DISQUS

Food Storage Made Easy: What to do with Extra #10 Food Storage Cans

  • Samuel Peery · 5 months ago
    You missed one of my favorites. Take two cans, drill two small holes on each side near the bottom of the can, and put string through them. The kids can then turn them upside down, hold onto the string and use them as stilts.
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy · 5 months ago
    Oh Sam. I remember doing that with empty apple juice cans as a kid. I completely forgot about the joys of homemade stilts. I just got inspired to make a fun activity for my kids tonight :)
  • rachael C · 5 months ago
    Great ideas. I have a ton of empty #10's I've been hanging on to wondering what to do with them. Now I know. Thanks
  • gaby · 5 months ago
    WOW!!!! EXCELLENT IDEAS THANK YOU!!!!!!!

    NOW I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.!!!
  • Anna · 5 months ago
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    This is also known as a Hobo Stove. You use it with a buddy burner (tuna can with cardboard & paraffin wax) for the heat source.
  • Ana · 5 months ago
    Has anyone else ever had trouble opening them? My can opener doesn't seem strong enough, and I'm just hacking them open on one side, bending it a little, then pouring the wheat out of them (I only recently started buying them). The end result is obviously not nice enough to do much with except toss in the recycle bin. Any solution?
  • Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy · 5 months ago
    Ana, I just use a regular hand can opener and it works just fine. Are you trying to use an electric one?
  • Linda Tilton · 5 months ago
    For a hand-style can opener, you can't beat the OXO brand. Look for one with cushy handles. I have arthritis and these can openers are easy for me to use.
  • Brenda in Minnesota · 5 months ago
    Make them into hobo stoves!
  • Jennifer Kelly · 5 months ago
    I really really like the one about the ice cream a great activity for young ones to participate and witness the magic!

    Thanks for the creativity!
  • Heather Clements · 5 months ago
    I know this is late but I just had to share! Take as many cans as you would like and screw them together in what ever design you would like and spray paint them. Hang on your childs wall and they make a really cool shelving unit that your child(or you) can store there precious things in! Try making a flower for girls or the first letter in their name.
  • DJ · 5 months ago
    Wow thanks girls for putting this together. I will use some of those great ideas! I am also working on making a birdhouse out some of them.
  • Preparedness Pro · 5 months ago
    Such creative ideas! Who knew :)
  • Savings Queen · 5 months ago
    My many uses include: Pencils, crayons, sissors, crafts.

    One year my son cut all kinds of misc. fabric and glued it to the can and gave it to me for mothers day.. We still use it.

    I love to do the Make A Mixes and use old #10 can for them. I just re-lable the top of the lid and write on the side with a sharpie.

    We LOVE LOVE LOVE to make Ice cream in a #10 can and even did it once while it was straped to the back of a four wheeler on the sand dunes. We enjoyed Ice cream in the heat at the top of the sand dunes. We also took it hiking in the Wastach Front Mountains and enjoyed a cool treat while enjoying nature.

    Some of my favs.....
    www.thesavingsqueenshow.com
    www.tjesavingsqueen.blogspot.com
  • Elaine · 5 months ago
    It is a flanger because you are creating a new flanger.
    Great ideas.
  • JG · 5 months ago
    One idea I love is to fill the cans full of water, find a pattern of stars, tree, etc. Lay your pattern on the side of the frozen can, take a small nail and tap thru the design making pin holes. Then when the ice is thawed, dry the can and put votives in them. I hope I explained this well.
  • JG · 5 months ago
    oops, I forgot to say freeze the water first, then punch the holes :-)
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    I have seen this before for a Christmas decoration, though it doesn't need to be limited to any one holiday.

    Thanks for the reminder.

    May want to use the metal spoon idea to reduce the sharp edges inside, making it a little safer, just make sure to not close up the holes. Plus some sand or other weight in the bottom, to keep it from possibly tipping over.
  • Crystal · 5 months ago
    Those are wonderful ideas! TY for sharing them with us. I remember when my daughter was a baby and I was still buying premade baby food. I had no idea what to do with those baby food jars..I came up with some clever uses too:) It's amazing what you can think of when surrounding with some great material and hate to see it wasted. They became snowglobes, condiment holder for my husband's lunch, and an idea from the tight wad gazette...spice jar holders under my cabinet:) So I look forward to using some of the bigger cans now.
  • Linda Tilton · 5 months ago
    Beware of sharp edges on the #10 cans. After you open them, take the bowl side of a strudy metal tablespoon and run it against the inside edge of the can to assure that there are no sharp edges that can hurt you or your precious children. (I speak from experience, by the way.)
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    I have mainly switched over to a can opener that cuts from the side, so there isn't a sharp edge in the can itself. I only use the old-fashioned can opener if I want to use the lid to help strain the contents.
  • cc · 5 months ago
    I have asked this before but thought I would reiterate here since I would love to see this picture and know what you did with these cans....but once again it is not a big enough picture.. I was hoping that you had read my comment before on the small storage space one that you can post a large picture that is small on your page but that you can click on and see a large version so you can see the details.
    It would be appreciated ....thanks
  • Morgan Koji · 5 months ago
    What about using them for the portable heaters for your vehicles? The ones with the t.p. rolls and the rubbing alcohol.
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    This sounds interesting. More information, please.
  • Rita · 5 months ago
    I use # 10 cans with both end cut out in the ground around my tomato plants. When I water my tomatoes, I fill the can with water and then I am sure that each plant gets a good watering.
  • Tracy in SC · 5 months ago
    I'd love more information on the flanger if anyone has some. I've heard that this is possible, but have no idea where to start looking for an apparatus like that. I have a friend who said their old stake had one, and anyone could sign up to use it, just like the normal canning machine. Thanks, oh wise ones!
  • Katie · 4 months ago
    You know how hard it can be to fill plastic bags, especially with liquid, right? Well, if you put the bag into the can and fold the top down over the can then the bag will stay open and upright while you pour/scoop stuff into it!
  • Christine Klein · 4 months ago
    what about using them to cook in over a camping fire?
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    You can use them as a pan, saucepan, etc, but you have to be extra careful since you don't have a regular handle and you could burn yourself.
    You can use them to carry food or utensils, just make sure that it isn't top heavy.
    You can make them into a stove (see Hobo stove in earlier posts)
    You can use them for water or dirt for fire safety.
    You can think of other uses, using your own creativity.
  • Bri Clark · 2 weeks ago
    I make my own cleaners and my favorite is I make my own commercial wipes. I have found that #10 cans with the fitted plastic lid with a slit cut in it make great wipe holders.
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    How do you make your own commercial wipes? Do you use regular paper towels, or something else?
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    Another use with both ends cut out is as a charcoal chimney fire starter. Just punch some holes around the "bottom" with a churchkey-type can opener, for ventilation. Put some crumpled up paper or some other fire starter in with a few coals at the bottom, then put some more charcoal on top. Finally, have some tongs available to remove the can when the coals are going well. You can light the firestarter(s) through the ventilation holes.
  • Victoria Brown · 2 weeks ago
    The reason for the churchkey-type can opener, that's the type which creates a triangle opening, is that it creates a little larger hole than most other types of punches.
    You may need to use pliers to fold the flaps down against the edge of the can, for safety reasons.
  • Carrie Levonius · 3 days ago
    You could fill the bottom inch or so with sand after punching holes in the side in a decorative design. With them weighted with sand place a candle in the bottom and light it. These would make great path lights and luminarias for special holidays and Christmas.