I love my glass canning jars. They have so many uses, way above and beyond canning food for long term storage. I typically buy them by the dozen, and keep a variety of sizes: half gallon, quart, (wide mouth and regular), pint, half pint, jelly jars. That way I always have just the size I need. I also prefer using glass over plastic for food storage.
My recent most favorite use is for individual food portioning. Due to some dietary health restrictions, I have to eat lots of soft food right now. And the small jelly or half pint jars are perfect for jello and pudding (albeit I do make only 3 servings, not the four each package says).
Here’s a few other things I do with them:
- any individual servings for overnight oatmeal, pudding, soup, leftovers. An easy way to grab and go in the morning when you need a portable lunch or breakfast
- growing herbs on the window sill
- mixing and storing homemade salad dressing
- for cooking twice – make a hole in the lid with a nail and pull the twine through
- salt and pepper shakers – get them from Amazon here
- for dry good storage – beans, rice, flours, grated Parmesan, and spices
- turn the glass jar into a cocktail shaker with this kit
- Use them to make homemade yogurt
- Another shaker idea – save the green lid off store bought Kraft Parmesan cheese – it fits a quart jar
- Turn jars into liquid dispensers with these kits for oil
- Use them in place of a glass for a rustic look
- Quart mason jars fit on most blender bases, so you can whir up a jar of something without having to clean the blender itself. Then screw on the cap and store
- Turn a quart jar into a cocktail shaker
- Or make a soap dispenser to sit by the sink
- Make a salad in a jar
And there are plenty of other uses around the house, like:
- storing small items, from buttons to office supplies (paperclips and rubber bands)
- bathroom storage for cotton balls and Q-Tips, even makeup brushes
- bath salts
- an impromptu flower vase
- pencil jar
- Get an adapter kit to turn Mason jars into Lamps
And Let’s not forget homemade gifts from jars
- Like a cookie or cake mix in a jar…..layer the dry ingredients and write out the recipe on a card
- Or a manicure kit, or sewing kit
- fill it with homemade fudge, candied nuts, or peanut brittle
- gift your famous homemade spice rub with that recipe you do not share
- make a soup mix, and include the instructions on a card
- Use it in place of a basket for a small collection of gift items – a beauty jar with lipstick, blush, eye shadow, tweezers and makeup brushes OR a manicure bottle with new polish, base and top coats, a couple files and a nail buffer
- Fill with a homemade candle
- Or with a sugar scrub or bath salts
These are just a few ideas – what can you come up with? Make pretty labels, and be sure to tie with a ribbon around the lid! You can even paint the jars and lids rather than use as is…or try some of the newer colored glass mason jars in blue or green! Or even purple!