A Dozen Creative Ways to Use Egg Cartons

 Celebrating National Egg Month

A Dozen Creative Ways to Use Egg Cartons

Egg Carton Roses: Cut 1 slit into each corner of 1 egg cup and shape into petals. Repeat twice, making petals slightly smaller and roll together to make a bud shape. Hot glue the  layers together, offsetting middle layer so petals sit in spaces between petals of bottom layer. Create bouquets, wreaths, or use to cover a picture frame or mirror.

Egg Carton Flower Lights: A bit of creative cutting, a strand of Christmas lights, and a dab of paint can turn that boring carton into an adorable floral lighting string.

Grow Seedlings in Egg Cartons: The small cups are the perfect size for smaller seedlings.

Bird Feeder: Punch four holes in bottom half of an egg carton. Cut four 18-inch pieces of twine and attach to holes in corner. Fill carton with birdseed. Tie loose ends into knot and hang in a tree.

Get Organized: Egg cartons are the perfect way to organize “small stuff.” Decorate them and use for storing jewelry, beads, office supplies, buttons, craft supplies, nuts/bolts, and more.

Store Christmas Ornaments: Store smaller holiday decorations. They work like a charm, keep your ornaments safe, and save a lot of space.

DIY Fire Starters: Add a bit of wax, and some dryer lint, and voila! You have a handy fire starter for camping or cold winter nights.

Charcoal Grill Starter: Take a cardboard egg carton and place one piece of charcoal in each slot. This technique puts the kindling and coals into close proximity Make up several cartons and keep them on hand to take on camping trips, or keep in a safe place for those last-minute backyard marshmallow roasts.

Paper Mache Clay: Fill a bucket with 10 egg boxes and two glossy magazines. Tear strips into one inch pieces and soak overnight. Use a kitchen mixer to beat the paper to a mash. You can also use a drill with a plaster mixer attachment. Drain the mixture with a colander and an old pair of stockings or draining bag and squeeze out water. Dry into balls and add water to bring back to life!

Egg Carton Mancala Game: Egg cartons make the perfect game board, and you can use beads, marbles, or dry beans for the playing pieces. 

Sidewalk Chalk: Mix 1 cup of plaster of paris, 3/4 cup of cold water, and tempera powder (use more for brighter colors) in a container with your stirring tool. Let mixture thicken, and pour into egg cartons. Let sit one day for mold and chalk to dry completely.

Paint Cups: This idea will be popular with the kiddos, or if you are needing to use several colors at once.

SMC Supreme Eggs

South Mountain Creamery’s Certified Humane Eggs can’t be beat*! Our eggs meet the Humane Farm Animal Care program standards, which include a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors. Our laying hens are fed with food grown and harvest on the farm. See how SMC’s eggs compare to the leading brand: www.southmountaincreamery.com

*Disclaimer: SMC eggs CAN be beat! Try them scrambled or in a soufflé, quiche, crème brulee, and more! Visit our EGG-Citing Ideas Pinterest board for recipes, ideas, and more!

Egg Storage

 

How to Store SMC Certified Humane Brown Eggs

Take care of your farm fresh SMC eggs with these storage tips!

Always store your South Mountain Creamery eggs in a refrigerator. To maintain freshness and quality of your eggs, it is always best to store eggs on an inside shelf, rather than in the refrigerator door. Repeated opening and closing of the refrigerator door can cause temperature fluctuations. Slamming can even result in breakage.

The carton in which you purchase them helps keep the eggs from picking up odors and flavors from other foods while also helping to prevent moisture loss.

Storing Fresh, Uncooked Eggs

You can keep fresh, uncooked eggs in the shell refrigerated in their cartons for at least four to five weeks beyond the pack date. If eggs are properly handled and stored, they rarely spoil. Sometimes, eggs will dry up if you keep them long enough. Never leave eggs out. They will age more in one day at room temperature than they will in one week in the refrigerator!

Storing Hard Boiled Eggs

As soon as hard boiled eggs have cooled, refrigerate the eggs in their shells and use them within one week. When storing hard-boiled eggs, you may notice a gassy odor in your refrigerator. Often, the smell is more noticeable when you open the refrigerator infrequently. The odor is caused by hydrogen sulfide, which forms when the eggs are cooked. This odor is harmless and usually dissipates within a few hours.

Picnics and Outdoor Occasions

For outdoor eating occasions, you can keep eggs refrigerator-cold with ice or commercial coolant in an insulated bag or picnic cooler.

Leftover Whites and Yolks

Refrigerate and store leftover egg whites in a covered container for up to four days. Store leftover yolks in water in a covered container in the refrigerator and use them within one to two days.

SMC Supreme Eggs

South Mountain Creamery’s Certified Humane Eggs can’t be beat*! Our eggs meet the Humane Farm Animal Care program standards, which include a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors. Our laying hens are fed with food grown and harvest on the farm. See how SMC’s eggs compare to the leading brand: www.southmountaincreamery.com

*Disclaimer: SMC eggs CAN be beat! Try them scrambled or in a soufflé, quiche, crème brulee, and more! Visit our EGG-Citing Ideas Pinterest board for recipes, ideas, and more!