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This week we replaced all of our plastic food storage containers with mason jars. Of all of the changes I am making, this one has been the easiest as we were already doing this part-time.
This has been a quick and easy transition, since my kitchen is already set up for mason jars and I use them for many things (except fermenting). I had already moved to using mason jars instead of cannisters long ago, so I’ve had an abundance of jars for a while.
Now all meal prep, all leftovers and all odds and ends are stored in mason jars. I use a sharpie to write on the lid, and when it comes through the dishwasher the writing is faded enough that I can write on it again without confusion. While these lids do contain BPA, we don’t fill the jar above the shoulder and we keep the jars upright. We don’t put the lids on until the jar contents are cool. So between those precautions, I’m more comfortable with this solution than I am with using plastic containers.
The storage containers were really getting on my nerves, to be honest, because the cabinet that contained them was always a jumbled mess no matter what I did.
Yes, it really was that bad of a wreck. My daughter unloads the dishwasher and she couldn’t even see that cabinet without getting up on a chair, so she just chucked everything in when it was clean. Seriously not a good solution to the kitchen management, there. But it is what it is…. er, was.
Now I’ve replaced them with a single layer of quart-sized mason jars. While I do have other sizes, all the way down to a cute little 4-ounce jar, we’re sticking with one size, the quart jar, for everything in the kitchen for ease of storage and use. Otherwise, I know we’ll wind up with a jumbled mess and jars getting lost in the back of the fridge.
Yes, that’s much better.
The lids and rings live in a drawer in my bar.
We cleaned out the fridge and moved the shelves into different positions so that they fit the quart jars. We now have one shelf designated for leftovers.
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This post sounds like you were reading my mind, lol! I made the same change and am loving it. I actually find using mason jars is easier. Glass cleans easier, they are all very clear so you can see what’s inside and they are so much neater! I should have taken a pic of my jumbled mess before I filled the garbage can. That cupboard gave me nightmares and it felt so good to just throw it all. No more searching for the matching lid!
I have been moving towards mason jars for my storage. I use the pint jars, as they fit enough for one serving for me, and use the quarts and half gallons for stocks. My partner still uses plastic containers, because he brings them to work and doesnt want to deal with glass, but it makes it simple because he can always see what his food is 🙂
AmandaLP recently posted..21 Day Sugar Detox, Day 5-7
I have been wondering for years what to do. I don’t know why I never thought of mason jars. I have plenty. Thank you for the wonderful idea.
I do use mason jars for that and have a ton, I like to use the quart and the pint jars, I use the plastic lids too. I actually recycled all my 2 piece metal lids. I love my pyrex glass storage containers with plastic lids though – they can be found very affordably at stores like, Home Goods, TJMaxx, Marshalls etc……I got a lot for Christmas one year too! I like them for the flat rectangle shapes when the size of a mason jar would never work! I’ve been building my collection slowly over time.
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Great idea! How does reheating the food in the jars work?
Can you post a pic of your fridge with the mason jar leftovers?
I’ll see about getting a pic. I re-heat the food in a toaster oven, so I transfer it to an oven-safe container before heating.
@Lea, Where did you find the BPA-free white lids?
I have gradually been cutting back on plastic for a couple of years, and food containers are the last frontier. I’m in!
We’ve been nearly plastic free in the kitchen for years, using jars for food storage in the refrigerator and pantry, glass for drinking, etc. My only holdout is freezing stock; I lost jar after jar to breakage. Not because of overfilling (that only happened once), but because of dropping by other family members as they dug through the freezer. Now I cool stock completely in a jar the fridge, then transfer it to BPA free plastic for freezing. To reheat I dump it out of the plastic without heating. It isn’t perfect, but since it is the only think I try not to stress too much.
Kimberly in So Cal recently posted..Cooking Ahead — Caramelized Onions
I’m having a serious “Duh!” moment right now! We’ve been re-purposing plastic containers for years and lately, it has caused concern, just thinking about all the junk in the plastic that can leak into the food. Thank you for sharing this!
Cheryl @Treasures from a Shoebox recently posted..After the Fast
There are BPA free plastic lids you can buy for the mason jars!
Yes, but unfortunately, they are still plastic. They might be BPA free, but they can contain BPB through BPZ, one of many compounds that are potentially as tocix as BPA! Not to mention what else they might contain that hasn’t been studied yet. I want to get rid of all plastic in contact with my food.
I totally understand that. Unfortunately, even the tops have plastic in them – that’s what they’re lined with. And with BPA at that. :-/ Not to mention they also contain aluminum.
You would think that things would have changed by now. *sigh*
I place a piece of parchment between the lid and the glass to keep food from touching it if I’m concerned it might slosh.
Oh I never thought of that! Great idea!