How can I reuse or recycle little pudding pots?
We’ve had an email from Debbie:
Any ideas what we can do with individual microwave pudding pots from the supermarket? They’re plastic.
First up, as always, reduce if you can – I know those puddings are convenient but it doesn’t take that much longer to make your own with a microwave (for example, a syrup pudding only takes about five minutes from scratch and there are plenty of “chocolate pudding in a mug” recipes out there). Or, if there is more than one of you puddinging and you *have* to buy one, getting a bigger single pudding instead of lots of little ones – the overall amount of packaging will be slightly less, and the bigger pot will be more reusable.
Bringing us neatly onto reuses: any suggestions? I suspect there will be considerable overlap with yoghurt pots – but the ones I’ve seen are a little more shapely than those so that may allow other reuses.
The little ones are fine as seedling starter pots (make holes in the bottom for drainage), or as little paint pots. They’d make dome-shaped jelly moulds for individual jellies – or for making your own microwave puddings! You could also cross the plant pot/dessert mould ideas over and make dirt puddings ;) Any other ideas?
As for actual recycling, does anyone know what number plastic they are? From a bit of Googling around, I think they’ll be number 5, polypropylene – but I’ll check next time I’m at the supermarket.
While looking for a picture to illustrate the post, I found this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Microwave-pudding-pet-food-dish-for-wire-cages/
Pudding pots screwed to cages to be pet food dishes for small animals. Great reuse!
Do they have lids or just pull-off foil/plastic tops?
If lids then obviously storage containers for anything small: sorting containers for colors, shapes, etc for kids to play with
If no lids could still be used for sorting/containing in a drawer or on a shelf. If stability is needed glue dots on the bottom then affixed in a drawer, on a tray or shelf will do the job. I’m thinking of something like bead sorting for the current jewelry project.
If they have a lip – turn on top of the other, punch holes thru both lips, add a few dried beans or wood beads, lace the two together, securely tie, and you have a ‘rattle’ for kids or cats
A single cup could be painted and used for indoor/outdoor decorations as bells on a wreath; the sides could be cut for petals to make flowers, stack several together and you have a carnation/peony, a single is a daisy
Attach to the end of a dowel, length of your choice, put in the garden, fill with bird seed – several, filled with different seeds for different birds, would make a lovely garden for the birds
Attach to a board, about 3’x3′, evenly spaced and use for ring toss: lean the board up against a tree/chair, either paint the cups different colors for different scores or paint a number in the cup, use old embroidery hoops, canning jar rings, etc
While it might not ultimately save them from landfill, I’ve always found them great for mixing small amounts of polyfilla or when doing small touchups of paint where you don’t want to lug the tin around. You can rinse them and use them a few times.
Probably be good for kids’ paints too.
These pudding pots I’ve found very useful for storing seeds. They stack nicely, so if I’ve got a few beans left over, they go in the pot with the instructions and the next pot goes on top with the next type of seed. This way, I don’t mix up any of my seeds or beans after I’ve opened the packaging.
Check your local school – or use at home :) Many grade levels study plants and these little tubs make great pots for starting seeds. I poke a few tiny holes in the bottom and the kids fill them with good soil and a seed or two of their choice. We sit them on little lids (from larger jars, raisin canisters, etc) to hold any water that drains out.
Artificial boobs for Halloween. :)