You may have noticed that Valentine's Day is coming up on Sunday--now is the time to start calling your local bakeries and delis to ask about food-grade buckets (specify with lids). All that white, pink and red "frosting"! (If you like store-bought cake, don't read the ingredients listed--you'll never eat it again.)

-- Thrifty Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 11, 1999

Answers

Good tip, thrifty old git, I have been obtaining some buckets from a bakery too.

I also like the buckets at US PLASTICS

USPLASTICS = www.usplastic.com

they are not so cheap, but are easy to use an re-use (screw on lids)

-- me (justme@aol.com), February 11, 1999.

The local bakery and Burger King have wised up. They are now charging $1 and $2 per empty, cleaned bucket.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), February 11, 1999.

If those buckets are cleaned to the point where they are no longer overwhelmingly redolent of fake vanilla or lemon, I'd be willing to pay a buck. I found out by accident that if you leave them out in the rain amd sun for a few days it helps with the odor. If all else fails, store stuff like coffee and cake mixes in those buckets.

Have you also tried pizza places and Italian restaurants in general? Parmesan and pesto come in nice, large plastic containers and banana peppers and olives come in huge glass jars. Mayo comes in the same size jars, but plastic. See also Greek restaurants, where you'll find feta cheese buckets. If you're near a health food store, check them too--they have feta buckets and also bulk tofu buckets. I hear doughnut shops have buckets as well.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 11, 1999.