How to Make a Reusable Sandwich Container

Turn a plastic milk jug into an easily washable, food-safe sandwich container.

If you bring your own sandwich and other snacks to work or school each day in plastic sandwich bags, you may be enjoying your daily lunches at the expense of up to 1,000 plastic bags each year, according to the Reusies website. In addition to being an ideal means of nipping this waste-creating problem in the bud, reusable sandwich containers can also be made at home from completely recycled materials; create a zero-waste product to use as part of a more sustainable lifestyle. Does this Spark an idea?

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Gallon plastic milk jug
Marker
Ruler
Scissors
Thumbtack
Adhesive-backed hook and loop fastener

Instructions

- 1
  
  Wash and dry your milk jug. Use the marker to make a dot on each corner of the jug 1 3/4 inches from the bottom.
- 2
  
  Turn one of the flat sides of the jug (without the handle) to face you. Draw two dots directly above the previous two on that side at the upper bend in the jug, as the jug narrows toward the mouth. Use a ruler to ensure straightness and connect the upper and lower points with a marker. You will end up with two parallel, vertical lines on that side of the jug.
- 3
  
  Turn the jug to the opposite side. Draw two dots 1 1/2 inches directly above each dot on that side. Draw a straight line upward from each lower dot to connect it to the upper dot, resulting in two more parallel, vertical lines much shorter than the last.
- 4
  
  Draw an arch to connect the top points of both short lines. Make the highest point of the arch reach approximately an inch higher than the lowest points; the highest point should occur directly at the center of the arch. Turn the jug to the opposite side, with the tall lines, and draw a more sloped arch than before to connect the top points of the lines. Make the midpoint of the arch approximately 2 inches higher than the endpoints.
- 5
  
  Turn the jug to face one of the sides without an arch. Draw an arch that mimics the vertical placement and curvature of the lower arch you previously drew. Use it to connect the short and long vertical lines on the side facing you; it should hit both at 3 1/4 inches from the bottom of the jug. Repeat on the opposite and final side. Cut along all lines drawn with markers.
- 6
  
  Use a thumbtack to create perforations along which to fold the curved container flaps. Make piercings along a straight line 1 3/4 from the bottom of the jug. Space each piercing 1/4 inch from the last. Use a scissor to create straight lines.
- 7
  
  Fold flaps inward, creasing along the perforated lines. Unfold the flaps and fold outward, creasing along the lines again.
- 8
  
  Adhere one half of a hook and loop fastener to the inside of the tallest flap, approximately 1/2 inch from the top of the arch. Fold short flaps first to close container, then fold tall flap across to cover. Find the point where adhesive-backed fastener meets the side of the container, then remove backing from opposite half of fastener and adhere to that point.