Jars & Containers

Buying Guide of Jars and Containers

What is a kitchen without its crocodile of jars and containers of different sizes and shapes? Condiments in some, pickles in other, dry fruits in some other and so on and so forth - they have always been an indispensable part of any kitchen. But did you know- how different materials and grades of material that these jars are made of can affect the food you store in them?

Here's some guidance on buying jars and containers that we are sure you will find helpful.

Factors To Consider Before Buying Jars & Containers

What will you store?

Different items require different shapes, makes, and neck sizes of the container. So, don’t just go and randomly buy a plastic jar or glass container only because you have to. Make mental notes about what you are planning to keep in them. This would determine what you are going to buy. While you can keep cadies in glass containers, it will be a little too risky for daily usage, right? So, if your spices need new spaces you must go for some other materials like clear plastic jars.

How much will you store?

If you are a regular in kitchen and love cooking up a storm (literally!) every now and then you must have a long batch of spices and condiments along with other itsy bitsy items stored in there. This calls for quite a good number of jars and small containers as well. But if you only eat to live, it is most likely that there are the basics only lined up in the pantry. So, understand how much storage space you would need and buy accordingly. Don’t just heap them.

Which materials will you be storing?

While plastic jars and containers of similar sturdy materials like metals can be considered for daily use, you need to be extra cautious with glass jars. Delicate handling would take good care of your jars and containers made of glass (like the mason jars) or borosilicate.

Airtight or not?

Would you like soggy and dampened cereals in breakfast which lost all its crunchiness? Of course not! Well, that will happen if you keep them in a non-airtight container. So, while buying containers, check once whether your chosen ones can serve your purpose rightfully or not.

Are they BPA-free?

This applies particularly to plastic containers. Check the bottom of the plastic products for a BPA-free sign. Also, refer to the plastic recycle triangle at the bottom containing a number. You can consider those products safe which have 2, 4 and 5 embossed within the triangle. This is severely hazardous for health and you must consider this before buying plastic containers.

How child-friendly are they?

The sole purpose of jars and containers is not only acting as your storage unit. Your little one’s lunchbox is also a container you should be considerate about. The container should be easy-to-open and keep food fresh till long hours.

What shapes will you go for?

Well, the jars and containers come in myriad shapes. Long and slender, cylindrical, hexagonal, small, square-based, round-based, rectangular- you name it and there is one for you. Grabbing each one of them would certainly add versatility to your kitchen, but at the same time would make stacking impossible. Choice is yours completely. But do keep this in mind too.

Types of Jars and Containers

Glass Containers

Transparency is the biggest advantage of glass containers. As the content inside can be displayed, it is preferred very commonly for dry food storage, liquid contents. These are also advantageous for refrigeration purposes and microwave heating (check and recheck while buying if your chosen product does come with this facility). Another advantage of glass containers is these are effective in preventing odors or moisture intrusion. Do you have long term storage purpose in mind? Definitely go with glass jars. You do not always have to buy them also. The glass containers that the jams, jellies, pickle, sauces come in, why do away with them? You can easily wash them well and reuse them at your own kitchen or for other purposes also, such as storing on-food items like pens or toothbrushes. Versatility, easy availability, and multi-functionality make glass containers one of the favorites of all times.

On the downside, glass jars are very fragile: careless handling for even a fraction of a second can lead to breakage. Also, the lids attached to the jars often do not sustain long enough and come off calling for replacement. Now, that’s a problem too. Finding a lid of the correct size often ends up in failure leaving the glass container of no use. But then again, you can use it for holding a foliage arrangement or keeping freshly cut flowers!

Mason Jars

These are glass containers, no doubt. But why do we bring it up as a different type? Simply because of the myriad options they offer. Do you want wide-mouthed jars for keeping your choco-chip cookies? Or do you want Jars for use as soap dispensers? Mason jars have you covered. Want a container with lid for storing anything- from flour to home décor items? Choose a mason jar. Want a leak-proof jar for not only storing food but also for canning or pickling? Mason jars are good-to-go. Want jars for crafting and gifting someone? What else can you choose but mason jars? Did we mention the airtight characteristics? Well, that too! From mini jars to containers with 1-gallon capacity- mason jars come in every possible size. Lightweight and ability to wash I dishwasher are two more advantages. There you have it. Aren’t mason jars becoming your favorite now?

Plastic Jars

Think airtight, plastic jars crowd your mind, right? These are a big hit with customers as they allow storage in smaller portions. Be it liquid or dry food, plastic jars showcase their efficiency with ease. Fabricated with lightweight features, both rigid and semi-rigid formations are presented within the preparation of containers.

Fear of contamination from recycled plastic is the biggest problem of plastic jars. Not all plastics are of edible grade quality and this is what makes us dubious about the readily available jars in the market. Now, if you are not eyeing food storage only, we can never deny the versatility and easiness of use (due to the lightweight) of plastic- be it a bucket or a lunchbox. Make sure you buy only FDA approved plastic.

Metal Jars

Stainless steel is the most commonly used metal for containers and is highly popular with the food processing industry also. These have the added advantage of being tamper-proof. Thus the foods inside can be assured to be kept safe. If you want to seal the aroma and prevent moisture intrusion at the same time, nothing can replace aluminum. Sometimes the metal containers are galvanized to make them sturdier. Heavy-duty, spill-proof, non-hazardous characteristics make metal jars favorite among the consumers.

It is not every day that you will find a lightweight metal jar. Also, dents are common on metal containers as they fall from your hand or from your kitchen island or even the shelves.