Ten Creative Uses for Egg Shells and Egg Cartons
Eggs are a great value. They are inexpensive, versatile to use, and good tasting. They make an inexpensive, hearty meal, and even an old fashioned shampoo.
If you use a lot of eggs, like my family does, it isn’t long before you have an abundance of empty cartons lying around, and your trash full of egg shells.
Did you ever wish you could put those cartons and shells to better use? There are dozens of useful ways to recycle them! Here are just ten ideas to get you started. How many more bright ideas can you get your kids to come up with?
Uses for egg shells:
Make some egg shell art:
Egg shells are great for making easy mosaic pictures. Simply crush them up, and use them for boat sails, butterfly wings, flower petals etc. After gluing the shells to the picture you can paint over them with water color or poster paints. Or if you save the shells from dyed Easter eggs, you won’t need to paint them at all!
Plant seedlings and fertilize your garden:
Put a little potting soil into each shell, and add your seed. When the plants are ready to go into your garden, crush the egg shell, and add it to the soil. This will cause extra calcium and other essential minerals to leach into the ground, giving your plants extra nutrients. Tomato plants especially love extra calcium. It helps prevent blossom end rot.
Chase away slugs and snails:
Place a protective barrier of crushed egg shells around your garden. The edges are sharp and scratchy, and dry up the mucus these pests use to slide along the ground.
Feed them to your feathered friends:
Birds need calcium in their diets, just as humans do. This mineral helps them lay eggs with strong, protective shells. Add crushed egg shell pieces to your outdoor bird feeder. This treat is especially appreciated by swallows, martins and finches.
Make an unusual recipe:
Stuffed Egg Shells
6 hard boiled eggs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1/2 cup bread or cracker crumbs.
1 tablespoon butter.
Using very sharp knife slice the eggs in half, lengthwise. Be careful not to destroy the shells.
Delicately remove the hard boiled eggs from the shells and chop. Save the egg shells.
In a small bowl, combine chopped eggs, parsley, chives, oil, salt and pepper.
Fill each egg shell with the mixture, flat to the edge.
Dip the stuffed egg shells into bread or cracker crumbs.
Fry in melted butter over medium low heat, until the bottoms are crisp but the stuffing inside the shells is cold.
Uses for egg cartons:
Make a backyard bird feeder:
Remove the lid from the egg carton.
Punch holes in the four corners, and attach lengths of strong yarn or twine. Gather the four strings into the center and knot them together.
Fill the compartments with bird seed.
Hang the feeder from a tree branch or a hanging plant hook on your porch.
Re-box board game pieces:
Are the boxes to your kid’s games falling apart? Are you afraid the small pieces will get lost?
Put the dice, game tokens etc. into an egg carton. Seal off the ends with strong rubber bands, and label the carton with the name of the game.
De-clutter your office desk drawer:
Remove the lid from the egg carton. Use the bottom tray to sort your paper clips, rubber bands, thumb tacks, correction fluid bottles, postage stamps etc.
Make a Disposable Paint Palette for your Kids:
Open up an empty egg carton the next time your child wants to paint. Use the compartments to hold various colors of poster paint, and the lid as a place to lay down the paintbrush. For easy clean-up afterwards, just close the lid and toss the whole egg carton into the trash.
Make a vitamin and pill organizer:
Number each compartment and arrange your daily vitamins and medications. Make a chart on the inside lid that tells the name of each item, the dosage and the time each pill is to be taken.
For more good ideas, try these resources:
Creative Kids at Home
http://www.homeschoolzone.com/pp/crafts/birds-eggcarton.htm
MomsView.com
http://www.momsview.com/discus/messages/41/10573.html
Byroads Magazine
http://byroads.com/magazine/talaxian/eggs.html
Home and Garden TV
http://www.hgtv.com
Homeschool Zone
http://www.homeschoolzone.com/pp/crafts/birds-eggcarton.htm
Irene Helen Zundel is a freelance writer, educator and mother, and an expert in child development, home schooling and creative parenting and home making.
Visit her online at http://www.irenehelenzundel.com
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