Tupperware is great for toting to potlucks. Now if only it came with its own GPS. Because what inevitably happens is that you run around for 10 minutes at the end of the gathering trying to find your dish among all the other look-alike containers. Or you remember halfway home that you totally forget to collect your dish. Disposable containers can help solve the leave-behind problem, but what if you want an option that’s environmentally friendly too?
Serve a sweet soup bowl. Summer is the perfect season for gazpacho—cold tomato soup made with fresh veggies. You can perk up your presentation by scooping out the inside of a ripe melon and serving the soup inside. The melon will add flavor and look gorgeous. Save the fruit for a sweet, healthy snack the next time your kids ask for ice cream.
Go exotic. People in tropical climates use the leaves of the banana tree to wrap food, keep it fresh, and eat off of. Try a local Filipino or Asian market or asianfoodgrocer.com.
Bring a pot to potluck. Here’s the perfect multitasking housewarming gift. Buy a decorative flowerpot—making sure it’s food safe and doesn’t have a hole in the bottom—and wash it with soap and water. Fill the pot with a fresh salad and serve the dressing on the side. After the guests have eaten, wash the planter again and give it as a thank-you to your hostess.
Make it in a melon. Cut the top of a watermelon lengthwise, hollow out the inside, and cube the fruit. Then mix in apples, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and a little lemon juice for freshness. This fruit salad will look as good as it tastes. Works for party punch and Jell-O, too.
Pick a pepper. Serving dip in its store-bought container is so tailgate. Instead, cut the top off a red, yellow, or green bell pepper and fill it with your favorite dip—maybe ranch dressing or hummus. When the dip is gone, cut the pepper into strips for eating.
Bag it. Bringing party supplies instead of food? Pack in a reusable cloth bag. When you unpack at the party, let your hostess know the bag is for her.
Comments from Members
I have brought things over to freinds in a reusable bag I made especially for them. It wasa joy to see their pleasure in getting a nice suprise.
My family loves the King's Hawaiian Bread w/Spinach Dip. So easy . . . just chunk out the insides of the bread and seal in a ziplock bag, then, fill empy bread "bowl" with spinich dip, wrap, and nothing to bring home!
All great ideas!! I try to use a washed previously used container (anything reused is recycled!) In case I get it back, I repeat the process at a different gathering!! Margo
The women in my family all have a box where we keep plastic containers from things like sour cream, margarine, etc. that would otherwise be thrown away. When we get together for holidays, birthdays, etc. we all bring our box and when we go home we all have something to carry home leftovers in. We all have specialties and when we cook for these events we make lots more than we really need and the others can take home things they don't normally make themselves. This is our way of recycling and sharing at the same time.
I've been going green lately and when I go to a housewarming, anniversay, etc, I bring the gift in a reusable shopping bag with their name on it so they can use it to be green as well.
I have cooked everyones favorite and always requested chicken spaghetti in a new crockpot and taken it to the gathering and left the crockpot as a gift. I have hollowed watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons and filled them with fruit. All of my family and friends also love sweet hawaiian bread filled with spinach dip. I chunk the inside of the bread and layer it around the bowl of dip on a large platter, so good. I also buy small bread bowls at the bakery to hollow out for serving chili and potato soup in, the bread is very good dipped in those too.
These are the most wonderful ideas! thank you!
One of the easiest ways to go green is to use cloth napkins. I've been using them for the past 7 years and its no trouble at all. You just throw them in with your regular laundry - its really no big deal, but helps the environment AND saves you money!
great ideals ill have to give then all a try! 
I love the use a pepper for dip idea you could use different color peppers for different dips red for green for spinach yellow for curry & so on
I really like the idea of the flower pot for a gift, or any nice decorative bowl.
I just love the watermelon filled with fruit. I wish to learn how to make a watermelon basket. Every gathering I've ever been to that had fresh fruit was a hit. There rarely is any fruit left. Does anyone know how to make a watermelon basket.
I don't even like bell peppers, but I love the idea of serving hummus in one. It will be so much prettier!
I like to use a hollowed out orange to use as a bowl for ice cream.
I like to use a hollowed out orange as a bowl for ice cream. You can pour jello into orange, lemon or lime "shells"
I love the ideas here. The orange hollowed out with ice cream would be great for mu fgrandchildren. The hollowed out watermelom makes a great presentation for cook outs. I also use round pumpernickle bread for the spinach dip.Another cute idea for a buffet table or patio party is to hollow our fruite such as apples ,pear ,oranges,lemons just deep enough to put a tea light candle in makes a great presentation.
Going green. . . If you use your crock-pot to cook in, you use only couple of pennies per hr verses a couple of $$$ using the oven. If it's for a pot-luck dinner, just take it with you while it's still hot and it stays warm longer than if it came "Fresh from the oven". If a plug-in is available, you also have the option of using that to keep the food hot. 
Wonderful tips! I'll be using some of these soon!
Watermelon basket: Start with a LARGE watermelon. Let it lie on the natural side so it doesn't roll, or trim off just a little rind to make a flatter bottom. On the top, eyeball (or mark) the width of a handle...about two inches. With a long sharp knife, make two cuts straight down, but only about 1/3 of the way throught the melon. Then cut in from the sides to meet your first cuts. You should then be able to remove two slabs of melon, leaving a "handle" full of pulp in the center. Clean out the pulp, making chunks or melon balls as you wish. When the bowl is clean, you can then use a smaller sharp knife to "jig jag" the edge of the bowl to make it more decorative. Making that cut in the beginning is too difficult and you should have left enough rind so your "bowl" is still plenty deep. Don't worry about cutting the handle any further...if you want to decorate it, wrap it with some colorfast ribbon or attach a couple cut flowers.
I like these tips. Some of them I've heard of and used, some I will try. My favorite food container is 2 large tortilla shells heated over a metal mixing bowl til hardened, then I use those to serve my taco salad in. I carry them to parties in a cardboard box with rubber bands around the box to keep them from falling then the box is reused for discarding recyclable paper items.
ALL OF THE IDEAS ARE GREAT!! THANKS SO MUCH JENNY IN MIAMI
I LOVE the Pick a pepper idea. 
Great idea for the 4th of July BBQ
Great ideas, so many of them, and just in time for my family reunion at the park this Sunday. I will be checking back in and see the new ones for the next family outing for 4th of July. The perfect day to go green on food containers.
I love to take things over to my friends and family in a newly crocheted bag that can be used over and over again for anything including groceries.
I love to crochet a reuseable stretchable bag to take things over for family or friends, its a great way to say thank you and to encourage going green, always is appreciated.
