5 Surprising Food Scrap Containers For Your Countertop You Didn’t Know You Needed
You grab a bowl from the cupboard, dump in the carrot peels and onion skins, and promise yourself you’ll deal with it later. Two hours later, that bowl is still sitting there, taking up space, smelling faintly of last night’s garlic. You think about buying one of those sleek ceramic compost crocks. Then you see the price tag u2014 $40 for a glorified bucket with a lid. There has to be a better way.
There is. I’ve spent years testing kitchen gear, and I’ve found that the best food scrap containers are often things you already own. But here are 5 surprising food scrap containers for your countertop you didnu2019t know you needed u2014 and they cost pocket change. Some even work better than the fancy stuff.
(If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you might also enjoy The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand, available from Back Bay Books. It’s a novel about food, friendship, and second chances u2014 perfect for reading while your scraps pile up.)
The Used Candle Jar: Free, Small, and Surprisingly Effective
Next time you finish a candle, don’t throw away the glass. Wash it out with hot, soapy water. Let it soak to remove wax residue. You now have a perfectly good food scrap container that cost you zero dollars.
Most candle jars hold 8 to 12 ounces u2014 enough for a day’s worth of coffee grounds, eggshells, and veggie peels. The original metal lid (if it survived) provides a decent seal. No lid? Cover with a small plate or wrap with a rubber band and cloth. The narrow opening keeps odors contained better than a wide bowl.
One caveat: candle jars are glass, so they break. Don’t drop one on tile. But if you’re careful, they last indefinitely. I’ve been using the same two jars for three years.
The French Press Carafe: The Big One You Never Thought Of
Have an old French press gathering dust in the back of a cabinet? The carafe alone makes a fantastic scrap container. The mesh plunger acts as a built-in odor barrier u2014 push it down to trap smells. You end up with a 20- to 30-ounce capacity that seals tightly.
Remove the plunger assembly and wash it separately. The carafe body is typically borosilicate glass or stainless steel. Borosilicate is heat-safe, which matters if you occasionally dump hot coffee grounds into it. Stainless steel versions are virtually indestructible.
Downside: French press carafes
