Maybe you’ve been contemplating it for a while, or maybe it just never crossed your mind; whatever the case may be, it’s definitely time to switch to glass storage containers [if you’ve not already done so]!
It began with a party
My slow conversion to glass began when I registered for wedding gifts. I’d long used Rubbermaid plastic containers, but without a dishwasher, plastic food containers were difficult to clean well (and tended to stain too easily). I registered for two sets of Pyrex and have never looked back! (My husband teases me about my Pyrex, but when he’s looking for something in the fridge, everything is stacked nicely and organized!)
And then Mason jar salads became a ‘thing’
When the Mason jar salad craze took effect, I bought a case of the glass jars and loved how easy it was for me to grab a salad when hunger struck. I got into a routine of buying, washing, prepping and packing my salads on Sundays, which allowed me to easily grab a salad throughout the week. The Mason jar containers also made it easy to use little dressing (I’m a viniagrette kinda gal), making mixing a breeze in the self-contained…container. But, as with most things, once I get out of a routine, it’s difficult for me to get back into it.
For about a year, I had a case of Mason jars stored in a cupboard collecting dust, until we bought our new home and installed a chest freezer. Having the additional freezer space has been a dream, and my cooking life has never been easier. I try to make one soup every week or two, and make them in large batches so that I can freeze portions for another meal.
Compelling reasons to switch to glass storage
Because I abhor plastic, I began looking into alternate containers for freezing, coming across stainless steel and glass. Amidst my research, I came across compelling reasons to use glass, for both refrigeration and freezing, from the Glass Packaging Institute:
- Glass is nonporous and impermeable. This means no staining and more importantly, no stink.
- Glass has almost a zero rate of chemical interactions, which means your food and/ or spices stay as fresh as the day you packed them.
- No worries about BPA or other chemicals leaching into your food.
- Glass is 100% recyclable. One. Hundred. Percent. Recyclable. It’s a sustainable packaging product with an indefinite life.
- 80% of glass that is recovered is made into new glass products.
- A glass container can go from your recycling bin to the store shelf in as little as 30 days.
Armed with this information, my eureka moment hit — I remembered my case of unused Mason jars — I didn’t have to invest money into new containers! Not only do I now freeze soups in the containers, but I use the containers for easy refrigerated food storage. While our refrigerator looks big on the outside, the two-door model really doesn’t hold much in the refrigerator portion. Instead of awkward containers in varying sizes, I now save space by using Pyrex and Mason jars for leftovers — if you have OCD when it comes to fridge organization, you’ll love using Mason jars for easy, orderly food storage (and be happy to have ditched the cling wrap)!
My love of glass is now spilling over into other areas, as I continue to decorate and organize our home. I’ve always loved seeing bathrooms with clean lines and apothecary jars for storage. My master bathroom, while small, has been my longest ‘project’ to-date, and the only room we’ve painted so far. And while our color scheme is not light and breezy — it’s goldenrod and grey — I’m happy with the way it’s coming along. The only thing I’ve yet to sort out is storage. Anyone out there a storage expert?
World Market stackable square glass jars
Under the sink storage has ALWAYS been difficult for me to master, and I’m getting tired of rummaging for cotton balls, acetone, face wash and the like. So, I’ve added a small utility cart to my already small bathroom, and have been purchasing glass jars for storing items. I geeked-out when I discovered the glass jars above from World Market — they’re perfect for what I’m planning to use them for, easily organized because of their shape, come in an array of sizes and totally affordable! Even better, World Market gave me a referral link, so you can save $10 off of your purchase of $50!
Another great option are the Vardagen jars from IKEA. I picked up a few of the smallest jars for $1.99, and one of the large jars for $5.99 (currently housing all of my nail polishes). These will also be perfect for organization in my larger bathroom.
If all goes well with our little master bathroom (or my little master experiment), and I’m happy with the result, I plan to expand glass storage to our large bathroom, which features a walk-in linen closet. At the moment, I have pretty fabric bins holding everything from cold medicine to band-aids, which means I have to take the containers down from the shelves and rummage through to find what I’m looking for. My plan is to have glass containers lining the shelves, making it easy to see what’s-what.
Everything’s better in glass
No, really, everything’s better in glass. I remember when beverage manufacturers began using plastic bottles for individual soda servings (sometime when I was in high school); the switch from glass bottles to plastic ended any enjoyment I got from an occasional soda. These days, I drink seltzer water by the liter, and it’s always a special treat to buy Perrier or Voss in glass bottles. And of course, there’s nothing like enjoying a nice cold beverage in a beautiful glass (I like leaded crystal the best).
So tell me, my fellow fans of glass, how do you use glass containers around your home?
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, and as you can see in the above photo, my drapes were too heavy for the size/quality rod I purchased (I should have known better than to cut corners!), but the dip in the middle was solved by picking up additional brackets (we have two windows in the bedroom) from Home Depot, to anchor the middle of the rod.