Use Old Jelly, Spread & Garnish Jars for Spices

0 comments

Sometimes I want to remind readers the main goal of this blog is to find Zero Waste solutions within a constricted budget. I am personally reminded of this every time I crack open the checkbook.

I love when I see others get excited about this new venture and go out buy Mason jars and grocery bags. Another popular thing to do is to purge all the

Getting ready to mark up my funky bunch. Yep, I said it.

plastic in their homes. And I get it.

But I also can’t afford it. I continue to use whatever I have on hand.

I know I’ve shown you my hodgepodge of containers before.

Well, it’s no different for my spice jars.

No, those aren’t capers.

And what has become one of my favorite accidental, cheapskate mommy, Zero Waste reuse projects is turning old jelly and garnish jars into spice jars.

We’ve all got some of these from one-shot recipes – shortbread or oatmeal bars that call for a jam you never use again, the endless list of savory recipes that want sun-dried tomatoes (yes, I know they are good, but just not so zero waste as I would like), and those capers one buys to make a dinner to impress a date (never fall for this unless caper-dude/chick also has more than Costco frozen wontons in their freezer).

Pros:

You already own them.
They are transparent.
– They often sport wide mouths.

I cannot stress enough the importance of wide-mouth jars when buying spices in bulk. Your dispensing method probably varies by store – some have a tiny scoop, some let you pour from a larger container, nearly all suck when all you have is a skinny jar.

Nothing like cleaning up 18 oz of tarragon with
a toddler on your hip.

Also, who doesn’t want to throw their turmeric across the room when the spice jar is too narrow for a tablespoon? I’m looking at you McCormick spice company.

Tantrum-worthy.

Cons:

– That squishy lip under the lid could be harboring some nasties. So be sure to boil that stuff off.

Boil out the nasties.

– These jars take up more space on the spicy-Susan.

But, this could be a good thing! It might force you to consider what spices you really need. I hate having sixteen spice jars when I only use about five regularly.

So open up the fridge and check it out. I bet you find wince-inducing aromas and expiration dates, along with some ‘new’ kitchen hardware.