When you go to the store or the farmer’s market and buy berries, they may very well come in a plastic green basket. Once you have eaten the berries, the question becomes what options do you have with the empty basket? The good news is there are a number of ways that you can reuse or repurpose the basket. Below are a few of these ideas that should give you an acceptable alternative to throwing it into the trash.
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Mini Easter Basket
Photo Credit: The Go Green Blog
Berry baskets can be used as a wonderful craft projects for the kids when Easter comes around. You can have them create [woven ribbon Easter baskets](http://www.allyou.com/budget-home/crafts/easter-basket-crafts-00411000071607/) out of the berry baskets and other supplies you have around the house. You can then use them to give as gifts or to hide around the house on Easter Day. You can also create a [patriotic 4th of July blueberry basket](http://theoutlawmom.com/2012/07/03/craft-quick-fourth-of-july-craft-red-white-blue-berry-basket/) in much the same way.
Reuse For Your Garden
If you have your own garden, you can save the berry baskets and use them when you pick your own berries. Just make sure that you wash and rinse them so they don't grow mold when tuck them away. Then when the fruit in your garden ripens, they'll be clean and ready for what you pick.
Storage Basket
After you're done eating the berries, the berry baskets can be used to store a variety of other things around the house. if they will be used to store desk items on your desk, you can decorate them to make them more beautiful and fit your taste, but you don't have to. You can also use them to store things under your sinks or inside drawers and cabinets where their appearance probably doesn't matter, and can keep things a bit more organized.
Tomato Protectors
Photo Credit: Valley Permaculture Alliance
If you have tomato plants that seem to get raided by birds before your tomatoes are ripe enough to pick, you can use the plastic berry baskets to help protect them. Simply place the baskets over the fruit that you want to protect (this can be done with other fruits and vegetables as well) so it makes it more difficult for the birds to reach them.