An Unexpected Source for Canning Jars

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canning, preserving, jars, grocery, spaghetti, marinara, If you’re planning to try your hand at preserving this summer, but still shopping the grocery store aisles until then, consider choosing products that come in glass canning jars. These jars have threads that will accommodate canning lids and rings so that rather than simply recycling the glass, the jars can be added to your collection. I have quite a few of these kinds of jars. The only drawback is that the labels leave a sticky residue, but that’s a small price to pay for being able to use the jar over and over again. Both Classico and Barilla pasta sauces come in canning-type jars (Classico has a few organic options, too) as do certain brands of fruits. I’m sure selection varies by region, but look for glass jars that have raised measurement markings on the outside.

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Dan M

Just FYI, from Classico's site FAQ:

Can I reuse the Classico® jar for home canning?

No. A coating is applied at the glass plant to reduce scratching and scuffing. If scratched, the jar becomes weaker at this point and can more easily break. This would increase the risk of the jar breaking when used for canning. Also, the lighter weight of our current jar could make it unsafe for home canning.

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earnesto

as for removing the sticky labels...
try this:
1) use a few drops of olive oil to soak into the glue then...
2)scrape with a non-metallic scraper, then...
3)soapy water and sponge...
4)do this twice.

this works every time

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earnesto

ok I agree... mostly all GLASS jars are recyclable as canning jars, as long as they can be sterilised but the problem that I am having is finding lids that fit most of them... the recycled MASON jars lately have had the chutney style lids which is harder to find replacements for (these are the lids that only require the 1/4 turn to seal and have something like 3 or 4 crimpped parts on the lid lip) and another issue is that many of the jars are 58mm wide as opposed to the standard (regular size) of 63mm (or so), making it VERY difficult to find replacement ball brand lids. (the Ball regular lid is just a few millimeters too large for ~75% of the glass jars that we get at the store)if anyone has an answer of a source for fitting lids please email me or post it in this forum.
-Thanks whatsaduckfor[at]yahoo[dot]com

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Kris Bordessa

Earnesto, you simply can't reuse the "other" non-Mason type jars for canning. You won't get a good seal with the lids/rings that are available to consumers for reuse. I don't know of anywhere to get the lids that do work with those jars, and even if I did, I don't know if I'd use them. The glass on some of them is pretty thin and may not hold up to high heat. Stick with the Mason-type jars you get spaghetti sauce in for canning and use the others to store dry goods or for freezing (with LOTS of head space).

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Julie

I have picked up the habit of saving my jars (Classico, Prego, etc.) several months ago and use the jars to store dry goods such as coffee beans (I go through A LOT of coffee beans) and pasta. I even make cold brew coffee with my jars every once in a while.

I don't think I would use my jars for canning anytime soon, but the Classico webpage warns consumers not to reuse their jars for canning because they technically are "real" canning jars so there is a danger of the jars exploding during the canning process. I don't know how much truth there is to their warning (maybe Classico is just trying to discourage consumers from saving their jars for fear that they'll wake up one day and decide to make their own homemade pasta sauces :P)

As for the label's sticky substance, I usually fill up a large container with hot water and let my jars soak for up to an hour. I've found the Classico and Prego jar labels will slide right off and the stick residue will scrub off easily with some warm-hot water and soap.

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Hilda

So good to know! Classico is my favorite spaghetti sauce, and I've just been tossing these jars in the recycling bin. I'll have to pass this tip along to gardening friends, who often do quite a bit of canning.

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Kris Bordessa

Jane, if you're just using the jars for dried goods like beans and pasta, we also like to recycle our glass peanut butter jars for that.

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Jane

I found myself completely out of glass jars to store the stash of dried beans I brought home from the store last night. This post about re-purposing glass jars popped into my mind. Now my dried beans are being housed in clean spaghetti sauce jars via my recycling bin. Thanks!

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It’s one thing to think, “Hey, I’d love to be more self-sufficient!” and quite another to implement a lifestyle change that might require learning some new skills.

Attainable Sustainable is about bridging the gap between wanting change and making it happen without becoming overwhelmed. Nobody’s saying you have to go get a tractor and a cow. Attainable Sustainable is about discovering – one step at a time – how to make changes in your life to support a sustainable lifestyle.

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Kris Bordessa has been gardening for most of her life. She's been authoring books and writing features for the past ten years or so. It's about time she combined the two, don't you think? [More about the author]