We’ve had all things Italian on our minds (and on our menu) this spring, and it’s made me realise there are quite a few things that Gousto HQ and Italy have in common. Both get through a lot of pizza, both are pretty passionate about wine, and both are obsessed with using high-quality ingredients in the kitchen. That’s why we only work with the best of the best when it comes to suppliers, and Mutti is certainly no exception.

A family business, steeped in innovation and passion, and totally devoted to the humble tomato; Mutti has featured in our recipes for nearly three years now. For us, there really is no comparison. Mutti’s rich and juicy tomatoes are only harvested when they’re ripe enough to fall off the vine, they’re completely natural and they make the perfect addition to our recipes.

We’ve talked at length about the best ways to recycle and re-use the rest of your Gousto packaging, but I discovered recently that the Mutti can is particularly versatile, so here are five ways you can make the most of them after you’ve polished off your dinner…

A pot for plants and herbs

You can use your Mutti cans as a plant-pot alternative for herbs and small plants! The can is perfect because it doesn’t take up too much space in your kitchen and a collection of them looks wonderfully rustic on your window sill.

If you’re potting a mini plant in one of the cans, try popping some scrunched up plastic (you can even use the leftover packaging from your Gousto ingredients) into the can first before adding the soil. This will allow for proper drainage and help lift up the plant up without soaking up any of the water.

Wind chime

With summer in-coming, barbecues and garden parties are approaching quickly, so naturally the garden needs to be looking its best. These tin can wind chimes are a charming and oh-so-sustainable outdoor accessory.

• Wash up your Mutti cans
• Put some double sided sticky tape on the can and cover with wrapping paper.
• Thread beads onto 9 long pieces of wire or string. Tie cutlery to the ends of 8 of them and attach them to the inside of the can using masking tape.
• Using a nail and a hammer, poke holes in the bottom of the tin and thread the final bead length through to create a handle.
• Hang your wind chime from a branch in your garden and enjoy!

Cutlery holder

You might have spotted this one in your local trendy cafe or artsy restaurant, and we say why stop there? Say goodbye to your messy cutlery drawer and showcase your knives and forks in a Mutti can, centre stage on your kitchen table. Whether it’s the finest silver or Tesco finest silver, it makes for easy access cutlery and a picturesque centrepiece. Win-win!

If your knives and forks are a little worse for wear and you decide it’s best to keep them under wraps, why not move the can elsewhere in the kitchen, and use it to store your wooden spoons and spatulas instead?

Tin can bowling

Bowling’s great, but sometimes the weather is just too nice to be cooped up in a bowling alley. That’s when this DIY “tin” pin bowling alternative comes into its own. You might find that you spend more time making them than playing with them, but if you ask me, that’s half the fun!

• Wash up your Mutti cans.
• Use acrylic or enamel paints and decorate the cans. You can make as many cans as you like, with as many designs as you wish.
• Stack them up or lay them out, grab a ball and get competitive!

Lanterns

Time to get creative AND destructive. All you need is a design in mind, a tea towel, a hammer and nail (kids, get your parents’ help on this one) and a candle to put on your own outdoor light show.

• Wash up your Mutti cans.
• Fill the cans with water and put them in the freezer overnight, the ice will help ensure the cans don’t bend and are stable while you hammer in your pattern.
• Once the cans have been in the freezer, use masking tape to attach your chosen pattern to the can. You can draw this out or download one online. Alternatively, you can freehand your own design and skip this step.
• Hold your tin can in a tea towel (to keep it steady and catch any ice chips) Position a sharp nail above each mark on your pattern and gently tap with a hammer to make a hole in the can. Repeat until you’ve finished your pattern.
• Remove the ice by pouring warm water over the can.
• Pop candles in your lanterns and dot them around your garden or house. The candles can get quite hot, so make sure to place the candles on fire-safe surfaces!

Obviously, your Mutti can is totally recyclable, but with so many ways to up-cycle it, it seems a waste to just throw it out. So join the up-cycling movement, and make sure you tell us which one you try and how it goes! And if there’s anything else you want us to give the re-use treatment, comment below to let us know.