can remember my grandma handing them to us to forage for the strawberries that grew in her yard and not to mention, all the strawberry shortcakes I’ve eaten … just something about them.
I did happen to notice the recycling symbol on the bottom of them now.Quite honestly, I don’t remember that always being the case. So, big green eco thumbs up!
After eating up all the delicious “super sweet” strawberries the plastic baskets began to pile up on my kitchen counter top which became somewhat of an eye sore. Yes, I could just toss them into the recycle bin and be done with it; wipe my hands and walk away but lately I’ve been trying REALLY, REALLY hard to reuse things. I have always been good about it but I’m trying to take good to the next level.
Over the weekend, I was preparing a dish and cutting away at some veggies for din-din (and staring at the little green baskets), … I instantly thought…”garbage bowl” after I scooped up some scraps and needed to find a place for them. They rescued the veggie scraps instantly and it made me a happy camper.
For those of you who watch Rachel Ray, you may be a fan of the “garbage bowl” already… for those of you who do not… well, simply put the “garbage bowl” is for all the food scraps to sit in while you prepare your meal. Granted, her kitchen bowl is twice the size of a strawberry basket but size doesn’t matter here, people. LOL!
It has seriously come in handy for all my kitchen scraps. Especially since most of the kitchen scraps go to the chickens & worms. The green baskets make it convenient to toss in all the waste as you go rather then tossing it into the garbage each time. I’ve been surprised at how much kitchen waste one little basket can fit and remain inside.Even garlic peels stayed inside
Granted, I won’t need that many “garbage bowls” but at least a couple will serve a purpose for awhile. The others are going back to the stand at the farmer’s market so they can be reused. I also have one in use for garlic bulbs! And… I’ve even used one as an Easter Basket (can’t find post with it pictured) for Tristan’s first Easter and will more than likely be doing it again for both this year!!! Just add reused paper stuffing or raffia to fill it up with and it’s ready for eggs or whatever you wish. Oh! and if you notice in the picture above there’s the agave bottle I’ve been waiting on (and the garlic bulbs are in the pic too- swear!).
Next time you get some strawberries reuse the green little basket as a kitchen scrap bowl, you’ll be happy you did!
Here are just a few other things I’m reusing:
* Piece of cotton from prenatal vitamin bottle; will be reused for crafts.
* 2 ice cream sticks; reused for crafts.
* Plastic case a necklace came in; keep my bobby pins inside.
* Very old Malt O Meal box; cut top open and poured baking soda inside for easy pour and no ‘poo regime.
* Plastic shoe case; have several of these in use for misc. crap objects.
* Jar tops; have several of these also for many uses… change holder, picture magnet frame and great for crafts.
Reusing is Rad!
What have you been reusing lately?
