How can I reuse or recycle … shaped foam fruit trays?

shaped_foam.jpgJohn bought some apples from a supermarket a couple of weeks ago. He didn’t want a full pre-packed bag and the loose ones were bruised and icky because it was late in the day, so ended up getting four in a shaped foam tray. Said apples got eaten and said foam tray got left waiting for its next use.

We’ve already looked at flat foam veg trays – and there have been some good suggestions that would work well with shaped trays like these (especially the paint-mixing ones and the packing material ones) – but is there anything else that can particularly take advantage of the curvy bowl shapes?

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12 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle … shaped foam fruit trays?”


  1. yogahz says:

    You could use it to hold beads.

    Water color tray.

  2. Megan says:

    I was thinking beads too. I could really use something like that right now to sort jewelery in the drawers of my new dressing table. It could be used to sort other small items.

  3. Send them to a local school – the kids would probably love them for making things out of.

  4. Mary says:

    If you have fruit trees, save them to keep you fruit from squashing and getting bruised after you pick it.You’d need a lot though!!

  5. Laura says:

    You can store rolled up socks in them, to neaten up a sock drawer.

  6. Fishcake_Random says:

    Try collage/paint or felt tip pens to decorate them and use them to make up fancy gift wraps or pretty displays of soap in the bath room etc.

    I keep some from my supermarket shopping days and use them to transport my fruit and veg i need to buy at the greengrocers home. Most of the greengrocers dont use packaging etc so reuse .

  7. Mea says:

    Save it for the holidays. If you bake cupcakes or muffins to give away as a gift put them in this type of container, wrap with a festive fabric, tie a bow to keep the fabric in place and there you go.

  8. KatyH says:

    Styrofoam trays such as those are great for doling out small quantities of paint for kids to create with. Try contacting your local school’s art department. Ours also uses egg cartons and meat trays (well rinsed)

  9. renee says:

    just by itself it seems to be a beautiful found art object.

    :)

  10. They make great containers to start flowers/seedlings.

  11. addy says:

    you could use it as a gelatin mold or dip it in paint and use it as a stamp

  12. sherry says:

    what do i do with an empty tube of toothpaste. The lid is a hard plastic,
    Origins recycles the lids, but what do i do with the tube.. It still has some toothpaste in it that i cannot get out so i don’t think my neighborhood recyle would take it.. they take certain glass, paper and metal only…



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