Be Green + Be Cute {Recycle Your Lovely Jam Jars}

  I'm guessing I'm not the only one who opens a box of crackers or pretzels, puts it back on the shelf, forgets about it, and then goes back a few weeks or a month later to find the contents of the box have gone stale.  Well, food goes bad a lot faster here, so I have to be extra vigilant about not being wasteful.

I'm semi-obsessed with Bonne Maman raspberry jam, mostly because it tastes amazing, but also because of the packaging. I'm a huge sucker for packaging.  (It also happens to be one of the less expensive brands of jams and jellies here- you can find it at Westside Markets throughout the city for $2.99 a jar!)

I started saving them, and recently put them to use storing food because they are:

1. cute
2. air-tight
3. recycled (and that makes me happy)

My jars look absolutely gorgeous in my cupboard (I have about 12 now), and I love that I can see exactly what I have in front of me. I put as much of the food item in the jar as possible, and then I put the rest in a cupboard with my food storage. When my jars get low, I fill them back up. I waste less, and I love that I can open the cupboard or fridge and Ella knows exactly what her options are at snack time (the really sugary items get put in the back so she can't see the mini marshmallows and meringues).

I also use them in the fridge for cut-up healthy snacks. Again, when they run low I cut up more fruit or veggies so that we always have quick, healthy snack options.

I'm totally a snob when it comes to how things look in my home, so I will only use Bonne Maman jars in my cupboard, though I did save a large Mason jar with a plain lid for our mini marshmallows.  Now I look for glass-jarred food items that are not only yummy and healthy, but that have the potential to be recycled in a lovely, subtle way that doesn't scream SMUCKERS!