For State Fair-Style Lemonade, Save These Storage Containers

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State fair lemonade is one of those nostalgic drinks that just seems to taste so much better in the container it comes in. Fortunately, it's not only easy to replicate this experience at home, but also rather sustainable as well — just make sure you follow our tips for making the best lemonade. If you're a fan of pickles that come in containers like Grillo's, or find yourself ordering takeout that's delivered in plastic quart-sized containers, you can give these a good wash and repurpose them for your own version of this classic drink. 

For the best possible lemonade, it's very important to clean your deli container thoroughly. If you're using something that once held a spicy or briny food, there's a chance there will be some residue. To get rid of this, you'll want to fill the container with some hot water, soap, and a paper towel, and shake away any odor and stains. For stains that are a bit more difficult to remove, you could also use a sponge and some baking soda to further break down the remaining traces of foodstuffs.

The container is one thing, but you'll also want to make sure you nail down the perfect recipe for your quart-sized cup. The drink itself is very simple, just three ingredients — lemons, water, and sugar. You could even add mint, strawberries, or lime for extra kick. Lemonade is quite the forgiving drink to make. Whether you prefer it more tart or sweet, you can play around with the flavors until you've managed a version you're happy with. But definitely remember the simple trick for lemonade with more flavor: macerate your lemons in sugar before adding water. 

Deli containers were once a chef's secret, commonly used as drink containers because glass is not allowed in most kitchens. Now they've become a social media-popularized way of making quick meals and keeping your fridge organized. Adding to the list of food container hacks that are much smarter than plastic wrap, the sheer variation of recipes that center around this storage option are vast. This is in part thanks to trends like the viral cucumber salad, which is specifically made in reusable quart-sized containers.

TikTok user @logagm went viral for one of the original cucumber salad recipes that helped kick off this deli container trend — his videos on how to make this delicious meal have garnered millions of views. In addition to cucumber salads, there are many ways to make use of deli containers — there's even an entire section of cooking TikTok devoted to deli container recipes, breaking down the many types of meals you can make with this simple kitchen item. Many creators use them for quick salads as you can easily shake together all the components once added inside. The same goes for ramen and pasta, and other dishes like tuna or chicken salad.

These containers have become so popular that many are buying them in bulk to keep on hand as opposed to exclusively reusing old takeout packaging, like Dipoo's set of 60 deli containers with lids from Amazon. Regardless, you'll want to ensure that the container you end up using is safe as some brands of single-use takeout containers are not recommended to be repurposed. But not to fret — there are many suitable options that are microwave, freezer, and multi-use safe, just be sure to double check the packaging.