3 Genius Ways To Repurpose Those Plastic Fruit Containers In Your Kitchen

Weekly grocery shopping and cleaning out your refrigerator or pantry are common chores that leave you with more useless, empty containers than you know what to do with. Especially when it comes to produce, many popular fruits like kiwis, grapes, and berries are often packaged in plastic boxes or clamshell containers. This might become an annoyance if you're someone who eats a lot of fruit and knows how to clean and store blueberries the right way to keep them mold-free.

Before rinsing them in vinegar and water, then drying them accordingly, you're most likely storing these delicate fruits in separate airtight containers lined with paper towels. Doing so not only keeps them moisture-free but they also stay fresh for a longer period of time. However, this multi-step process leaves you with countless plastic receptacles that, most of the time, get thrown away or added to your recycling bin week after week.

Fortunately, there are many creative ways to repurpose clear fruit containers. More specifically, there are three primary ways to use these containers that will ultimately help you streamline daily food prep in more ways than one. All you need to do is wash and dry them before reusing them.

Whether you're looking to pack the best Trader Joe's snacks for any craving like the brand's dark chocolate peanut butter cups, or your own favorite combination of foods, plastic clamshell containers are a perfect solution to take goodies on the go. Not only do most come with attached lids for easy storage but depending on what fruits you purchase week after week, you probably have a decent selection of various-sized containers at your disposal. Particularly, plastic clamshells are a great alternative to more expensive food storage containers for toddlers and school-aged children. If they get lost or thrown away, you can always fill more.  

When it comes to filling these containers with the right assortment of foods, use smaller vessels for bulkier trail mixes made with larger nuts and dried fruits like cashews, walnuts, figs, and dates. Alternatively, use larger containers to store halved sandwiches, sliced vegetables, pretzels, and crackers.

To make sure these containers work in your favor, depending on the foods you're storing, feel free to line the base of each clamshell with paper towels. This prevents bits of food from falling through the air vents. Furthermore, paper towels can also absorb moisture from fresh foods like sliced cucumbers, carrots, apples, and orange segments. Whatever you decide to store, always make sure the lids of your containers are properly closed on all sides. For extra precaution, wrap a rubber band around each clamshell to ensure they stay closed and mess-free in your purse or backpack.

If you like baking and sharing treats like chocolate chip cookies and bakery-worthy blueberry pie, plastic fruit containers are the perfect solution for giving away treats to friends and family. Six-ounce containers are the perfect-size vessels for holding one large cookie or homemade brownie while larger 8- or 12-ounce containers are ideal for gifting energy bites or more than a few smaller baked goods. Extra-large containers that typically house fruits like kiwis can be used to store a few croissants or muffins, or multiple pieces of pie (simply line them with parchment paper to prevent messes from any loose fillings).

The best part about using plastic clamshell containers as makeshift gift boxes is that you can decorate them a few different ways. For seasonally specific baked goods like strawberry scones and blueberry muffins, apply fruit-themed stickers to each plastic wall and secure the containers with twine. This gives your baked goods country-style, farmers market appeal. That being said, feel free to use a variety of ribbon, bows, and other small decorations depending on the occasion.

If you plan on selling individual baked goods at special events or markets, use a handy gadget like the Phomemo Bluetooth Label Maker on Amazon to stay organized. Simply include the name of the baked good as well as a set price to each self-adhesive label and add them directly to each individual container. 

Another great way to reuse plastic clamshells is by filling them with various snacks and extra ingredients for shareable meals. Especially when hosting low-key get-togethers with friends and family, the last thing you want to do at the end of the night is clean a bunch of small serving bowls. To effectively use plastic fruit containers, cut off the lids with sharp kitchen scissors and line the base of each one with paper towels.

When it comes to Mexican food, while baking tortillas and fully cooked ground meat in muffin tins may be your secret weapon for a low-mess taco night, you can also use disposable fruit containers to house fresh toppings like sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese. Or, if you're hosting a summertime cookout outdoors, plastic clamshells are the perfect vessels for housing burger toppings like pickles, sliced onions, and bacon strips. Just make sure to avoid filling these containers with condiments or ingredients that are excessively moist like guacamole, salsa, or caramelized onions.

Once each container is filled with ingredients, put them all together in one central area on your dining table with serving utensils. This way, your dinner guests can help themselves to whatever extras they want. Keep in mind, besides using multiple containers at mealtime, you can also use plastic clamshells as handy, collective snack bowls for pretzels, crackers, and candy.