Things to make with plastic baby food containers

50+ Fantastic Ways to Re-Use Baby Food Jars

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Last updated on March 29, 2022

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50+ baby food jar crafts and creative ways to re-use baby food jars so you don’t have to put throw them in the trash.

If you’ve had a baby in recent years, there’s a good chance you’ve acquired quite a collection of baby food jars. Baby food jars ares so cute and chubby, and such a great size. If you’re like me, you find it hard to thrown them away. If that’s the case, your baby food jar collection could be growing at an alarming rate, and you’re probably looking for things to make with all of those jars.

Well, you’re in luck! One of my Facebook followers recently asked for ways that she could re-purpose her baby food jars, and the HH community responded with dozens of great crafts made with baby food jars along with practical ways to use baby food jars in and around the home.

I’ve gathered up their best suggestions and added a few of my own favourite uses for baby food jars, and I’ve come up with this long list of ideas for you.

From the craft room to the classroom to the bathroom and beyond, here are over 50 ways for you to use leftover baby food jars so you don’t have to toss them out.

50+ Baby Food Jar Crafts

Click on the links below to see project details.

Ways to use baby food jars in the classroom or craft room:

Crayon Caddy: Paint several baby food jars and store co-ordinating, coloured crayons in them.
Fill baby food jars with water, and set on the art table to rinse paint brushes in.
Give each student in the class a baby food jar filled with cream, and make homemade butter together.
Make a mini “ocean in a jar” in a baby food jar. Pretty on classroom window sill or fun to play with.
Soak dried out markers in baby food jars to make liquid watercolour paint.
Make and store homemade finger paint in baby food jars.
Baby food jars make great paint and glue pots at the easel. Lids keep them from drying out between uses.
Punch holes in the lids (with a nail) and use jars to store and dispense glitter.
Make I-Spy Jars in baby food jars.
Make collection jars for the preschool classroom.
Fill with small amounts of water for syringe transfer work trays in preschool or kindergarten
Paint tall baby food jars with food coloring, water and glue for a frosted look. Store pens, pencils and paintbrushes in them.

Things to make for kids with baby food jars:

Play dough jars: fill several baby food jars with different colours of homemade play dough for a kids’ gift basket.
Set some baby food jars out in the rain and make this scented rain paint.
In the play kitchen: fill baby food jars with flour, rice, lentils etc. Glue the lids on, and kids can pretend-cook with them.
Bug Jars – wrap a pipe cleaner handle around the top, and go exploring in the yard.
Make these cute and quirky emoji jars for a kid’s dresser or desk.
Glue painted toy animals on baby food jar lids, use as party favours.
Fill with homemade slime or silly putty to put in loot bags.
Make a tooth fairy jar.
Teach kids how to manage their allowance with 3 tall baby food jars labeled SPEND, SAVE, BANK.
Make an advent or countdown calendar.
Fill baby food jars with layers of “coloured sand” (ground sidewalk chalk mixed with salt).
Use baby food jars to make mini lava-lamps.

Ways to re-use baby food jars in the kitchen:

Make magnetic spice jars to store on the refrigerator door
Organize your spice drawer with baby food jars.
Make Smore’s treats in baby food jars. Hand them out around the campfire or at a party.
Make a window-sill herb garden with baby food jars.
Fill baby food jars with condiments for camping or a bbq.
Sterilize jars and lids, and reuse baby food jars for homemade baby food. The serving sizes are perfect.

Gifts and party favours to make with baby food jars:

Baby food jars make great wedding favours. Decorate and place at each table setting.
These baby food jar lanterns were hung in a tree at an outdoor wedding.
Make Lego Head Jars as party favours for a Lego party.
Make mini calming jars for kids or co-workers
Make a wish jars or dream jars for your family and friends.
Give a gift of homemade bath salts or sugar scrub in a baby food jar.
Make these cupcakes in a jar to give to teachers, neighbours and friends.
Make a craft kit for a child by filling jars with pom poms, sequins, foam stickers, and beads.
Hot Cocoa in a baby food jar: layer hot chocolate, shaved chocolate and mini marshmallows in a jar. Cover the lid with a swatch of fabric tied with a ribbon.

Other ways to use baby food jars around the home and garden:

Store pony tail holders, Q-tips, and hair clips in baby food jars on the bathroom counter.
Make a spill proof nail-polish remover kit with a baby food jar.
Plant succulents in baby food jars to display on a porch or patio.
Hang these colourful baby food luminaries from a tree in your yard.
Baby food jars are great for storing seeds for the garden.
Make Photo Globes by placing your child’s photo inside a baby food jar.
Organize your spare change: each jar holds a different type of coin.
Use baby food jars to hold paper clips, thumb tacks etc. on a desk or in a drawer in an office.
Travel jewelry keeper for earrings and rings.
A Mini sewing kit in a baby food jar is great for travel or the office.
Fill baby food jars with Puffs, fishy crackers, Cheerios, nuts etc. Keep in the diaper bag for the kids.
Nail the lids of baby food jars to the underside of a shelf to store screws, nails and craft supplies.
Store several baby wipes in a baby food jar and keep in your purse or diaper bag.

Baby food jar Christmas crafts:

Turn a baby food jar into a snowman Christmas tree ornament.
Make festive holiday votive candle holders.
Make sparkly tea light luminaries in baby food jars.
Baby food jars make great miniature snow globes.
Make Reindeer food for Christmas Eve.

What if you STILL have leftover baby food jars?

If you have more baby food jars than you could possibly ever use, even after reviewing all of the ideas, please consider giving your collection to a teacher, a crafter or a daycare provider. Most will be happy to put your little glass jars to good use.

Looking for more crafts to make with your recyclables? Check out:

Re-purposed Denim Craft Aprons

Re-purposed Denim Bibs

25 Creative Ways to Re-use your Keurig’s K-Cups

22 Ways to Re-Use Cardboard Tubes

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Jackie Currie

Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.

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10 Ways to Upcycle Baby Food Storage Containers

After you’ve had a baby and she’s old enough to eat solid foods, you suddenly find that you have a small army of empty baby food storage containers. Even if you make your own baby food, inevitably there are times you rely on store-bought baby food. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, here are 10 fabulous ways to upcycle your baby food storage containers.

1. Paint all the lids.

This can be done for any glass container that has a reusable lid — baby food jars, jam jars, pickle jars and so on. Remove the label and clean the jar or bottle. If there’s adhesive or ink expiration dates on your jar, use a paste of baking soda, soap and warm water to rub on the areas. It works like a dream and has never failed to remove even stubborn glues. Then paint your lids. When the lid is dry, the container can be used for storage or for packaging an adorable gift. Ours are filled with rock collections, buttons, washi tape, special sand, pine cones and seed pods … you get the idea.

2. Create slime or homemade playdough holders.

I couldn’t even tell you how much slime my daughter has made — let’s just say, if there happens to be an Elmer’s Glue shortage, she’s probably responsible. Reusing your plastic baby food storage containers or glass jars to hold slime or homemade playdough works well. They seal tightly so the slime/playdough doesn’t dry out, and they are just the right size to pop into your bag so you always have a fun distraction when needed. Need a great homemade playdough recipe? Click here.

3. Get festive with snow globes.

This is an easy DIY project that can be used to decorate your home or is perfect for gifting. Click over to MarthaStewart.com and let Martha show you how it’s done. If you don’t want to add the liquid, just follow Martha’s directions and add glitter instead.

4. Use for artist supplies.

Reuse your baby food storage containers, glass jars, yogurt cups, etc., for holding art supplies and for using during art projects. The smaller containers are a perfect size to hold water to rinse your brushes when painting. They can also be cleaned and used again and again. The glass jars are great for holding paintbrushes, colored pencils or markers.

5. Make magical lights.

I couldn’t resist adding this easy DIY to the list of ways to upcycle baby food storage containers. It’s just so cute and really simple. If you want to add some color to your magical lights, click here for a complete tutorial on these colorful glass luminaries.

6. Whip up adorable party favors.

I love this idea from Crafty Morning. She upcycled her baby food jars into princess party favors, but the idea can be used for any party theme. Having a Christmas party? Glue small trees to the top of your lids and paint the lid and tree a sparkling white. Glue a dinosaur or other tiny animal to the top and paint it and the lid the birthday boy or girl’s favorite color. After the paint dries, fill them with tiny treats, LEGOs, etc.

7. Store your tiny things.

If your baby food storage container “collection” includes the plastic containers with lids, they are great for keeping things organized. For example, they can hold small office supplies like paper clips and rubber bands, hair elastics and little craft items. Make a cute label for the top like these from Kierste from SimplyKierste.com, and you have an organizing solution that keeps those plastic containers out of your local landfill.

Organizing with baby food containers from SimplyKierste.com.

8. Repurpose to pack condiments or other snacks.

The plastic baby food storage containers are food-safe and a nice size for condiments, dressing or small snacks to put into your kiddo’s lunchbox. Attach a little note for your sweetie to make a cute go-to container for lunchtime.

9. Decorate an all-purpose jar.

When I saw this charming upcycle idea from Lovely Etc., I knew it had to go on the list. To make your own, take off the label and clean your jar. Use washi tape to decorate your lid. At this point, you could use your jar, but the folks at Lovely Etc. took it to the next level by painting the jar and adding a label. For the complete tutorial, click here.

10. Put together mini dessert parfaits.

Making mini dessert parfaits in your unused baby food jars is a wonderful idea for holiday gatherings, baby showers, birthday parties and other special events. There are so many different recipes and, let’s face it, everything looks adorable in the little jars. Check out this yummy recipe from Celebrations at Home.

Make tiny parfaits and put them inside baby food jars. Photo: Adobe Stock

If you’re making your own baby food, then here are some perfectly sized baby food storage containers at Yummy Spoonfuls. When your baby is grown, you can use the containers for toddler food storage, and when they’re older, they always come in handy to put in school lunchboxes.

By Wendy Gabriel

Wendy Gabriel is a freelance eco-writer based in California. Wendy's work has been featured in numerous publications and websites, including the Chicago Sun-Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fox Business News and Mashable.com. For nearly six years, she was a weekly contributor on a popular radio talk show in the Upper Midwest with a segment titled “Simple Tips for Green Living.”

Brilliant ideas on the use of plastic containers that will help you save a lot of money

Plastic containers have long been part of the everyday life of every person. These transparent boxes are very convenient to store or transport food. They become a real salvation if cheese appears in the refrigerator, which has a specific and pungent odor. And in plastic bowls you can put lunches for a picnic, work or study. But this is not all the scope of these wonderful containers. nine0003

bb.lv

Plastic boxes can be used in the most original and unexpected ways. They help organize a comfortable life in areas of life that you do not even suspect. Check out some ingenious uses for containers and be sure to take note of them.

Contents:

1 1. Miniature pond
2 2. Box with a lock
3 3. Woolen bin
4 4. Small pet houses
5 5. Box for children's toys
6 6. Storage container for Christmas toys
7 7. Author's chest of drawers
8 8. Organizer for decorations
9 9. Cat tray

1 miniature pond

On a small personal plot, you can build a tiny decorative pond from plastic containers. The result is simply amazing!

thegardenglove.com

2. Chest with a lock

The needlewoman will easily connect two plastic containers, decorate them with shells and cover them with bronze paint. You can store pasta or cereals in such an old chest. nine0003

masterclassy.ru

3. Container for storing woolen balls

Lovers of knitting or crochet will certainly appreciate this idea. A large plastic container will be the best help for knitters. It is only necessary to make several holes in the lid and pass threads from multi-colored skeins of yarn through them. Now the threads will never tangle.

shareably.net

4. Houses for small pets

For a hamster or a guinea pig, you can build a luxurious three-story mansion out of plastic containers. A cute pet will choose the level for games, food or rest. Just a dream, not a home! nine0003

dominiomundial.com

5. Children's toy box

An ordinary plastic container doesn't have to be transparent. An ordinary box is easy to transform by decorating it with wrapping paper or fabric. Moreover, decorative materials are sold in any store. A roomy and elegantly designed toy box will look appropriate in the children's room.

hometalk.com

6. Christmas storage container

Fragile glass Christmas balls and other toys are easy to store in a sturdy plastic container. It just needs to be improved a bit. Drill holes in the sides of the container and insert the rods into them. Now you can hang decorations on them. It turns out a very safe way to store it. nine0003

shareably.net

7. Author's chest of drawers

By putting together several plastic containers, you can get a chest of drawers for storing clothes or shoes. And if you decorate it with multi-colored napkins, then in just an hour you will create a unique work of decorative art.

hometalk.com

8. Jewelry organizer

Any fashionista knows the feeling of annoyance when literally before leaving the house you have to unravel chains and bracelets to choose the right jewelry. And here a plastic container will come to the rescue. If several rods are passed through the drilled holes, then all the beads and chains can be hung on them. And from the outside, the container is easy to decorate with a beautiful cloth or paper. nine0003

recreoviral.com

9. Cat tray

Pet accessories are now available in specialized stores, but they are quite expensive. And if you take a plastic container, a piece of carpet and adhesive tape, then your cat will surely like the resulting toilet.

recreoviral.com

As you can see, creativity, imagination and ingenuity will help to find an original use for even the most ordinary and boring things. If you like our ideas, tell your friends about them. Let them make the usual life brighter and more diverse. nine0003

We also publish boring ideas for the interior on our channel in Yandex.Zen.

Baby food storage: containers, terms and regulations Article updated: May 14, 2021 But as long as the child is breastfed, he is more protected from aggressive environmental factors.

The situation becomes more complicated when it is time for the first complementary foods. By this time, it is important for mom to learn everything about the proper storage of baby food. nine0003

Photo: depositphotos.com. Author: Petunya.

Contents

Breast milk
Accessories
- Avent containers
- Other sets
Why is this important?
Frozen foods
- Requirements
- What do you need?
- Send to freezer
- Preparation
Shelf life
- After opening
- Dry mix
Tips

Breastmilk

Almost all mothers who breastfeed their babies face the problem of storing it. Sometimes a mother needs to be away on important matters, and therefore the responsibility to feed the baby is assigned to another family member.

What you need to know about the safety of expressed milk?

The best containers are either reusable containers or sterile disposable bags with a measuring scale, for example: Lansinoh, Medela, Dr. Brown’s or Pigeon. They can be found in specialized children's stores or pharmacies in the city. nine0012
Milk from different pumping times must not be poured into the same container.
If you are going to defrost milk, do not rush to heat it up. First, let the ice completely melt and only then start heating - either in a water bath or in a heater.

Accessories

Avent Containers

Philips Gourmet VIA Avent Sterilized Container Set is a convenient and thoughtful system for storing baby food, including mother's milk. Such containers can be used repeatedly, there are several of them in the set, but they should be thrown away immediately if the view becomes unusable. nine0003

System advantages:

is a convenient novelty for storing, transporting mother's milk/formula and feeding the baby;
containers are easy to care for;
due to the sterility of VIA Avent "Gourmet", there is no need to shift the contents during feeding;
you can use the handy spoon included in the set;
containers are quite stable and do not take up much space during storage, if desired, they can be stacked on top of each other; nine0012
The milk preparation time is easy to write directly on the surface of the VIA Avent container.

Other sets

In addition to the undisputed market leader - the manufacturer VIA Avent, you can find containers for storing baby food of other brands:

Babymoove (France). The main advantage is the presence of not only plastic containers, but also sets made of food grade silicone.
BabyOno (Poland) - a line of plastic containers that do not contain bisphenol-A harmful to the child; a special spoon-shaped dispenser is built into the lid of the container. Also on sale you can find a set of magic silicone molds, a distinctive feature of which is a hermetically sealed lid with four locks, which excludes leakage. nine0012
Beaba (France) boasts not only multi-portion silicone containers, but also special containers for cooking cereals. This is good news for parents who are starting to feed their baby with homemade cereals.
Brother Max (UK) makes a set of cube-shaped baby food freezer containers that snap together easily.
Infantino (USA) - their products are distinguished by a professional approach to business. Now moms and dads have the opportunity to get a real station for packaging baby food. nine0012

All modern baby food storage kits are dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe.

Why is this important?

It should not be forgotten that young children cannot eat large amounts of food at one meal. If you want to save time for activities with the child, food for him can be prepared in advance for several feedings.

Until about three years old, the child's immunity is not yet fully developed, so it is difficult for him to fight viruses and microbes. In turn, good nutrition can strengthen the immune system of the crumbs. For this reason, it is so important to store baby products properly. This is especially true of frozen vegetables, fruits and berries, because in the cold season they will become an indispensable source of trace elements and vitamins. nine0003

Such preparations can be used in winter to make wonderful healthy puree, kissels, compotes, soups and much more. Ready-made dishes are served separately or become an excellent addition to cereals that are not always loved by children.

Frozen Foods

Requirements

Basic Freezing Rules for Children:

Use only undamaged vegetables or fruits.
They can only be frozen once, so before sending them to the freezer, pack them into small portions and arrange them in bags. This also applies to meat. nine0012
Frozen products retain their useful properties for no more than two months. After this period, the taste deteriorates, and the amount of vitamins and minerals contained in them drops dramatically.
Use domestic products, and best of all - grown in your own garden. Imported vegetables and fruits are not suitable for the preparation of baby food for the future.

What do you need?

Simple ice cube trays are perfect for storing baby food. You can spread freshly prepared mashed potatoes in them, cover it with a special cling film and place it in the freezer. The main condition is a sufficiently low storage temperature. nine0003

You can also use several pre-lined baking trays. Divide cooked baby food into single servings, and distribute them evenly among trays.

Thanks to one of these techniques, in the future you will be able to separate the set of products needed for one feeding, and you will not have to deal with vegetables stuck together in a lump.

Frozen storage foil is not recommended.

Send to freezer

Your baby's food is ready, now it's time to freeze it. To do this, you first need to cool the food to room temperature.

Before sending food for the baby to the freezer, it is necessary to check it for the presence of unpleasant odors: it is necessary to exclude the possibility of freon leakage - a refrigerant gas that has a specific smell.

To prevent the growth of bacteria in food, set the temperature in the freezer to no higher than -18 degrees. nine0003

Frozen food in molds can be transferred to cellophane, releasing all air from it. Each package should be signed, indicating the date of preparation. In this form, products can be stored for no longer than two weeks.

Preparation

To prepare frozen purée, first thaw it properly. To do this, take the amount of food that the child can eat at one time. There are several options:

Move the puree from the freezer to the refrigerator, after a while the product will melt itself. nine0012
Transfer the portion to an enamel bowl and place over low heat. Here you need to make sure that the product does not burn.
Another option that modern mothers often use is defrosting in a microwave oven. Although the safety of this method raises doubts among some experts.

Never thaw baby food at room temperature. This causes the reproduction of microorganisms in the products that can harm the child. nine0003

The nutrition packs in the first and third cases must not be opened until the contents have completely thawed.

Shelf life

As soon as you open any baby food, its shelf life is significantly reduced. So, milk adapted mixtures or cereals should be stored in the open for no more than three weeks. If we are talking about fermented milk products, then they can be stored exclusively in the refrigerator, and they should be on a separate shelf.

Milk, kefir, cottage cheese and yogurt are kept open for no more than a day, otherwise you can poison your baby. Before you give your baby fermented milk products from the refrigerator, be sure to try it yourself first. This will help you personally make sure that the products are not sour. If milk turns sour before a full day, your refrigerator may be faulty or the temperature is incorrectly set.

If you prepare food for your child yourself, it is generally not recommended to store it. Homemade cereals or already diluted mixtures will only be suitable for two hours from the moment of preparation, vegetable or fruit puree will quickly darken, and the juices will begin to oxidize. What your baby did not eat on time should either be thrown away or eaten by yourself. nine0003

After opening

Most baby purees quickly lose their useful properties after opening. In addition, the expiration dates are not always found on jars. For children, intestinal infections are very dangerous, and therefore open mashed potatoes should not be stored for more than two days.

Much also depends on the refrigerator: one freezes more, the other less. Never put baby food in the refrigerator door, it is better to place it on the top shelf.

Please note: if you preheat the jar, the shelf life of the product in it will be greatly reduced compared to the data on the label.

The shelf life also depends on the room temperature. If it is +20 degrees or more, then the product is suitable for only 5-6 hours.

Dry sweep

The safe storage time for infant formula is clearly stated on the packaging. As soon as the pack is opened, the period of use will be reduced significantly. The fact is that dangerous microorganisms quickly develop in a dry powder. Keep an open pack in the refrigerator, and prepare the product itself immediately before feeding. It is not necessary to breed more than the baby will eat at one time. When traveling, place the bottle of formula in a thermos for baby bottles or a cooler bag. In this case, baby food will remain fresh for some time. nine0003

Advice

Before buying any product, you should study all the information contained on its packaging from the manufacturer. Pay attention to the production time - suddenly the jar stood in the warehouse for a long time.
Baby food spoils rather quickly after opening and should not be refrigerated for more than two days. If necessary, heat up the portion calculated for one dose, and not the whole jar, otherwise its shelf life will be reduced to one day. nine0012
The maximum recommended storage temperature for sealed jars of baby puree is 12 degrees, and when opened it is only 4 degrees (standard refrigerator temperature). The shelf life of open products without a refrigerator is reduced to 6 hours at temperatures below 20 degrees and, accordingly, 4 hours at higher air temperatures.
If you have any doubts about the quality, throw the yoghurt or puree into the waste bin immediately. There is no shortage of baby food in stores, it will always be possible to buy more, and the health of the baby is much more valuable than a few jars thrown away. nine0012
It is unlikely that you will be able to know for sure how the food was stored in the warehouse. But always pay attention to compliance with storage conditions at points of sale. You can be calm at the sight of refrigerated shelves and products with a normal expiration date. At the same time, jars laid out on ordinary racks at a temperature of about 30 degrees should alert you.