Mason jars have become quite iconic of late, featured all over Instagram feeds — usually containing a delicious-looking smoothie or cocktail. They are aesthetically pleasing little containers, but they are doing their part for the planet too, being made from recyclable and, more importantly, reusable metal and glass.
This combo of good looks and conscience makes mason jars a desirable household item to own. Originally just for canning food, these transparent glass jars have a multitude of functions in the kitchen and elsewhere in the home, whether they're new or just emptied of grandma's preserves.
Top takeaway
With their air-tight lids, mason jars are wonderful for keeping food fresh. When that sauce-stained plastic container finally bites the dust, turn to these jars to store your restaurant and takeout leftovers — just lid it and pop it in the fridge.
You don't even have to restock your storage containers with new mason jars. Check thrift stores to find a huge variety of donated options. After a run through the dishwasher, they'll be good as new, and much cheaper. From sauces and soups to salads and pasta dishes, mason jars can house it all.
Conscious coffee
Feeling bad for the planet every time you leave your favorite coffee shop with your morning brew? No need to splash out on a designer coffee travel mug when a mason jar will do the trick!
Mason jars range in size, so select one that's the perfect portion for your daily coffee dose. Top it up with your home or takeout drink of choice, screw on your lid and you have coffee to go. Lots of companies even make mason-friendly sipping lids that replace the flat metal portion. Easy!
Cookie cutter
The unsung hero of the mason jar: the lid band! This item has a few uses, but one of them is to cut round biscuit and cookie shapes. How versatile is that? Roll out your dough on a surface that's been dusted with flour and press the regular or wide mouth band for an easy-to-pop-out cutter.
Sunny side up
If you enjoy a perfectly shaped fried egg that's Instagram-worthy, then the mason jar lid can help you achieve that, too. The metal lid bands can handle heat, so they are perfectly at home in your frying pan.
Get your frying pan nice and warm, with your oil of choice sizzling, then place the lid in the pan, and pop an egg in the middle. Sit back and wait for your 5-star fried egg. Just remember the band will be really hot afterward.
Pre-mix prezzies
This is a genius idea for a heartfelt gift that's easy to pull together and looks good! Fill a 1-gallon mason jar with the dry ingredient needed for chocolate chip cookies, cake, or muffins, and add a ribbon around the rim for some flare and fanfare.
Gift it with a handwritten card outlining the recipe, and voila — gift in a jar. You could even send them the link to this article so they have lots of ways to use theirs once the baking's done.
Meal prep
The see-through nature of the mason jar makes it perfect for displaying the delicious contents it holds. Layer items of a meal in the jar for a pretty and practical to-go lunch that cuts back on dirty dishes. Use larger jars for meal salads, or fill the 2-cup size with overnight oats or chia pudding.
Bake-off
These endlessly useful glass jars can withstand heat, so put them to the test and bake a two-person banana loaf or chocolate cake right in the jar.
But don't just think of sweet treats when it comes to baking: the mason jar can hold a mini lasagne or pot-pie, too. What could be cuter?
Storage
If you want your bathroom or pantry storage containers to serve double duty — practical and stylish — mason jars are the way to go. Just envision lining them up in your pantry, housing dry goods like flour and sugar, each with its own chalkboard or hand-decorated label.
Can't even imagine hiding them away? Line up a row of masons on your counter for those regular-use items like pasta and rice, or dried fruit and chocolate chips. It's a modern-rustic touch that will make everyone feel right at home.
Liquids
Mason jars are cheaper than regular glasses, so if you're having a party and running low on drinkware, the 2-cup size will come in handy to make up the shortage, plus you won't be devastated if things get a bit rowdy and a couple break. What's more, mason jars look fantastic holding exciting cocktails, especially when dressed up with sprigs of mint or thyme and colorful straws.
Wake up with a hankering for a big ol' smoothie, but you only have normal-sized drinking glasses? You can always reach for a large mason jar to hold your thick morning beverage.
Lotions and potions
The mason jar also has multiple functions in your bathroom. It makes for a cute display on the cabinet and is air-tight, so it's very practical for keeping your lotion fresh and your cotton pads unimpeded by shower steam. Whether you buy refill-sized containers or make your own body products, mason jars are just as at home in the vanity as they are in the pantry.
Scroll Down
for the Next Article