Brilliant Uses for Plastic Take-Out Container Lids

We know we're supposed to designate one cutting board for produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood. But if you don't want to dirty and clean multiple boards for one meal, Jeni Aron, an organizing expert known as Clutter Cowgirl, has a clever solution.

Try it: Plastic takeout-container lids, either 7-inch circular or rectangular, make great mini, disposable cutting boards for chicken breasts or boneless thighs, says Aron. If you're preparing, say, a stir-fry that requires you to cut the meat into chunks, lay the lid upside down on the counter (you can place a damp paper towel under it to prevent slipping). Place one piece of meat on the lid at a time, cut, then transfer the pieces to the pan or a bowl. When you're finished, rinse the lid and toss it in the recycling, or trash, bin.

A basic chocolate or gingerbread cookie is a thing of beauty—and even more so when it's decorated with a confectioners'-sugar design. Chef, caterer and culinary educator Gerard Viverito says it's easy to make your own stencils out of plastic lids.

Try it: Start with a template (this can be a shape you've drawn on paper, or one you've cut out of a book) and trace it onto the lid. Cut it out using a craft knife, lay the stencil on the baked, cooled cookie (a basic, round chocolate or gingerbread cookie works well) and use a fine mesh sieve to sprinkle confectioners' sugar over the stencil. Carefully lift the stencil off the cookie to reveal the design.

When Dan Charnas was doing research for his book Work Clean, he spent a lot of time in professional kitchens. One of the most ubiquitous tools he saw: the plastic quart container, which chefs use for everything from storing food to creating a spill-proof drinking cup (just poke a hole in the lid and stick a straw through it). Charnas also says the lids can be used to form beautifully uniform patties when you're making burgers—which, as any chef can attest, ensures even cooking throughout.

Try it: Scoop about a quarter-pound of ground meat onto the top of one lid, then place another lid on the other side, forming a sandwich between the tops of the two lids. As you apply light pressure, the meat will spread out to the edges of the lids yet stay contained; when you remove the lids, you will be left with a round, flat patty ready for cooking. (And if you're freezing the patties, put a lid between each one to make them easier to separate once they're frozen.)

Slicing a cup, or more, of grapes, or cherry or grape tomatoes, can be a painstaking task, but whole ones just won't do for a Waldorf chicken salad or other dish you're serving to guests. This hack, which we spotted on Food52 and Huffington Post, has you use two round lids as guides to cut through the fruit or veggies in one fell swoop.

Try it: Place the grapes or tomatoes on the lid of a plastic container, then cover them with another lid. Using a serrated knife, cut horizontally, between the plates/lids, going right through the produce.