Alternative Uses for Dried Pasta Noodles: Necklaces, Pictures and Other Crafts

Pasta is one of my favorite things to eat. I love red sauces, alfredo, and meat sauces. And since it is fairly inexpensive to make for my family, we tend to eat a pasta dish at least once a week. I am intrigued by all of the different types of pasta and always try to find a different shaped noodle that will be fun to eat. I even have a pasta maker and what fun it is to use it! I have discovered that there are other uses for pasta noodles besides just eating them.

Here are my favorite uses for dried pasta noodles other than in recipes.

Dried Pasta Noodle Use #1: Pasta Necklaces - This is so much fun for toddlers and preschoolers. You can use any tube shaped pasta noodle such as rigatoni, penne, mostaccioli, and macaroni. You will just need some colored yarn and pasta. If you would like to use colored pasta noodles, they are easy to make. Just put the desired noodles in a Ziploc bag along with several drops of food coloring. Make sure the bag is closed and then shake it until the food coloring covers all of the noodles. Lay them out on a paper towel until dry.

Dried Pasta Noodle Use #2: Pasta Pictures - Kids will have so much fun making pasta pictures with any shaped noodle you can find. The more texture to the noodle, the better. This makes a great craft project. You will need heavy card stock or construction paper, a variety of texture and different shape pasta noodles and Elmer's glue. Allow the kids to be creative and design their own picture or you can give them a theme to follow such as make a pasta head. Be sure to let the glue dry overnight or at least for a few hours.

Dried Pasta Noodle Use #3: Sand or Water Table Alternative - Dried pasta is a great alternative for a sand or water table and it is easy to clean up. No messy water or sand to sweep up. Just fill a large plastic storage container, sand table, or water table with a variety of dried pasta noodles and give the kids shovels, buckets, bowls, spoons, and any other items to play with and they will have a blast!

Dried Pasta Noodle Use #4: Table Centerpiece - Dried pasta noodles make a lovely center piece. Choose a glass vase that is somewhat tall and fill it with any shaped pasta noodle that you like. My favorite and the one that looks the most elegant to me is farfalle better known as bow-tie pasta. Place long pasta noodles such as spaghetti or fetteccine down into the center to give your creation some height. You will get many compliments on your unique and somewhat unusual centerpiece. This works especially well if you are serving a pasta dish to your guests - how fitting!