Old glass jars, throw away or reuse?

Discussion in Food & Drink started by prettycolors • Jun 23, 2014.

  1. prettycolors

    prettycolorsActive Member

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    Let's say you bought some jam in a small cute jar and just finished eating it. What do you do with that cute jar, you throw it away?

    If you wash the jar, clean the brand label off and place your own you have a nice recipient to store your spices. This way you don't have to spend more money on spice jars that are in no way different than the jam one you already have.
     
  2. forextraspecialstuff

    forextraspecialstuffActive Member

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    I keep some of them for storage, supposedly glass storage is better than plastic, and recycle the rest. I used to keep them all but I ran out of room for storage and honestly don't feel that bad recycling them because it's not like I'm filling a landfill.
     
  3. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    If the jar is especially pretty, I'd most likely keep it, but if they are ordinary ones that I usually get anyway, I'd most likely just throw them away. I do sometimes keep them around temporarily from time to time to store some of my prepared foods, such as putting chicken salad in the emptied mayonnaise jar I just used to make the salad, but it's mostly because I want to save myself some time and effort from having to clean an additional container on top of everything else I'd already have to wash. Also, it's nice that I can just throw away the jar after I eat all the salad in it, whereas I'd have to worry about cleaning it had it been some other container.
     
  4. thriftyme

    thriftymeMember

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    DrRipley, I like your chicken salad idea for the mayo jar! I don't keep all jars, but I keep a few on hand. They come in handy for storing my crafting and office supplies. I have one on my desk full of paper clips, right now. I have several jars full of buttons in my crafting area.
     
  5. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    My mom used to save them for drinking glasses when I was a kid. I was so glad when we finally had real drinking glasses. I recycle all the glass jars. I don't reuse them.
     
  6. Ruth B.

    Ruth B.Active Member

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    I keep it based upon what I can do with it. If I currently have a ton of similar size jars, it goes in the recycling bin unless it's really pretty, etc. I like to have a variety of size jars. Unless it's a mason jar, and of course I keep ALL those because they can be used for canning.

    I use most for food storage, from big to small depending upon the jar. Veggie stock, tomato sauce, fridge pickles, etc. in the bigger ones. Those last bite nibbles on the little ones. I have some bacon renderings in one of the little ones in the fridge now. Also have used them for left overs like just recently I had hot dogs, it's that time of year, I get the craving for them. I had just a smidge of hot dog sauce left. In that little jar it went just fine, and then I turned it into a bite of chili like stuff on my snack nacho's.

    Right now in one of the bigger ones, I have some mints from the garden with water in it sitting in the fridge for chilled flavored water.
     
  7. Mayvin

    MayvinActive Member

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    I saved about 10 spaghetti jars with the intention of making some preserves like jam but never did it and ended up throwing the jars away lol. Next time if I save glass jars I'll use them for possibly storing home made salsa or other food that I've put into the food processor. Eventually I would like to use it for preserves if I ever get around to making some.
     
  8. caseyfacey

    caseyfaceyActive Member

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    I will keep it if I can think of an immediate use for it or if it is a very pretty or neat-looking jar. I try not to make a habit of stocking up on old jars because I don't like to collect too much "junk," but some jars are pretty useful. I like using different shapes and sizes for little planters. :) I think these look great in a kitchen or on a windowsill.
     
  9. JoanMcWench

    JoanMcWenchActive Member

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    Ooo, do NOT throw them away! Firstly, there are a TON of things you can do with mason jar style jars. Secondly, if you're not that type of person to actually pickle something/keep your herbs fresh longer/jam/store than you can easily sell these things online today. They're like the gold of the hipsters.
     
  10. pfaemaster

    pfaemasterMember

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    See, if it is from a product that you regularly purchase, then I would strongly suggest that you re-use them. Why? Because once you get a collection of maybe 5 or 10 jars, then together, they look magnificent to store things in, especially spices, herbs, salt, sugar, etc. Also, it will decrease your use of plastic Tupperware. They are not good for health, regardless of the quality rating.

    If you plan to store liquids and things that have a short expiration date, then make sure that the glass jar is airtight, or you will face quality issues with you foodstuff.

    Also, recycled jars are a lifesaver in your DIY carpentry workshop and craft room, where they can tame sloppy messes of random items. Use jars to separate different kinds of screws and nails, keep yarn and twine coiled (punch a small hole in the life to create a yarn dispenser!), and more.

    So, definitely recycle glass jars. Unless, the shape of the jar itself is terrible and difficult to use (which is quite uncommon)!
     
  11. Verity Darkwaters

    Verity DarkwatersActive Member

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    I reuse the jars from the stores. There are endless things you can do with them. They are so versatile and are super useful. I can't believe anyone would throw them away. You can use them in the kitchen, office, shop, and even for decorations as well as for therapy.

    I have turned these types of jars into candle holders, spice holders, nail/screw holder, etc. You can even reuse them when cooking. If you have a left over liquid you can put them in and use the lid to keep it from spilling. Use it to hold cooking grease. Or fill it with water and glitter. When you're child is upset of in time out, have them shake it and when the glitter settles they can come out of time out.
     
  12. Athenagdlyt

    AthenagdlytActive Member

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    We don't throw those small jars right away. We either use them for storing coffee beans, sugar, and sometimes food sauces when bringing food to a picnic or outdoor potluck event. From there, we may then throw the jars away to lighten our load on our way back.

    We reuse the really tiny bottles with caps as storage for paints and thinners since we are also a family of hobbyists and crafters. Some jars are used for storing small craft items and tools.

    As long as the caps are still without damage or rust, we reuse them.
     
  13. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    I have got a big collection of glass jars in my home, as I simply can't stand plastic to store food in. Also I like to keep some glass bottles for decorative purposes. I like them as flower vases or storage spaces for all kinds of small things that can easily get lost in the flat. Hence, I have glass bottles and jars filled with paper clips, pens, paintbrushes, and so on. I also store bills and coins in glass jars. Needless to say that I love glass. :)
     
  14. Livvy

    LivvyActive Member

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    Don't forget that a nice little money saver which not many people go to the bother of doing is to make your own jam! While a jar of store brand jam might cost you, let's say £1/$2, if you make your own jam at home, then you'll make huge savings across the year. Remember, you'll be buying all your fruits in bulk, as you will the sugar and other ingredients, so each of them will only come to roughly the cost of one jar of jam.

    Depending on how much you actually make, and of what fruit, you can have your homemade fruit all year round as jam can be frozen!
     
  15. lionzfire122

    lionzfire122Member

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    I'm so glad I found a post like this!

    I used to think the same exact thing every time I have a glass jar thats empty. Just yesterday I discovered these cute little glass spice holders. They're about the size of a pill bottle. I thought about painting on them. Or maybe even filling them up with rocks and putting sand on the top.

    You could even hang them on some string and put little candles and then and then light them in the night. It would look like a chandelier. I actually look that one up.

    They also used to preserve certain meats. So all in all you can pretty much do anything with these awesome glass jars.
     
  16. 003

    003Well-Known Member

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    I save them and stash them in a cupboard for possible future reuse especially the glass ones. The plastic ones, some of them I save. Some of them I throw, depending of their quality. If the plastic is low quality I just throw it away. But if it were one that could last for a long time, I save it.
     
  17. robinegg

    robineggMember

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    Reuse! I love using jars for baking staples like nuts and sugar, and also spices, tea, oil, whatever is in the kitchen! I actually buy jarred applesauce instead of applesauce in little plastic cups on purpose for this reason. They are much nicer to look at than plastic yogurt containers I used to keep. I also save the glass Starbucks Frappuccino bottles for spices and for carrying water if I cant bring my bigger water bottle.
     
  18. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    If they look like classic mason jars, I will save them, but standard jars I toss out. It's too easy to acquire too many of them and the next thing you know, you are lugging a huge heavy trash bag full of them out to your dumpster. The mason jar ones I will save because that's what I store my home made stocks in. Every once in a while though, when I am jarring my stock, sometimes it is too hot and it will crack the bottom of them, so I have to toss them out - in which case it's nice to have a few extra ones on hand. I think they look a lot nicer in the fridge, especially when I have guests over and they are helping themselves to stuff out of my fridge.

    I don't like to drink from them, since the threads in the jar tend to trap whatever it is I'm drinking then it starts running down the sides of the jar making a mess.
     
  19. luigi

    luigiMember

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    I used to save the jars, but now I recycle them through the town's recycling program. This thread inspires me to try to save them again and use them for certain things. My only issue is having things to store them in. I'm a craft person, so maybe using them for spare buttons or something would be a good idea... Then again, I'd also need a place to store all the jars I use!
     
  20. wander_n_wonder

    wander_n_wonderActive Member

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    I don't throw away jars, especially when they are cute. They are so far, the safest way to store food, as compared to anything made of plastic. I would store my stocks of food or even left-over food that I put in the fridge. At least, I don't have to worry whether my container is BPA-free or not.

    If the jar is not that attractive and I have way too much already, I would bring it to a recycling facility near our house. At least I know that it is not going to be wasted.