These tips come from my reader Jennifer:
1. I’m a greek yogurt snob and LOVE the Athenos greek yogurt that has the topping separate from the yogurt so you can mix your own (all those wonderful Athenos coupons that made them FREE at Wal*Mart didn’t hurt either!). When I’m done enjoying the yogurt I wash the yogurt container and store them away to use for quick snacks on the run or fun TV dinner containers. We have put homemade chicken nuggets in the big part and BBQ sauce in the topping part or I will make pancakes and take a small cookie cutter to make mini heart shaped pancake dunkers and put syrup in the topping part of the container. There is so much you can do with them and they are PERFECT for a snack on the go containers (fresh fruit/yogurt dippers etc).
2. I’m also a huge Coffee Mate creamer fan and have been stockpiling them for a while and have found (once empty and washed) the containers are great for storing small baking ingredients we use often such as chocolate chips or chopped walnuts. I also put my daughters favorite cereal in one so she can feel like a big girl pouring her own cereal without worrying about her spilling the entire box. They are also great for storing craft bits and pieces!
3.We have been getting quite a bit of Nestle Nesquick lately with all those coupons floating around so I have washed and dried the containers (mostly the small ones) to use for my daughter’s birthday party favors. We will be using color themed M&M’s and will be layering two colors of M&M’s in each small Nesquick jug for each child to take home at the end of the party. I will also be decoupaging (with Modge Podge) some tissue paper in the colors of her party as well to cover up the blue cap. Attach a name tag with each child’s name and BAM! you’ve got yourself a cute inexpensive party favor.
4. Another idea that I actually used as favors in my daughters LAST birthday party was filling empty cardboard paper towel rolls (you could easily use toilet paper rolls too since I know a number of people have gone “paperless” in their kitchens!) filled them with little fun prizes and candy then wrapped them in colored tissue paper and a layer of cello wrap (found at the dollar store) tie a ribbon at each end and you have another VERY inexpensive party favor. These are great too because the end result makes the favors look like big pieces of candy and they look great displayed throughout the party in a basket or bowl :)
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I like to give books as party favors — and usually use my credits at paperbackswap.com to “buy” them. Yard sales, thrift shops & ebay are also a good source for party favors — I just bought a lot of beanie babies on ebay for my daughter’s party, worked out to 70 cents each shipped.
Here is something great I found at Disney Land behind the seeds tour tour
The TickleMe Plant, It’s a real plant that suddenly closes it’s leaves and lowers its branches when Tickled, This is real, yet so animated you won’t believe your eyes.You can see the video and grow your own – just search TickleMe Plant
TickleMe Plant Party Favors http://www.ticklemeplant.com
I first saw the TickleMe Plant on behind the seeds tour of the land in the Epcot greenhouse.
I search TickleMe Plant and discovered that mow you can now grow this amazzzzing house plant that MOVES when Tickled indoors year round, In fact we ordered the TickleMe Plant party favors for my daughter’s Birthday Party. It came with everything you need for each child to grow their own TickleMe Plant. It was easy to grow and is sooo animated. The leave fold up and even the branches droop when you Tickle It! Did you know it can flower too. See video and grow your own. It will change the way you and your child look at plants forever! http://www.ticklemeplant.com
Thanks for the tip on the coffee mate creamer bottles! I hate throwing these away, but I didn’t know what to do with them :)
I’m working on a Cheerleading themed birthday party for my daughter’s 6th birthday in May. The paper towel rolls would make perfect “Spirit Sticks”. I’ve also tried hard not to give out those horrible, plastic trinkets that end up in the landfills. I go more towards stickers, edibles (candy/cookies) or items that can be used more often (but can be found on clearance).
My favorite reused item for holding party favors is cereal boxes. I cut them in half with my scrap scissors so they have a fancier edge. I use a larger fancier punch on the sides to allow for a ribbon or plastic tie to loop through to create a handle. I save tissue paper from Christmas gifts and use it as filler around the trinkets and treasures.
My favorite party favor is to give the kids their own fancy place setting to use whenever. We always end up with one or two themed plates, napkins, cups, etc that aren’t enough for something other than party favors. So we give them to the kids coming to ours. It’s amazing how excited even 8 year olds get with their own paper dish set!
I am so against all those party favors that are ordered from catalogue companies that are plastic pseudo toys that end up in the landfill. That being said,,,we all end up doing something for a party that is enviro UNfriendly…myself included. For party favors I scour Target at the end of summer and get mass quantities of what is inexpensive and hopefully will be used more than once. I shoot for paying a dollar per favor or less. IN THE past we have purchased bubbles .25 kites $1 and swim goggles $1. We save ribbon from gifts and such throughout the year and reuse that to perk up the favors. We have also combined the craft-party favor portion of the party by baking cupcakes then letting the kids decorate and take themselves…get all those holiday sprinkles throughout the year on clearance as well. :)
Really cute ideas! <3.