Re Use wine bottles for the pantry

Washed red wine bottles with chalkboard paint labels

I never seem to have enough jars in my pantry but a lot of red wine bottles (well it is winter)! And sending recyclables overseas is a waste on so many levels.

Tips for removing labels:

Some labels are extremely stubborn so try these steps
1 Soak wine bottles overnight in the kitchen sink
2 Peel off at least the top label the next day and if you are really lucky the whole thing will come off cleanly
3 If you are having to chip the label off try soaking in a strong solution of Washing soda crystals (Sodium Carbonate), a natural product available at the supermarket. This can be used to clean off the sticky residue some labels leave behind.
4 As a last resort, dry the bottle and then rub the label residue off with nail polish remover.

Wine bottles are just the right size for those 'ultra' healthy foods

Ensure the wine bottle is thoroughly dry on the inside before use. I dry mine in the oven after I have switched it off from cooking something but a hot water cupboard would work well. Remove the foil and plastic lining in the screw cap as this holds moisture.
The metal collars around the bottle neck are a pain to remove. Hold the bottle cap end down and try and slip some kitchen snips into the collar to cut it off. A knife tends to slip.

Finally, 2 coats of chalkboard paint, I’ve just used rough brush marks but you could be tidier and make a stencil. Then write your ingredients in chalk. Done.

Getting carried away with chalkboard labels

Name(required)

Email(required)

Website

Comment(required)

Tags: bottles as pantry storage, chalkboard labels, recycle wine bottles