Uses for Ice Cream Tubs

BatOutOfhell

Help!!! I am being overwhelmed by empty ice cream tubs and don't know what else I can do with them. My Council Website says they'll take them for recycling but that seems a bit of a cop out.
What can uses can we come up with for them? (I have a mix of 1 litre and 2 litre sizes)
Here's my current list:-

• Save for summer freezing of surplus fruit & veg (already got 2 boxes full for this plus what's already in the freezer)
• Store kids toys e.g. Playmobil, Lego, Polly Pocket
• Store craft items - beads, glitter, buttons
• Store stationery items - felt tips, pencils, rubbers etc

BOGOF_Queen

Do you or any of your friends and family grow plants? I use plastic mushroom containers that

smeeinnit

Use mine mainly as lunchboxes, freezing portions of stuff like spag bol, or cake/biscuit boxes

Fruball

Use them as seed trays to start off growing some veg or flowers for the garden

BOGOF_Queen

Sorry hit the return key by mistake! I use mushroom containers for growing all my veg and flowers in - once the seeds have germinated and the plants are growing well, they can then be transplanted into individual pots or straight into the ground. Ice cream containers would be ideal for seed sowing.

foxgloves

I pierce holes in them and use for seed trays or to transplant seedlings into to grow them on. Also have one as my 'breadcrumb box' in the freezer, and have got bird food...(especially those little fiddly niger seeds that go everywhere) in one too. Have used two for bird drinking water during winter......put one out, bring the frozen solid one in to thaw for use the next day when the 1st one's frozen, etc, etc, and just generally use for freezer containers.

Horace

I use them for freezing stuff..some of the larger square ones are great for freezing fairy cakes. I have used them in the past for seeds and storing odds n ends.

If you are drowning in tubs then why not advertise them on freegle? Someone may come and collect them from you.

beemuzed

I use mine for freezing leftovers and for storage of eg raisins, currants, etc in larder. Also for keeping buttons in! One has opened seed packets from last year and I have a few with jigsaws in. DGD keeps her crayons and pencils in one and I still have two larger ones from my own boys' childhood - one has small bits of lego and another has matchbox toys.
I always have a couple ready to use in the cupboard, but since our local council began recycling most types of plastic in the fortnightly collection I do tend to throw more out these days.

Callie22

I use them in the freezer for things like herbs, breadcrumbs, spare soft fruit (once I get a tubful I make a crumble and start again). I also use them under my sink - I have some with labels on for things like j-cloths, brillo pads, rubber gloves and pan scrubs. They stack neatly and keep the cupboard looking tidy.

BatOutOfhell

Horace wrote: »

If you are drowning in tubs then why not advertise them on freegle? Someone may come and collect them from you.

I'm afraid I tried that - no takers but someone emailed to tell me that the local primary school uses them as "sick buckets" on school trips!!!

emiff6

Why not have a go at making your own ice cream? That way you are re-using the tubs, and won't be buying any more.