Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to pause our box reuse program earlier this year in an effort to keep our employees and customers safe and healthy. But that doesn’t mean your Imperfect packaging has to go to waste! With a little inspiration and a crafty spirit you can transform it into a creative Halloween costume. As the saying goes, “one person’s recyclables are another person’s zebra costume.” Or something like that.
From masks to pet costumes, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite DIY ideas to reuse packaging.
Easy Zebra Costume
It’s not just cats who like to hang out inside our boxes. Small to medium-sized humans do as well. Think inside the box with this unique zebra costume made from your Imperfect box. You can also keep your treats close throughout the night because it doubles as a secret snack carrier.
Astro-mutt
We’ll never know what our dogs want to be when they grow up. Even if you don’t think your dog aspires to be an astronaut, why hold them back? With some strategic snips, you can turn the box insulation into an out-of-this-world costume for your pup.
Raised Bed
This costume is perfect for unapologetic gardening nerds who want to fly their veggie flag high. You can grow whatever you like for your raised bed costume, but we recommend staying away from anything too prickly.
Fruit Masks
Not in the mood to dress up as a terrifying ghoul or a character from your favorite Black Mirror episode this Halloween? Keep it light with these easy and fun-to-make masks. Cut out felt shapes to add color, stems, and details to the masks and transform your face into a pumpkin, a lemon, or a strawberry.
Dog Carrot
Do you have a nap-loving dog who’s pretty much rooted to their bed? This costume is perfect for the lazy lounge dog who occasionally greets the trick-or-treaters but mostly concentrates on the “treat” part.
If you enjoyed this post on reusing packaging and want more inspiration for sustainable holidays, be sure to check out our top ideas for giving less wasteful gifts!
57 Comments
Vicki Davis
September 27, 2020 at 8:22 pmI received my first box. I had 3 molded peaches and a batch of wilted lettuce I had to throw this away. Does this happen alot?
Imperfect
September 30, 2020 at 9:10 pmThis should never happen! We always guarantee our products to arrive fresh and delicious upon arrival. If anything ever gets delivered less than delicious, please get in contact with our customer care team so we can help make that up to you: bit.ly/2LAewhA
Jo Ann McCarthy
October 1, 2020 at 7:50 pmI’ve been with Imperfect Foods for about 6 months now. They are the best for refunding your money if something is spoiled or missing items. Sometimes their deliveries are delayed for unforeseen circumstances. Don’t give up on them, they are getting so much better! Their meats, vegetables, snacks and fruit are so good!
Imperfect
October 1, 2020 at 8:38 pmWe abso-fruit-ly love having you in our family and we appreciate your loyalty and support! 💚
Holly Baker
October 15, 2020 at 1:02 amSome of my fruit and veggies looks like that need to eat sooner before rotten also i cut up all fruits right away to put freeze for to make a smoothie :))))) i love Imperfect!!!!
Barbara A Caruso Sr
October 2, 2020 at 9:03 pmEvery once in a while something like that might happen. We have been with them for about a year now. During this time we had about 4 or 5 times where we needed to report something bad or missing. Not bad for all the time we have been here.
We are enjoying this company and I know you will too.
Judy Hamilton
October 5, 2020 at 7:38 pmMore than it should. I don’t order fragile items when it is hot out. Stick to root veggies or things brought on ice. They will give you credit if you call. Always.
Randa N.
October 15, 2020 at 3:06 pmI’ve never received produce to that extent. Perhaps veggies that were close to expiration, but never in such a terrible condition. Regardless, Imperfect Foods has some of the best customer service I’ve ever experienced. When an item was missing, I was refunded without hassle. This company is doing great for only being around 5 years and I expect they will only improve going forward.
Cindy
October 28, 2020 at 11:38 pmHi,
I have had my kale drive multiple times where it was soggy and wilted, but I think it’s because the person packing stuff doesn’t understand that leafy things cannot be laid directly on or inside the icepack. It freezes them. We stopped getting peaches because they were regularly bruised. It almost can’t be helped. Peaches bruise so easily. If they bump into anything during transit, they will bruise and mold super fast. I also have only had three times since March where my box was 100% correct. There is almost always a handful of things missing. For example, this week we were short 3 packages of chicken, 1 package of tuna, and our bread. They are fantastic about crediting the amount back to our account when I contact them though, and I love some of their signature items. Best tortilla chips ever! And the toffee broken almonds!!! All in all, it can be a bit annoying at times, but their customer service is great. They will make it right. I’m not giving up on them. Just communicate with them, and see what you think.
Venus L.
October 29, 2020 at 9:01 amYes, every order I’ve had an issue with something rotten or missing. Considering canceling.
Mrs. Sarah N.W. Hogsett
October 29, 2020 at 6:07 pmHi Vicki! I don’t work for Imperfect but have been getting their boxes for quiet sometime. We eat mostly plants in our house so the greens are a must in every box. Sometimes your spinach, lettuce, chard, etc., will not be as perky or slightly wilted. But that’s ok because it’s still edible and can be revived most of the time! (I’m sure the logistics on shipping fresh greens is tough to manage) Just submerge the greens in a large bowl of ice water for ten minutes, gently shake off the excess water and gently tap dry, then air dry on the counter and refrigerate immediately. Works like a charm and you don’t waste your greens!
Robin
October 29, 2020 at 11:29 pmNot often. And they have the best customer service you can experience. I ❤️ them
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:27 pmWe love you too!
Margy Tucker
October 1, 2020 at 3:12 pmI received my first box last week and everything was great. I was one potato shy of the three but that was ok. We have enjoyed our box very much. Can’t wait for my next delivery. M.T.
Imperfect
October 1, 2020 at 8:33 pmSo berry happy you’re happy with everything! Sorry about the one missing potato though. Please get in contact with our customer care team so we can help make that up to you: bit.ly/2LAewhA
Karalee Manning
October 5, 2020 at 5:54 amI love my Imperfect box of foods!!!
I have not been disappointed once. Everything is wonderful.
Imperfect Foods
October 11, 2020 at 8:16 pmSo happy to hear that Karalee! Thanks for fighting food waste with us!💚
Amy
October 5, 2020 at 7:19 pmAre there instructions for making the Astro Mutt costume? It’s so cute!!
Carol M Parker
August 12, 2021 at 5:43 pmYes, the instructions are on their blog:
https://thewholecarrot.com/2020/10/halloween-costume-for-dogs-astro-mutt/
Stephanie Shaddinger
October 6, 2020 at 2:04 amHi,
The customer service is excellent and quick to respond to your concerns. I feel that with fruits and veggies we should be prepared to sometimes get something that isn’t good. It happens. But again they are quick to refund you and I plan on staying regardless of the few things that have happened. I look at the big picture here and see that we are all making a change. So just notify them if something is wrong asap.
Imperfect Foods
October 11, 2020 at 10:41 pmThanks so much for your love and understanding, Stephanie!
Nickole Brown
October 6, 2020 at 5:03 amI love Imperfect Foods. Everything is just the right size for my family. The few issues I’ve had have been resolved quickly and with great satisfaction. I tell everyone I come across. We have also cut our grocery bill in half(at least).
Imperfect Foods
October 14, 2020 at 10:25 pmYay! Thank you for fighting food waste with us! 😊
Kathy Hitt
October 9, 2020 at 10:30 pmThis was our 3rd delivery. So great & easy. We did get the first 2 as weekly deliveries, then skipped a week. There are only 2 of us, so I think we will switch to every other week instead of weekly. so nice it is so easy to change the frequency. also nice you can order small amounts of each food to have a variety of food in the delivery. Thank you Imperfect Foods!
Corene Hile
October 13, 2020 at 10:20 pmReceived my first order today !!! Everything was perfect!! Really pleasantly surprised!!! Refrigerator items were all cold as should be!!!
Imperfect
November 12, 2020 at 11:55 pmWe love to hear this! Welcome to our Imperfect family!
Linda Barton
October 14, 2020 at 9:21 pmPlease cancel my orders from now on.
Sorry, but family issues can not be helped
and I will not be home for awhile.
Well let you know when to start again.
Thanks, LInda Barton
Imperfect Foods
October 14, 2020 at 11:32 pmWe’re happy to help get that taken care of for you! Give our care team a ring at (510) 595-6683 or drop a line here so we can help: bit.ly/2FYqBdx 💚
GP
October 14, 2020 at 11:57 pmLove the imperfect produce box, especially during COVID19 time! Great choices, great variety and seasonal. I started using the freezer bags as laundry baskets to take up and down the stairs at home and the boxes are being used for composting so nothing goes to waste.
Leslie Hunten
October 15, 2020 at 3:11 amI got my first box, and what a treat – a beautiful flower bouquet! Does this happen often? Everything was in good condition, and we got some bonus potatoes. My weekly grocery shopping trip was much shorter. This is great!
Matthias
October 15, 2020 at 5:32 amAwesome food (99% of the time – still better than Safeway etc.!) and great value for what you get. I really enjoy the availability of sustainable items like oat milk etc. – hope to see more of those. I also love the minimization of waste this way – it makes an impact. Thanks!
Angela
October 15, 2020 at 5:52 amWe’ve reeved our boxes very quickly only a few items were smushed and uneaten but added to compost bin. Weve recently had to suspend some deliveries due to out of town trips to my in-Laws needs. We were opted to recieve at anither location but we weren’t sure if we would be able to recieve on time due to nature of our visits. Staff was great at suspending delvery an understanding predicaments. We look forward to being home an back on schedule soon. Thank you for assisting us during this time.
Caroline Juzenas
October 15, 2020 at 12:13 pmMy boxes are so fresh and pretty, I’ve taken a photo of the open box to show friends at work! I’ve been “eating ugly” now for several years with Imperfect and love them! Any mixups get resolved easily.
Nicole D Carpenter
October 15, 2020 at 5:01 pmI just recieved my first box, the spinach was wilted and I had to put it in my compost bin. The frozen items were cold but no longer frozen. The tomatillos had 2 that were squishy and dripping. Not sure I will be ordering again .
Imperfect
November 3, 2020 at 8:38 pmHey friend, we’re really sorry to hear about this and never want you paying for anything that you’re not totally happy with. If you haven’t already please get in contact with our customer care team here: bit.ly/2LAewhA
Dorcia White-Brake
October 15, 2020 at 5:28 pmI love, love, love my imperfect foods boxes. The food is always fresh and delicious. I used to shop at a very expensive online grocer and so many of my items would not come or the wrong items would come. I don’t worry about that with Imperfect foods. I get what I ordered every time and loading up my box is super simple. Thanks guys!
Kathleen Chamberlain
October 15, 2020 at 10:29 pmNow that the weather has cooled off we’re getting 2 bags of ice in every box. It really did fine with 1 bag even if a day late. I don’t need the ice and you don’t need to waste your money!
Imperfect
November 12, 2020 at 11:48 pmWe hear you and we’ll definitely pass this along to our team.
Jenny O-C
October 29, 2020 at 1:02 amI may have said this before, but every other week is like “adult Christmas” for me bc, even though I pick my foods, I forget what I order most of the time and it’s so fun to open that box of delicious goodness! Thank you for being Imperfect!
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 10:16 pm💚💚💚
Abbey Ley
October 29, 2020 at 4:08 amThese are so great! Imperfect Foods is also the best and I’m proud to have referred some friends. The packaging recycle program is EXTRA awesome but totally understand the need to pause that during the pandemic. I’ve already been utilizing the boxes and silver insulation bags for an installation art piece and plan to use more for Halloween! LOVE the rocket dog costume idea 🙂
Bonnie Fritz
October 29, 2020 at 3:15 pmI agree with the good comments. If there is a “surprise” it is easily resolved, and usually means something new to try. My aunt has started to like trying new things like kale, parsnips, shallots and different color bell peppers. Even the cat inspects the package with anticipation! I thank my friend Colette for introducing me to Imperfect. Thank you!
Irmgard Baynes
October 29, 2020 at 4:06 pmOverall I love and I am grateful for the service. I love certain items and look for them on the weekly list. One suggestion is to be more careful with packing putting the hardy items on the bottom and the easily bruised, leafy ones on the top. may be separated with a piece of cardboard, and also close the bag with holds ice and things that should be kept cold. This is one reason I am reluctant to order produce and don’t get deliveries every week.
Sarah Mack
October 29, 2020 at 4:14 pmI wish I could leave the freezer bags and packs out front for re-use. I want to stop ordering refrigerator items because I hate seeing this stuff go in the trash but I can’t possible use it all. I have gifted a lot of it but still its too mcuh stuff.
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:56 pmHey there! We hope to restart our recycling process soon. In the mean time, you can learn how to dispose of the packaging here: bit.ly/2JnlXqm
Susan
October 29, 2020 at 5:54 pmI live in a rural area in Texas. Nearest store is 20 miles away. I love getting my Imperfect Food boxes. I don’t have to go to the store as often and always have fresh groceries. I feel very happy to be helping the environment through less gas use, an the economy through food recycling. Thank you Imperfect Foods for mailing that possible.
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:45 pmThank you for being a food waste warrior!
Brenda Gawrys
October 29, 2020 at 6:12 pmI’ve enjoyed my boxes. Suggestion for lettuce. If it comes in a little welted put it in a bowl of ice water it will perk right up.
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:43 pmLove this advice!
Anne Williamson
October 29, 2020 at 7:30 pmI get a lot of smoked fish, grass-fed beef and frozen fish. I love it! My question is, I’ve been saving all those freezer packs (gel-filled). Will I ever be able to return those to you for reuse or should I throw them away? I hate throwing away all that plastic and whatever the filler is.
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:40 pmWe hope to restart our recycling program once we’re 100% sure that all parties will be safe. Until then, you can learn how to recycle the packaging material here: bit.ly/2JnlXqm
Amber Gwinup
October 29, 2020 at 7:41 pmMy box has not been delivered for the second week in a row. I am not certain where to put this but I would love to get my boxes again…
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:23 pmOh, goodness! So sorry to hear about this. If you haven’t, please get in contact with our customer care team so that we can make this right: bit.ly/2FYqBdx
Dorinda Mayhue
October 30, 2020 at 2:07 amI have no complaints after receiving two shipments from Imperfect Foods. The items I have ordered have been good. My only concern is eating up the stuff I do order in time before the next shipment arrives. We replaced our deep freeze a week ago so we have a better situation with food storage. Between that & the Instant Pot, eating well for less money is easier. I will say the items in the silver cold pack get shifted around in the shipping process & they might escape from the cold storage envelope. I recycle the shipping box & I’m open for any recycle suggestions for that cold pack or the silver cool pack envelope.
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:32 pmHey there! The insulated liner is low density polyethylene (LDPE) or #4 plastic. You can see where you can recycle them along with all other items here: bit.ly/2JnlXqm
Josephine Picado
October 30, 2020 at 2:49 pmOk, I will admit that I cried a little when I saw the quality of the food because I could not believe this food is thrown away. Felt a little guilty too for not knowing. It opened up a lot of conversations with my kids too.
The food is awesome. I did have a few mishaps with things missing, but I was credited immediately. Customer Service is fantastic and very professional. My grocery bill is amazing too. I’m cooking more now. It’s been a blessing because we are saving so much money, eating better, and helping the planet too! Thanks Imperfect Foods!
Imperfect Foods
November 3, 2020 at 9:35 pmThank you for helping us fight food waste!