Snapple Bottles

Several years ago armed with a coupon and a great sale at the supermarket I purchased a 12 pack of Snapple diet cranberry whatever it was.  Snapple bottles are pretty nice. 

We recycle our glass and once the bin is full I take it to our neighborhood grocery store and dump it in the big dumpster they have in their parking lot.  Before that happens though I try to re-use whatever I can for another purpose.  Pickle jars hold my laundry detergent and dry beans.  Relish jars become jelly jars.  Pesto jars are used for salsa, salad dressings, etc. 

I have reused many a Snapple bottle to haul iced tea and lemonade to work, camping and on a road trip.  My favorite use for them, however, is to hold my homemade pancake syrup.  They are the perfect size to hold one batch of syrup.  What is really nice is that once you fill the bottle with the hot syrup and screw the lid on it will seal as the syrup cools.  I’ve done it a jillion times. 

One year for Christmas I made strawberry syrup and homemade pancake mix to give as gifts.  I put cute labels on the bottles, wrapped them in cellophane and tied them with curling ribbon.  The pancake mix went into a zipper bag then into a white lunch bag with another cute label.  It was a darling and much appreciated gift. 

Pancake & Waffle Syrup 

1 c brown sugar

1 c granulated sugar

1 c water 

Place ingredients in a medium saucepan over med-high heat.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Remove from heat and stir in ½ tsp. Mapleine flavoring. 

So next time you have a jar or a drink bottle in your hand think about it before you toss it.  You might find a really neat way to repurpose it and give it a second life, or a third, or a fourth, or a…..