Our fresh herb dips and sauces are packaged in glass jars, and while we’re huge proponents of recycling, we’ve also been developing a growing interesting in upcycling, that is, creative reuse of materials that might otherwise be considered waste. Turns out, jars have a myriad of uses! A few obvious ones include:
Storage for dried herbs and spices.
An easy and free option for bottling homemade jam or chutney.
Storage for leftovers.
A desktop pen and pencil holder!
We know - these are pretty obvious and pretty limited, so let’s get creative!
To inspire you to give upcycling a try, here are some creative ways to reuse glass jars… let us know in the comments if you can think of any others!
Plant seedlings. In the photo above we’ve reused our Mint, Pea and Parsley Dip jar as a small plant pot for sprouting thyme seeds. With more and more of us looking for ways to be a little bit more self sufficient, this is a great starting point!
Fresh flowers. Taller jars such as our pasta sauce jars make for a perfect vase. Simply fill with water and fresh flowers from your garden and place in a corner of the house that can use some extra cheer! This time of year everything is just starting to come into bloom in the garden, or look for local growers offering home delivery or contactless collection.
Make creme brûlée. Jars make for a cute receptacle for this decadent dessert. Check out creme brûlée in jars for a step by step example - it’s surprisingly easy! And our dip jars are the perfect shape.
Make candles. Candles are easy and fun to make and glass jars are the perfect receptacles! Top tip: use a tall jar (like our pasta sauce jars) and fill only half way with wax. This will allow you to use your candle outside even in windy conditions!
Make sand art. A fun one for the kids! Get some coloured sand and use your jars to create layered sand creations.
Make a snow globe. A fun one for Christmas that only requires a few supplies and some imagination! Here’s a tutorial.
Make cocktails! Glass jars are a fun way to serve cocktails and mocktails. Bonus for serving with a paper umbrella!
Use as a piggy bank to save for something special.
