I just love mason jars. My first jars came from my mother in law who passed hers down to me. At first I thought these are cute maybe I can can something or put some flowers in them. Fast forward a few years and I have found many more things to do with these jars than just canning and putting flowers in them. Don’t get me wrong I love those things too. But then I wanted to know what makes a mason jar a “mason jar”. What about all the great jars my jam and spaghetti sauce comes in. Apparently the answer is pretty simple.

If the jar has a lid with a rubber gasket and is fastened on with a threaded screw top lid it’s a mason jar. The name mason comes from the tinsmith John Landis Mason who improved on the original mason jar. He gave it a much improved threaded mouth, rubber seal and a reusable screw on zinc cover. You can read more about John Landis Mason here at the official mason jar website.

Even if the jar doesn’t have the mason name on it. Or maybe if it doesn’t have any name on it at all. It’s still a mason jar if it has a lid with a rubber gasket and is fastened on with a threaded screw top.

The parts of the mason jar include the mouth. That’s the opening at the top. The lip, that’s at the edge of the opening. The bead, this runs around the jar just under the screw top. The neck, it’s under the bead and comes before the shoulder. Then the body, the heel and finally the base. Simple yet amazing!

Whats not to love about this perfect little (sometimes quite big) jar. I find new ways to use it in my home everyday. I love how it works well for modern uses yet has a vintage look. It keeps things preserved, organized and beautiful all at the same time. I hope you’ll enjoy the mason jars as much as I do. If you’d like to read more about the history of mason jars you can go here.

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Ball 32oz Wide Mouth Mason Jar

The Ball 32oz wide mouth mason jar is the best! I love it for everything from my morning glass of ice water to my afternoon smoothie. In addition I use it to meal prep salads, soups and sauces. As a matter of fact if I had to pick one jar I used the most it would be this one. Lastly I also use it to store dry laundry detergent and homemade cleaners.

Kerr 8oz Regular Mouth Jelly Jar

Secondly is the Kerr 8oz regular mouth jelly jar. My favorite way to use it is to store spices. Their just the right size for all my bulk seasonings. In addition to being the right size their stackable. Giving me plenty of room for all my spices in my cabinet. Also their a favorite of my kids. They use them to make overnight oats and chia puddings for a quick breakfast in the morning.

Ball 12oz Wide Mouth Mason Jar

• Next up is the Ball 12oz wide mouth. This is the jar I use when 32oz is to big and 8oz is to small. Great when you have left over spices you need to store. Also great for meal prepping smoothies, individual servings of soup and salad. My family also loves to make individual desserts that are easy to grab at night.

Le Parfait French 11oz Jam Jar and Drinking Glass

• Fourth is the Le Parfait French 11oz jam jar and drinking glass. How cute is this jar! The Le Parfait french jar works great for all of your needs. They make a great drinking glass, individual sun teas and are also great for chia puddings, fruit salads and snacks. I bought mine at grove but their also available on amazon. Not to mention they come with adorable lids.

Le Parfait Super 96oz Storage and Canning Jar

• Last but not least Le Parfait Super 96oz storage and canning jar. Can I just say these jars are Super! They are pretty enough to put on your counter to store all your yummy foods. Great for storing pasta, cereal, granola, oats, rice and any bulk items. They would also work great for picnic in a jar.

Basically those are the five mason jars I can’t live without. Although there’s so many more jars I use and love everyday. That’s a great start wouldn’t you agree?

Shop This Post

• Ball 32oz wide mouth here
• Kerry 8oz jelly jar here
• Ball 12oz wide mouth here
• Le Parfait 11oz french jam jar & drinking glass here
• Le Parfait Super 96oz storage and canning jar here

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