How to recycle or reuse in-store free recipe cards

Many grocery stores today provide customers with free recipes cards.  Free recipe cards are often found in the produce and meat departments.  After trying the recipes, or deciding not to try the recipes, you can recycle or reuse the recipe cards.  Do not throw them away.  Here are several ideas on how to recycle your recipe cards into art or household uses.

1.  Send them to friends, family, or neighbors.  Write them a nice short note, in a handmade card, or on a simple piece of paper.

2.  Put them into your "Any Day Craft Box" for any type of handmade craft. Kids can use the pictures for school projects or collages.

3. Use them for bookmarks.

4. Use them to make a handmade card or invitation to a potluck or get together that will involve food being served.

5. Purchase a binder with a plastic insert cover to hold your recipes in.  Slide the recipe cards you wish to recycle inside the front clear pocket to decorate your recipe binder.  You can also glue them to a recycled cardboard cereal or food box, and slide it into the front cover as well.

6.  Use the recipes for homeschooling.  If you are teaching a letter of the day or week, save ones that pertain to the letter you are introducing.

7.  Laminate them for inexpensive, fun, kitchen cup coasters.  Make these for potluck get togethers, and tell each guest to take one home with them.

8.  Cut the recipe card pictures with scalloped or other edged scissors.  Glue them to plain colored gift bags when you give food gifts.

9.  Cut circles out of the recipe cards, to glue to to recycled jar lids.  Give the jars filled with edible items inside them as gifts.  Glue them to to, or use them as in insert in canning jar lids for gift giving.

10.  Cut the recipe cards into shapes to craft handmade Christmas ornaments.

11. Glue them to the bottom of clear glass paper weights.

12. Use them for gift tags.  Punch a hole in one corner with a one-hole hand punch, and write "To:" and "From:" on the front of it.