Next time you empty a gallon milk jug, wash it out, draw the lines on like in the photo and make a reusable milk jug (or carton) lunch box.
Use a pin to poke rows of holes, which will become the crease.
Fold it into a little box and add a piece of hook and loop closure (brand name is Velcro) and you’ve got yourself a clever lunchbox!
What other items headed for the recycling bin can be reused to make a lunch box or as a container within a lunch tote?
Don’t want to put food in it? Consider it for the upcoming holiday gift-giving season. I used a few of these for keeping small craft supplies that are used in the same project (think cardmaking) together.
If you don’t want to make a lunch box, you could buy the whole kit and caboodle. Reuseit sells a variety of lunch packing goods and if you’re a first-time Reuseit customer, be sure to select your free gift when ordering (I picked the bamboo utensils and like them!).
Note: I found this item via Pinterest, which I’m learning is not always bookmarked to the original source. Thank you to a reader who post this link to directions.
Otakore Literantadodist
September 18, 2011 at 6:00 pmUhmmm, is there any detailed tutorial on how to make it? Can you share it please? Thanks.
n
September 19, 2011 at 4:11 pmhttp://familyfun.go.com/crafts/reusable-lunch-containers-785113/
Update: Sept 11-17 | The Outlier Model
September 18, 2011 at 6:23 pm[…] has a neat do-it-yourself project which shows you how to make a lunch box from an old milk jug. I’m sure you could use it for It’s a quick craft project for […]
BanRam
September 18, 2011 at 8:48 pmMy 9 yr old daughter made this for her science project which was to make something useful out of rubish. Thanks for the great idea!
Anonymous
April 14, 2013 at 4:49 pmOmg, that is my exact science project! Do you think you can help?
n
September 19, 2011 at 4:11 pmThe instructions are on this website
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/reusable-lunch-containers-785113/
Andi / udandi
September 19, 2011 at 5:14 pmah this is one of the disadvantages of Pinterest and not being able to track down the original source if it wasn’t pinned from it. Thanks N. I’ll update the post.
combining 2 of my favourite things « three dot dot dot
September 19, 2011 at 5:59 pm[…] http://lunchitpunchit.com/2011/09/make-it-milk-jug-lunch-box/ Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. ← Previous post […]
Make It: Milk Jug Lunch Box | Lunch It, Punch It « Octane Brain
September 21, 2011 at 10:44 am[…] Make It: Milk Jug Lunch Box | Lunch It, Punch It. Filed under: DIY, Food, Kitchen Leave a comment Comments (0) Trackbacks (0) ( subscribe to comments on this post ) […]
Wrap your sandwiches in green « Geekjello Culinates
September 27, 2011 at 10:11 am[…] button + elastic or some adhesive backed velcro should work just fine. Check out the pattern here: http://lunchitpunchit.com/2011/09/make-it-milk-jug-lunch-box/. Photo by […]
Willow Kidd
November 8, 2011 at 3:26 pmIs there any concern about chemicals leaching into the food after some time of use?
Andi
November 8, 2011 at 10:00 pmI cannot answer that question. But this is a container that held milk and I would only use it as a lunch tote (items would be packed in a reusable sacks not loose)
Ben Simpson (@ben_simpson)
December 23, 2011 at 12:51 amWhy yes, I would love to make a box for my cables. Make It: Milk Jug Lunch Box http://t.co/cbjq14u0
Graf-Martin Agency (@GrafMartin)
December 25, 2011 at 10:45 amMake It: Milk Jug Lunch Box | Lunch It, Punch It http://t.co/SMBeZwhU
Tim Underwood (@TUnderwood)
December 25, 2011 at 10:45 amMake It: Milk Jug Lunch Box | Lunch It, Punch It http://t.co/gw5scfiL
emanuela (@manudonetti)
January 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm“@verkoren: Make a lunch box from a milk jug
http://t.co/Pddzb9hk” @chiaraeluciano
Ryan Bayron (@BayronDotOrg)
January 7, 2012 at 8:45 pmMake a lunch box out of a milk jug http://t.co/XOYCYtyj
Kate @ PeepThread
January 10, 2012 at 4:25 pmSuch a smart idea! Adding it to the giant list of things I want to make in 2012 🙂
Andi
January 13, 2012 at 12:44 pmKate,
I’ve found this hack to be great for storing craft bits and bobs. It was going to be my ornament storage solution but I made something else.
PeepThread (@peepthread)
January 10, 2012 at 4:59 pmMilk jugs repurposed into lunch boxes via @lunchitpunchit. So smart and funky-cool. http://t.co/HMYgMAOR #DIY #recycle
Lunch It Punch It (@lunchitpunchit) (@lunchitpunchit) (@lunchitpunchit)
January 10, 2012 at 8:27 pmThx! RT @peepthread: Milk jugs repurposed into lunch boxes via @lunchitpunchit. So smart and funky-cool. http://t.co/opfoWQ9W #DIY #recycle
Sylvie
February 2, 2012 at 7:11 amthat is a smart idea! I’ll remember it! Thank you so much!
Ketcham
February 6, 2012 at 10:52 amIm a little confused.. i would love to try out this idea but i clicked under everyones instructions and still havent found any measurements or a pattern.. im not quite sure where the lines would be appropiatley placed?
Andi
February 6, 2012 at 3:54 pmif you eyeball it based on the photo you’ll do alright. In my case, there’s always another milk jug to try it on!
How to Recycle a Milk Jug to a Reusable Container | Stratus Commercial Cleaning and Janitorial Services
March 3, 2012 at 10:12 am[…] full tutorial here. Bookmark It Hide Sites $$('div.d608').each( function(e) { […]
Las Vegas Janitorial Services
March 3, 2012 at 10:46 pmHa! what an intriguing idea! The things people think of…
crafts | Pearltrees
March 19, 2012 at 6:11 pm[…] Make It: Milk Jug Lunch Box | Lunch It, Punch It Use a pin to poke rows of holes, which will become the crease. […]
louise eddington
April 27, 2012 at 9:40 amJust finished making one of these. 2 questions: is there any way to remove the milk bottle labels without so much work and aggravation (soaking, scrubbing, and lots of Goo-gone)? Also, what do you do about the large indented circle shapes on the 2 sides of the milk bottle opposite the handle?
mrpgakusei (@mrpgakusei)
April 30, 2012 at 10:58 amMake It: Milk Jug Lunch Box: http://t.co/mRBswebz
Artfire (@Artfire)
June 4, 2012 at 4:32 pmMake It: Milk Jug Lunch Box http://t.co/uUZpKGuM
@RecycleBoxBin
September 21, 2012 at 11:20 amNeed a lunch box? http://t.co/3A11Yq7q http://t.co/GgoJW3Pe
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janesapple
June 20, 2013 at 6:30 amWow! I’m sure I can think of dozens of uses for these containers. I don’t like being wasteful and this is a great way to repurpose something that would otherwise end up in the bin. http://janesapple.com
5 Easy Milk Jug Crafts - RecycleScene
October 4, 2014 at 1:32 pm[…] you plan on having lunch at your recycled picnic table, try making this milk jug lunch box. All you have to do is give it a rinse, draw some lines and fold it into a handy […]
Top 5 Posts of 2011 – Lunch It, Punch It
October 18, 2014 at 9:11 pm[…] 5. Mason Jar Meals 4. How To: Aussie Apple 3. Article: 22 Healthy Lunch Ideas 2. FM’s Great Lunch Box Search 1. Make It: Milk Jug Lunch Box […]
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