From kitchen counters to craft tables, the humble Mason jar is having a renaissance. The global canning jar market increased to $5.48 billion in 2024, with sales climbing to $923 million in the United States alone. Once a staple of home food preservation, versatile and eco-friendly canning jars can be a practical storage solution in surprising ways.
Glass canning jars have come a long way from their original purpose in home canning and preservation. Today, they hold cocktails in trendy bars, dry goods in kitchen pantries and Christmas gifts of cookie mix. With a bit of creative inspiration, you can repurpose Mason jars in modern and innovative ways.
A short history of the Mason jar
Invented in 1858 by John Landis Mason, the Mason jar transformed food preservation. The screw-top lid creates an airtight seal, extending shelf life and making home canning easier. Other companies quickly copied the product, including the Ball brothers in 1880, a name that has since become synonymous with canning jars alongside Kerr and Atlas.
Over the next decades, companies produced a variety of sizes and colors. Americans enjoyed eating produce year round, and home canning cookbooks proliferated. The demand for Mason jars declined in the 1950s as commercially canned food and frozen food became more readily available.
While canning jars never disappeared entirely, they’ve always been a useful and charming way to store items, and their sales are rising. Astute Analytica reports global sales totalled $923.56 million in 2024 and forecasted that sales will reach $1.57 billion by 2033. The report attributes this popularity to renewed interest in home canning and the demand for eco-friendly, reusable storage solutions, an area where glass canning jars excel.
Mason jars in the modern kitchen
Food preservation remains at the heart of the Mason jar’s appeal. Home canning caught on during the COVID-19 pandemic and has stayed popular as a hobby and money-saving activity. From jams to vegetables to soups, the Mason jar’s rubber ring and screw-top can keep food safe when canned properly.
Canning fruits and vegetables is a delicious and sustainable way to enjoy produce out of season. Home preservation can also store prepared foodssuch as homemade chicken stock, making it possible to make a big batch to use over time.
You can also use Mason jars for short-term food storage without pressure canning. Stored in glass jars, quick-pickled vegetables and homemade jam can last for several weeks in the refrigerator.
The sealing tops also make glass jars ideal for storing pantry staples such as flour, sugar, rice and pasta. The air-tight jars keep out moisture and pests so that food remains fresh for as long as possible. Glass makes it easy to see what’s inside each jar and, unlike plastic, the glass won’t absorb odors and stains, giving you years of durable storage.
Convenience for meals and snacks
Mason jars are the ideal storage solution for food on the go. Sustainable, microwave and dishwasher safe, they work for everything from your work lunch to transporting your picnic foods.
The variety of sizes is also perfect for meal prep. A jar can hold a single serving of soup, pasta, salads and more. You can assemble layered salads, grain bowls, overnight oats and parfaits ahead of time. The jar serves as both a storage and serving dish, reducing the need for extra dishes and single-use packaging.
Canning jars beyond the kitchen
The versatility of Mason jars extends far beyond food. Any small knick-knacks look cute sorted into glass jars. Crafters can use them to organize buttons, beads, paintbrushes, pencils and embroidery floss. In your workshop, store nails, bolts and other odds and ends. The sturdy design of the jars makes them durable enough for many spaces, though you should always use caution with any glass containers. Their transparency makes finding supplies simple.
Mason jars also lend themselves to home decor. Filled with flowers, candles, paper stars, fairy lights or an air plant, a Mason jar can double as a table centerpiece or adornment for an empty shelf. For seasonal decor, tie ribbons around the mouth of the jar or paint them in different colors.
Gifts and creative uses for Mason jars
Mason jars are a popular solution for many homemade gifts as well. Cookie, brownie or soup mixes layered in canning jars make festive holiday presents. Candied nuts, caramel corn, spice blends, bath salts and candles all look extra special when packaged in a Mason jar.
For those less inclined to craft at the holidays, simply filling a jar with candy, tea bags, craft supplies, or self-care items and adding a pretty ribbon makes for an affordable and thoughtful gift option. In these gifts, the jar itself becomes part of the present, ready for reuse after the gift contents are gone.
Get creative with Mason jars
With both nostalgia and modern utility on their side, Mason jars are an invention that has stood the test of time. Whether lining pantry shelves, packed for your work lunch or holding a candle as a table centerpiece, these simple glass containers continue to find new homes and new purposes. If you have extra Mason jars, repurpose them into attractive and sustainable storage and decor.
Jere Cassidy is the writer and recipe developer behind the blog One Hot Oven. A passion for all things food related led her to culinary school to expand her baking skills and now to share easy recipes for all home cooks and bakers of all skill levels. When not in the kitchen, Jere’ likes to travel far and wide to find delicious food.
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