A Saturday Morning Ponder – Boxes and Cartons

What is the difference between a box and a carton?

The online dictionary says:
CARTON (Noun)
1. a cardboard [u]box[/u] or container

Of course there are literally dozens of definitions for box as it is also a verb. However I think it’s safe to say, most people would consider a carton and a box to be pretty much the same thing.

The ponder.

Why don’t we buy milk in boxes and cereal in cartons?

People always say “pick up a carton of milk and a box of cereal”, not the other way around.