If you've just shaken the last crumbles out of a parmesan cheese container, don't toss it yet — because one Redditor has a genius hack for repurposing them.
The scoop
Sharing the tip in the subreddit r/lifehacks, they wrote, "Don't throw away that parmesan cheese lid just yet, it fits on a Mason jar."
They accompanied the advice with a video of the plastic parmesan jar lid — complete with three holes for easy shaking – fitting snugly on a Mason jar full of salt.
Other commenters suggested filling the Mason jar with cleaning products, other spices, or even more freshly grated cheese.
Another alternative is to simply repurpose the entire parmesan container. And as a pro tip for removing pesky labels, one commenter suggested, "Remove as much of the paper as possible … then mix together any kind of cheap cooking oil with some baking soda to make a paste. Rub that all over the glue part and let it sit for a while (overnight). Then the next morning the whole thing will just slide right off."
"It's one of the most satisfying experiences," another confirmed.
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But for people who want to avoid as much plastic contamination as possible, the Mason jar is the best option. After all, OP pointed out, "We all have Mason jars in our homes [already]."
Your mileage may vary as far as the type of lid you get on your parmesan cheese and the sizes of Mason jars you have, but it's worth a shot to check. Other crafty social media users have shown you can cut some products to fit inside the removable part of the lid of a Mason jar.
How it's working
Repurposing containers around the home is a great way to minimize your own harmful plastic footprint. It might not seem like much to send one more lid to the landfill, but every piece that gets tossed contributes to the more than 350 million tons that get thrown into landfills each year — a large percentage of which find their way into the natural environment, harming plants and animals.
And for the money-saving enthusiasts out there, it's a great way to save money too. Every container you reuse is one fewer container you have to buy. And trading in or donating certain items, like clothing or sports gear, can even earn you a profit.
Similar ideas to the parmesan lid and Mason jar hack include repurposing jar lids as coasters, using recycled milk jugs as miniature greenhouses, and even repurposing pill bottles as hair curlers.
What people are saying
Commenters were eager to try the lid swap hack.
"Okay I am going to try this tonight! Thanks!" one person enthused. "I have [a] bunch of plastic spice jars sitting in a cabinet because they are too sticky to use and I feel wasteful to throw them away!"
"You just blew my mind," another wrote. "Thanks for the tip."
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