TikToker ygg_dras_il (@ygg_dras_il) demonstrated how to reuse empty food jars. Simply wash and save them to reuse them as storage containers.
The scoop
A special hacking tip includes using jars from Aldi since some have pre-marked measurements — ideal for measuring and mixing ingredients for cooking.
@ygg_dras_il One of the best ways to store AND recycle #jars #canning #storing #herbs #herbalism #lifehacks #recycle #aldi #reuse #santize #them #sunday #cleaning ♬ original sound - 🦉ᚠᚱᛖᛖ ᚹᛟᛗᚨᚾ🦉
Canning was once a common home staple to save food. It began making a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the trend has continued, per the Seattle Times.
After removing the labels, start the sanitization process by washing them in soap and water and then filling a pot with boiling water. Let the jars sit in the boiling water for about 10 minutes. The final step involves baking the jars for 10 minutes at around 275 degrees. Hot glass is extra fragile, so carefully remove them when finished to prevent shattering.
How it's helping
You can save more food while using "one of the best ways to store AND recycle," the creator wrote. Various preservation techniques like canning and dehydration can help reduce grocery bills and prevent food waste. Discarded food is the most common component in landfills and takes up 24% of space, per the National Environmental Education Foundation.
Glass is recyclable, but it's more complicated than products like plastic as you must separate it, avoid breakage, and ensure it goes to the right facility in your area. If dirty, it can contaminate the rest of the glass in a recycled pile. Not adding more glass to the local trash heap reduces the likelihood of injury and having an item that never truly breaks down from sitting in these piles for centuries. Per a study in ScienceDirect's Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, the material takes over 1 million years to decompose.
When participating in a circular economy, glass jars are one of the main materials people can endlessly reuse without reducing its structural integrity. Repurposing them for storage, drinking glasses, flower vases, etc., is another way to get smarter about your recycling options.
What everyone's saying
The commenters loved this idea, and some are already saving their jars. One proclaimed, "Thanks for this! I love reusing jars."
Another stated, "Another reason I love Aldi!"
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Saving money 💰 Careful canning and knowing what type of food you can store in a particular jar is part of food safety. One person asked, "How do you do the lids? I'm drowning in jars..."
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Reusing the lids on non-Mason jars has been the topic of concern. The Penn State Extension warns, "Do not reuse twist-off lids that come on pickle jars, spaghetti sauce jars, or others. Bail lids [lids with two-part wire clasp attached to the top of them] with a rubber gasket are designed for decorative use or dry food storage." So be mindful of the type of food you store in non-Mason jars.
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