Mason Jars: Not Always for Canning!

Do you ever find yourself with an empty glass jar left over from a treat somebody left at your house, and you don't know the first thing about canning? Mason jars are great for home canning and preserving, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other uses for these clear glass jars! Here are a few ideas of different uses for Mason jars:

Make a penny bank for your kids. They will love being able to watch their savings grow through the clear jar.

Use the Mason jar as a rustic flower vase. Tie a bit of twine or a strip of frayed cloth around the top to add some color.

Fill small Mason jars with spices that you bought in the bulk section of your grocery store.

Keep matches in a jar with the lid on. This will keep them dry!

Make a sidewalk lantern by putting a few inches of sand in the bottom of the Mason jar, and then nestling a tea light candle into the sand.

Store small craft items, such as beads, buttons, or safety pins in a wide-mouth Mason jar so that you can easily reach in and grab what you need.

Put your leftover soup into quart Mason jars for easy reheating.

Make a gift of a cookie mix in a Mason jar. Layer the dry ingredients and tie the recipe on a card for a pretty present!

Fill jars with potpourri and, with the lids off, place them around your house. The clear walls will make the potpourri look attractive and the open tops will make your house smell lovely.

Use a Mason jar to hold your homemade salad dressings.

These are just a few of the ways that you can use Mason jars for things other than home canning. Get creative! Pick up some Mason jars from Container & Packaging Supply, and imagine all of the fun ways that you can use these versatile jars!