Ode to the Mason Jar

I am not into canning.  My only canning effort resulted in many jars filled with tomato sauce that grew white fuzzy stuff inside it and had to be thrown away.

But lately, I have completely fallen in love with Mason Jars.

Random, right?

Here’s the thing — they don’t leak!  I can’t tell you how many Tupperware containers have leaked in my lunch bag that I take to work every day, leaving me hungry with a disgusting mess to clean up.  But Mason Jars!  They are perfect for transporting liquids!  They also are safe for hot or cold contents, and can go straight from the fridge to the microwave (just take off the metal lid).

Here are some of my favorite uses of Mason Jars:

1.  Iced Coffee.  I brew up a pot, pour most of the pot into a Mason Jar, and the leftovers into ice cube trays.  Once the coffee has cooled from brewing, I store it in the fridge, making for an easy iced coffee treat.  When I head to work in the morning, I grab this Mason Jar and throw it in my lunch bag — and not once has it leaked!

2.  Overnight Porridge.  I throw some rolled oats, chia seeds, hemp seeds and almond milk in a jar, add in a bit of Sweet Leaf Vanilla flavored Stevia, shake it up, and put this in the fridge.  In the morning, I put this in the cooler bag I take to the office for a grab and go breakfast.  You could do this with all oats, or all chia seeds.  Once this has sat overnight, I often throw in some berries before I pack it for the office.

3.  Sun tea.  I have a big sun tea container, but since I’m the only person in the house that drinks sun tea, I often can’t drink it all before some of it goes bad.   Not anymore!  Throw 3-4 tea bags and some mint (if you’re feeling fancy) in a mason jar with water, and let it sit outside in the sun for about 5 hours.  I then throw it in the fridge for a grab and go drink.

Mason Jars are also great for Salad in a Jar, and for storing or transporting leftovers.  My husband also stores his coffee beans in Mason Jars.  And did you know there are mini-Mason Jars?  These are perfect for mixing up your own salad dressing.

Plus, you see them everywhere used as glasses — Mason Jars are hip!

Do you have a use for a Mason Jar that I should be trying?  Am I alone in this obsession?

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