5 alternative ways to reuse your Gu pots to give the hoarded dessert containers a new lease of life

Amazingly enough, almost everyone has a few Gu dessert pots hiding in their kitchen cupboard. Us included. They’re just too good to throw away! But more often than not, these hoarded pots just sit on our shelves as we can’t think of any proper ways to reuse Gu pots. 

But we say no more to that sentiment as we turn to our organising experts to give us some ideas on what to do with these cheesecake pots. And as always, they’ve delivered.

It turns out, Gu pots make an excellent DIY storage idea, as well as so much more. Some of these recommendations are pure unexpected genius, while others pain us for not thinking of them by ourselves any sooner.

5 ways to reuse Gu pots

‘Gu pots and similar glass dessert pots are brilliant for repurposing around the home,’ starts Simon Glanville, managing director at A Place for Everything.

Similarly to alternative uses for Kilner jars, Gu pots can also be used for a plethora of things. We picked five that we think are the best.

1. Free storage pots

We love a DIY hack around here. Especially when it doesn’t cost us anything as pairing Gu pots with Pringles lids and crafting free mini storage pots. This Gu pot hack is the ultimate upcycling for beginners.

‘Pro tip - the lids from Pringle tubes are a perfect fit for them, so keep hold of a few of those too to keep items contained,’ says Kate Yiannacou, APDO member and founder of Tidy Happy Calm.

Who knew?!

We first found out about this match made in heaven through this TikTok, courtesy of @gracebooth97, which has since gone viral. And for good reason, if you ask us.

@gracebooth97

♬ original sound - Grackle

2. Snack pots

If you want to further elevate your Gu pots, you can actually purchase bamboo lids like these from Amazon, which are specially designed to fit them. This way (or with the Pringles lid) they make the perfect snack pots.

‘You can also use those little pots to gift homemade sweets (fudge or chocolate truffles are a winner,’ Kate says.

3. Tealight holders

Using Gu pots as tealight holders makes total sense given their petite size. And yet, it has never occurred to us before. 

‘Pop in tealights and use them on the dining table as a centrepiece,’ Simon suggests. ‘Position them around your garden or along a path for a subtle candle-lit scene. They’re great for spots of light in the garden for parties. If you’re using real tealights make sure they’re the ones with the metal bases and not loose wax as you won’t remove that easily from the pots and if LED don’t leave those out in the rain.’

4. Craft or hairpin storage

‘My top tip for Gu pots is that they are great for containing hair clips and ties, especially for kids,’ Kate recommends. 

Craig Hoareau, APDO member and managing director of A Tidy Mind London, continues, ‘When I work with clients I always aim to repurpose what they have lying around the house to organise with.’ He then goes on to say that he advises repurposing Gu pots ‘to hold craft items like beads, needles or for hair accessories like pins and small clips.’

And those Pringle or bamboo lids will come in handy for this use too.

5. Reuse for homemade desserts

Sometimes we are so busy trying to find new ways of doing or using things that we forget how good the original was. Gu pots are made to contain a dessert. So why not use them for your homemade desserts too?

‘You could, of course, turn them back into dessert pots and use them for homemade desserts. As they’re able to be put in the oven, they’re great for both hot and cold deserts,’ says Siân Pelleschi, founder of Sorted! and APDO president.

What a revelation this was! And we're not being sarcastic.