I watched an episode of Dr. Phil {or was it Oprah?} a WHILE back--okay, a long time ago--something about cheapskate spouses. One woman was ragging on her husband because he saved empty butter tubs, etc. for storing leftover, etc. And I thought--hey, what's wrong with that? This is the gist of my poll. {Looks like I made some typos in the poll! Sorry about that! Apparently my attention span isn't too great this evening.}

Edited January 19, 200917 yr by cierra'sgrandma
Typos in the poll.

I tend to use cheap several use containers like the gladware ones mainly. I dont get tupperware, I just dont understand why you'd want to spend a fortune on stuff like that when the stuff in the supermarket is just as good.

Plus anything party plan annoys the crap out of me, I refuse to buy it just because of the way its sold.

I do like Pyrex containers though. I have quite a few of those.

We'd empty maybe one butter tub a YEAR, we just dont eat it in our family. Nor do I buy ice cream more than once or twice a year. We dont eat microwave or prepackaged meals either, so I dont have a lot of containers like that that I could save.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. If I can get more than one use out of something, I will, and then I will recycle it. That is not being cheap, it is being environmentally responsible.

My Grandpa used to have a sign hanging in his garage (I would LOVE to have it today....) that said

Use It Up

Wear It Out

Make It Do

Or Do Without!

I guess I was raised with the attitude, I reuse them all!!!

I sent things to work with DH in those containers, that way if they don't come home....big deal! And he takes leftovers for lunch almost every day. When you microwave in tupperware you ruin it, and like Jacqui says, why waste your money???

I find it a challenge to make as little waste out of things as possible.....our world would be in better shape (as would our bodies now that I think about it!!!) if we all did!!!

I reuse all kinds of containers!

Kat

We use the reusable/disposable gladware containers in our house. We have to send the kid's lunches to daycare everyday and since I work 2nd shift I also package their dinners in them for my husband to heat up.

I cook meals in bulk so on a given day I might prepare 30-40 meals so I wouldn't have nearly enough of the butter or sour cream containers.

Of course I use butter tubs, cottage tubs, etc. I got tired of buying expensive containers to just lose them at work, school or people taking food home from my house. Small butter tubs are just perfect for making sugar free jello. I also take them to my Mom's house around the holiday to bring home left overs and I don't have to worry about returning them. My son comes over for dinner and I can send food home with him and not worry. But believe it or not, he brings them back. They are great for camping and preparing things ahead and just throwing them away and not having to wash them. I use Liquid Protein that comes in a container that looks like a big test tube. My DH uses them to store drill bits, screws, etc.

I think everyone should reuse anything possible.

Oh, kids love to play house or picnic with them.

Thanks,

Lone Star Loser

Oh, FYI, those plastic cups that fruit comes in (like mandarin oranges etc) make great snack cups for kids. I also save them for poster paint. Those creamer containers with the press top lids work well for the kind of poster paint that come in powder form that you have to mix with water. You can store the mixed paint in those. Sorry for the hijack!

I reuse those containers and also the plastic containers that you get with soup from the Chinese place. My DH is notorious about losing containers. I refuse to spend a lot of money on a container just so he can forget to bring it back home.

This chinese restaurant across the street from us gives everything in re-usable rubber containers. Soup as well as entrees.. it's my husband's favorite place to eat, so he gets take-out probably once a week. I have so many, I've actually been throwing them away!!

Okay, I have to be the safety police here. Its not safe to reheat food in those plastic containers in the microwave. Nasty chemicals leech out of the plastic and into the food. I still use some to store in the fridge, but I put the food on a plate to reheat. I'm gradually replacing all the plastic containers with pyrex containers.

I'm with redmom. I use the glass Pyrex containers to store and heat food, plastic just is not healthy. But I do save jars and assorted containers for other storage uses like in the garage.

I reuse stuff all the time. We don't use real butter, but we use the fake stuff. I buy the small containers and I have several in my cabinet now. I don't have a lot of leftovers, but I mostly use them for my cats water bowls. They work perfect. And when they get dirty or old, I just throw them away and use a new one. I don't know if I believe that about plastic being bad. All of our food comes in some kind of plastic.

Me either, although I suspect heating the food in the plastic is different to storing it.

I ruined a microwave container yesterday, I toasted some slivered almonds in butter and the darn thing MELTED. OK, so I've had it for probably 15 years but I was a bit freaked thinking it might have been melting a little bit every time I used it for the past few years.

That's why I like Pyrex though - straight from the freezer into the oven. I always make lasagnes and similar right in the pyrex container, freeze and then cook later.

We use the Land O Lakes spreadable butter, and sour cream that are in exact same size containers. When I use part of an onion, I will bag the rest and put it in a bowl (one of these) and into the fridge to keep the odor and taste out of everything else.

Since those are the 2 we use, I always swap the lids. Put the butter lid on the sour cream container, and visa versa, so that I am not opening a dozen different butter dishes looking for the butter!

I heard about the plastic and reheating in them, so with the kids (grandkids) I always transfer it to a plate to heat for them. DH in his lunch says he does not want breakable, heavy items, and he isn't worried about it. I figure he is an adult, and he can make his own call about it!

Watching that show Unwrapped on TV shows MANY items going into plastic containers while still hot---only to be cooled down as part of the routine of packaging it. Makes ya wonder!

For years they ate off of lead laced plates without knowing.....which is why for so many years they thought tomatoes were poisonous! IT was them leaching the lead out with their acidity!

I know from years past in grocery stores with friends who ran Frito Lay routes---and another friend who worked in the meat market---a LOT of things are in plastic getting heated in areas. Anything that is stored behind the freezer units will cook!

Jacqui I didn't melt a dish, but almost caught my microwave on fire last week! I was cooking pepperoni---I like it really crisp. And the grease caught fire, without me knowing it! Could have been disasterous, will pay more attention from here on out!

Kat

I reuse any container from food that can be used for storage. I even bring food to work in them and reheat on a paper plate in the microwave. That way, I am not buying plastic storage ware.

I hate to admit this, but I do not do left overs. Yuk!

I know, I know, there are plenty of people who go without food, but it grosses me out. So for my own defense and to avoid leftover waste, I make only enough food to consume in a serving.

So when I go to the grocery store, I will buy meat in bulk and divide it up into individual servings and place those servings in zip lock bags for the freezer.

I buy fresh veggies and only cook what we plan to eat.

I don't even take a doggie bag home from the restaurant, because I just don't like the flavor of left-over food. I know I am ridiculous.