Plastic Bakery Boxes

[susiestar]

I am sure you have seen, if not had, the plastic bakery boxes used by Walmart and other large bakeries. We end up with a few now and then. I had heard for a long time that they could be reused as plastic for shrinky dinks. Upon checking, this isn't true in my area. Shrinky dinks have the number 6 in the recycling triangle, and bakery boxes don't.

I was frustrated today because I didn't want to just throw them away, so I actually looked up the code on them. They are made from PETE (aka PET), which is polyethylene teraphthalate and is the same plastic as water and soda bottles.

If you spend much time on pinterest, craftgawker, or other sites, you will see TONS of ways to recycle soda and water bottles. Some involve cutting the plastc and rying to make it lay flat. Using a bakery box would make it vastly easier. I have seen myriad projects where you cut up a soda bottle, color it with a sharpie, wait untili t dries and use a hair dryer set on high or a heat gun to help bend the plastic into beads, wire, small containers, whatever.

If you are not crafty/artsy, or you don't like working with plastic or heat guns or whatever, when you throw these out remember they can be recycled like your soda bottles (if you have them AND recycling. Sigh. That is another fight, lol. Check each bakery's boxes rather than just tossing them in, because there may be some made of other plastics. Given that Walmart is using these rather than the old ones made from the same stuff as shrinky dinks, it is reasonable to think the market in general has switched.

Enjoy!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Good point, Susie. Those boxes are perfectly good for re-use, and I often wash and save them to pack home-made desserts, choc. covered strawberries, etc. that I bring to other people's houses. Also, the smaller ones are good for sadwiches, etc. I even take them apart, and put them in drawers as a catch-all for small socks, hankies, thread and needles, etc. I use them to make first aid kits to keep in the cars, too.
If I can't use them for something, I always recycle - we have a transfer station in town where we can drop off recycling twice a week, and curbside pickup every other week.

 

[AnnieO]

Ours are cardboard with a plastic window... We must be behind the times.

 

[Hound dog]

I've never received a cake in a plastic box............ Step, I think here ours must be cheapskates. lol

 

[InsaneCdn]

I've never received a cake in a plastic box............ Step, I think here ours must be cheapskates. lol

No, Lisa... they are "green"! (pocket-book green... it's good for their bottom line AND for the environment)

 

[susiestar]

IC is right, they ARE 'green' and it is much cheaper for them to use cardboard.

Many companies sell cookies and other products at the bakery in those containers. Around here strawberries, berries and other delicate fruit are sold in them. They use the same plastic for covers for the deli trays and produce trays.

Side note: Am I the only one who finds it ironic when they package organic fruits into plastic containers like this?

 

[InsaneCdn]

Side note: Am I the only one who finds it ironic when they package organic fruits into plastic containers like this?

The (imported from the US...) organic produce we get here, comes in these plastic containers... with an explanation that the container is made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste. It's a bit of a compromise, I guess. Things like strawberries and spinach don't travel well in paper containers, as the paper (cardboard is just a form of paper) absorbs moisture.