Last year before I moved, I jettisoned all my plastic food containers, regardless of how much I paid for them..all the snap wares, etc… and I went with Wide Mouth Ball Jars ONLY. I still have to use plastic grip jars for volume bulk storage…the square shape is more efficient and i won’t drop them and break them. That’s the only plastic I still own but they have lasted quite a while.

I just got sick of all the odd sized odd shaped containers. With the clear fridge shelves and clear jars I can see what’s in them. Sometimes i don’t use them, say if i am putting a leftover meal that i’m going to eat tomorrow, i will just throw a plate over the plate or bowl. but i don’t even use plastic wrap or foil in the fridge. Though sliced cheeses don’t store well in them, cubes or chunks of things do fine. Like baking chocolate and nuts. if you open a can of olives or a can of anything, I put the remainder in a jar with a reusable lid.

The 24 oz is my most useful size, after making dinner, it usually holds all my leftovers, and takes up the least room in the fridge. It will also hold bacon, blocks of cheese, sticks of cream cheese or butter etc.. The benefit of the 24 oz, is that it is straight sided, no neck, easy to get food in and out. I can fit my hand more or less inside for cleaning. The 16 oz short fat one is my second my used size. I reserve the 32 oz size for soups.

With the one size, ALL the covers fit, no more having to root around for the proper cover. And I adore the new plastic screw caps from Ball. Ball is also starting to add more lids…a sippy cup, straw holder, and a shaker top but i think only regular size. I use these jars for almost everything, that goes in the fridge or small amounts in the dry goods cupboard.

Benefits:

Readily available – best prices are canning season, but even the hardware store, walmart, target. under $15 for 9 or 12 sometimes under $10! the 24oz come 9 to a case…target $10

Easy to clean, I have never found them to be difficult at all. the worst that happens is I have to let them soak.

Uniform covers – one size fits all – you never have to ‘find the right lid’. [including the plastic reusable covers, they have a sip and straw lid and now an infuser.

Third party products available… like the Recap jar pour spout Cuppow Lid, Wide Mouth Chalk board labels i’m sure there’s more out there.

you can freeze in them. as long as you don’t fill past the ‘freeze fill line’

you can store spices and dry goods in them.

the threads fit on a blender., no kidding…i will need to get a blender.

Vacuum food storage units have adapters for the wide mouth ball jars

You can pack a salad in them. There’s even a little wide mouth sized container for salad dressing. – there HAS to be a yogurt container that does that.

and of course 1001 uses that aren’t even FOOD related.

I didn’t think about any of those things when I went over to glass, all i was thinking was where’s the goddamn lid for the tupperware!