Feelin’ Frugal: Use Fast Food Napkins
Check out this insane stack of napkins we got with our drive through order.  This is even after we used some while we ate!
I don’t know why, but it always seems like we get way more napkins than we need whenever we order takeout. Â We made the switch to cloth napkins over a year ago, but there is no way I’m going to throw these paper ones away!
3 Ways to Use Left Over Fast Food Napkins:
1) Use them at the dinner table. Â Whether you regurally use paper or cloth napkins, it make sense to use takeout napkins for another meal instead of just tossing them out. Â Duh.
2) Keep them in the car. Â Napkins should be in every car. Â Even if you never eat in your car! Â Coffee spills, diaper leaks, dog drool, dusty dash board… Â You’ll find something you can use them for.
3) Stash them in your lunch box or picnic basket. Â There have been times when I’ve taken a cloth napkin with me when I’m going to be eating on the go, but paper napkins are much more convienent.
Do you make an effort to use your extra take-out napkins?
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We always, always keep take-out napkins in the glove compartment. We didn’t used to, but I make a concerted effort to set some aside if we have them now. In 2004, we were in a bad car accident that left my husband’s car totalled and me with the need for 11 stitches in my head. We had NOTHING on hand to deal with the bleeding. I was so grateful to a pair of good samaritan brothers who brought me a handful of fast food napkins to hold on my head. I’m always prepared now, though I hope never to need them for that purpose again!
Whoa! That is certainly a reason I didn’t think to include in the post!
We also use the leftover napkins from fast food places for other meals at home. We even save the leftover packets of ketchup and BBQ that we didn’t use so we have them on hand for other times. And the straws also. We save anything that can be reused.
We keep a roll of paper towels and a thing of wet ones in our van, with three kids it gets messy sometimes.
I like to keep the honey mustard sauce from fast food places so I can dip by homemade french fries in it! 🙂
I keep them in the car, too. They’ve really come in handy during my recent bouts of nausea with this kiddo.
LOVE it! I have a whole stack of take-out utensils saved for outings and such.
we have saved enough napkins from fast food that we haven’t had to buy a roll of paper towels now for 2 months…we have some in the car and in the house..I don’t use paper towels either for quick clean ups, like a spill..the stained clothes we needed to throw out, I cut them up and keep them in a milk crate and we use them…that helps not to use so many napkins…
I can totally believe that you have enough to last 2 months. It seems like fast food restaurants give you 50 napkins each time!
but they are getting stingy with ketchup packets..lol
Love it! It drives my poor husband crazy but I have a whole drawer in my kitchen dedicated to fast food goodies. Napkins, straws, ketchup packets, arbys sauce packets and so on. I love it because I am always the one to forget that my kiddos can not eat chicken without ketchup. And I didn’t buy any. Ha! I just cant stand throwing perfectly good items out.
Haha! Jessica, yous sound like my kind of woman! My husband would HATE having that kind of drawer at our house. 🙂
Using napkins as napkins in varying ways is nice, but repurposing them can be even better!
With a blender, some water, glue, and the napkins you can blend up your own paper mache to use for projects!
With a strong blender you can even add some old cardboard.
It can be stored in a sealed container (even just a zip lock will do) and it will last for months!
Great for projects of all ages and an easy way to have creative fun with the kids at home on rainy days.
This helps the recycling process happen in home instead of relying on waste trucks to take it to a facility to process.
Alternatively, you can dye the napkins with food coloring water in a spritz bottle, dry, and fold into papercraft decorations like flowers and puffs. Which make good additions to table settings and indoor wreaths.