My grandma saved every jar she came across and she used them for everything – buttons, seeds, leftovers, embroidery thread . . everything! My google search tells me that Ziploc bags were invented in 1968 and I wonder if my grandma ever bought a box of ziploc bags. When we went to my uncle’s, I took a box of quart and a box of gallon zipper bags. I realized while there how many of those bags I use when I’m not at home using Mason jars for storing things.
Yesterday I made the Watergate Salad and put it into Mason jars.
Watergate Salad
I made iced tea – a half gallon for Vince and a half gallon for me. Vince uses less sugar than I use. I’m trying to gradually cut back.
Tea
You can see that his lid has a “V” and mine has a “J”. I don’t want barely sweet tea and he doesn’t want syrupy sweet tea!
The marshmallows I didn’t use for the Watergate Salad . . they also get stored in Mason jars.
Marshmallows
The leftovers from yesterday’s leftovers . . yep, they get stored in Mason jars too.
Leftovers
The same Mason jars are used for canning, for storing things and now, for our drinking glasses. I love that they have so many uses.
One more thing about leftovers in the jars .. if you use a microwave, you can remove the lid and microwave the contents to heat up the leftovers. I don’t use a microwave but Vince occasionally does and it’s so convenient to be able to heat the food in the same container.
Karen S. says
Was wondering where do you get your lids for your jars? They are so nice!
Sandie says
I use the same ones, and got mine at Amazon. They are also available at Walmart, but cheaper to buy in larger quantities through Amazon
Sherrill Pecere says
I NEVER would’ve thought to put something like marshmallows in a jar!! I just leave them in the bag them came in and either rubber band or scotch tape them shut (it generally works to keep them fresh).
Karen Sutton says
I’ve started using Mason jars a lot more for storage (thanks to you:). Bob’s a big fan of ziploc bags for everything. I think they’re harder to store and the land fills must be overflowing by now.
Teri says
Those are nice lids, are they readily available?
Nancy says
Since you mentioned using the jars before I have dug out my canning jars for packing up leftovers. I can’t believe that I have been buying glass containers for packing leftovers when I had this lovely supply of jars.
cassews says
You can also see what is in them compared to the plastic containers. I use the zip lock bags very sparingly for things mainly in our travels in the trailer. The plastic containers go with us to store stuff and for leftovers . The bags are used for lunches mainly then re-used to pick up rocks when we rockhound or gem stone hunt .. No glass in the trailer as the hubs is afraid of breakage.
Dar in MO says
I am a canning jar leftover storage person too. I need to find some of those plastic lids though. I always have to root through my miscellaneous junk drawer looking for the rings and used lid parts. They usually have the wrong descriptions written on them too. It looks funny to see something white and fluffy in the jar with the label – pickled beets written on lid. 🙂