Dispo Steamer Trays

[sudsmaster]

You know those nifty little steamer tray bowls that frozen entrees are starting to come in? They work great at delivering pasta "al dente" (well, almost) and generally seem to cook frozen food much better than when everything is all mixed together.

I've started saving them and washing them in the Bosch. I'm thinking that they could also work for making some dishes from scratch... just put a salad plate on top of the steamer and it should work. Of course they wouldn't work for cooking dry pasta, but they'd probably work for fresh pasta/chow mein type noodle. Am I nutz? Haven't tried it yet, but have been amassing a fair number of them. Fortunately they stack neatly and don't take up much if any room in the cupboard. Worst case is that I use the bowls for serving up canned food to the cats.

I'm also thinking they could make good drip trays for small potted plants...

Anybody try re-using these for whatever? It seems a shame to waste such an ingenious invention.

 

[sudsmaster]

Another potential use: soap or sponge trays.

Or, the colander portion alone for catching veggie peelings etc in the sink during food prep, for easier disposal into waste basket.

 

[yogitunes]

i like to save the plastic containers from the store deli counter (potato salad, macaroni, pudding, etc.) also from chinese wonton soup, they come in 3 different sizes, all share the same lid, their FREE!, use from table to microwave to fridge to freezer or even cupboard, you can send food home with guest without being worried about getting them back, not just for food--store coins, beans, pasta, detergent, dog treats, whatever comes to mind, dishwasher safe, they stack neatly, and you always have a matched set!

Did I mention that their FREE!!! share with your friends

 

[sudsmaster]

I like to use the small yogurt containers to give people samples - such as of the kimchee I make. Or, I use one to hold a small amount of fish feed next to a small fish pond on the property that is separate from the bigger pond.

I also re-use the plastic containers that Costco sells fresh potato salad in here - "Jim's", as I recall, is the brand. I use them for kimchee brewing. Or for various grated laundry soap preparations.