I’m going to sneak an affiliate link in here. You’ve been warned.
I’m not really sure how it happens (again and again and again).
And I’m really not sure why the people who make refillable-for-a-discount stuff for movie theaters, amusement parks, etc. can’t make them out of something I could stick in the dishwasher.
Anything that holds food but can’t be stuck in a dishwasher isn’t my friend.
A few years ago I shelled out the money for the refillable popcorn and soda containers at our favorite movie theater. My kids were completely shocked. For their ENTIRE lives (one was eleven at the time), they’d never had a single snack at a movie theater unless they went with someone else. Mama said movie theater snacks were ridiculously overpriced and mama (that’s me) doesn’t bother with stuff that’s overpriced, definitely not with stuff that’s ridiculously overpriced.
But then I saw so many people carrying these buckets into the theater with them when we went to the fifty cent movie one summer morning. I glanced sideways at enough of them to finally see they said “2.50 refills” on the side.
I decided to leave the less-than-riveting movie to at least find out how much the initial purchase was. I must have felt generous that day, because I decided $11 for a bucket of popcorn, a large drink and a package of candy was a good deal. Especially when I was told I could get a FREE refill that day with my receipt.
My kids still tell the story of watching me come back into the movie carrying snacks. They almost passed out when I left and came back with the second serving.
Now, we get snacks.
But we never remember to wash the containers right away. Ever. And they get gross. Particularly the cups, which often contain a sugary drink.
So, a bleach bath is just the thing, don’t you think?
Every time I fill my sink with bleach water, I find myself so grateful that even though I’m dealing with an irritating would-a-non-slob-ever-have-to-deal-with-this mess, I’m not having to first deal with a day’s (or six days’) worth of dirty dishes in order to get to the sink to use it for soaking.
Yay for that.
Boo for the other, but yay for that.
One more thing. I know why they don’t make these containers out of dishwasher safe stuff. They’re trying to spend less so they can make more money. I guess I can handwash them to be able to get a “good” deal.
If you click on that affiliate link to see what qualifies as one of the WORST movies ever for a parent to have to sit through, don’t buy it. It’s SOOOOO bad. But you should totally buy something else while you’re over there. Something you actually need. Like laundry detergent.
Oh. Yes. We’ve come far enough that we now have TWO sets of refillable containers. I guess I’m a big-spending pushover now.
Oh Nony! Chipmunk movies are the WORST — and my kids LOVE THEM too! I have not bought the re-fillable snacks yet — my boys are 6 and 3, and there just haven’t been that many movies that I can take them too, to justify it. But with the TMNT movie coming up, and that dog’s life movie, I might do it the next time we go!
And Chipwrecked is the worst of them!! I justified the stuff because it made sense with the 50 cent movies in the summer being close to free! But now we use them for all movies (which we go to so rarely).
I didn’t realize that they weren’t dishwasher safe until I had a refillable cup from Busch Gardens. Put it in the dishwasher when we got home and it shriveled down until I couldn’t recognize it. (I seriously didn’t now what the thing was when I opened my dishwasher the next day.)
That made me literally LOL! I have created some interesting plastic sculptures in the interest of recycling without wasting water. But I’m always expecting to see them and I know what they are.
Ha Ha! You have totally justified my buying into the $2.50 refill bucket. I didn’t ever do it because I sneak M&M’s into the theatre and call it good. But there is nothing like a bucket of theatre popcorn. It tastes so good!
Another benefit of an empty sink: when you somehow get invaded by ants, you won’t wake up to a sink full of creepy crawling insects! I’m keeping them out of the sink but I think my husband is going to have to take out the trash more often…
Were these the same containers from the youtube video of you decluttering the top of your cabinet a few weeks ago???!
No, but they’re the 2016 version of the same thing!!!
And a benefit of clear counter: you might actually notice that your hypothetical scatterbrained 7 year old brought the ridiculously overpriced ice cream carton (that you may have been eating out of to save dishes) into the kitchen for you but didn’t actually put it in the freezer last night and is now melted into a carton of overpriced sadness.
Ask me how I know.