I use Mason jars for storing dehydrated food I use on a regular basis.
I love to use mason jars to store my dehydrated fruit and vegetables in. They are airtight—and store easily on your pantry shelves in the kitchen, and behind closed doors. This keeps direct light off them also, which is a good thing!
I keep my actual dehydrated goodies in one of my kitchen cupboards! :-)
Plus, they look great on your shelves. Impress your friends and family!
You can use smaller air-tight jars (half-pint) for items that you don't use a lot of—such as garlic, and spices.
Don't get me wrong, I'll take fresh vegetables over dehydrated any day, but we're all about doing this for long-term storage.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. The price you pay doesn't increase.
By keeping the dehydrated vegetables in different sized mason jars, it means I'm not opening up my Mylar bags all the time to retrieve a vacuumed packet and having to re-seal the Mylar bag afterward.
This way, I can easily and quickly grab a jar to make a quick vegetable soup.
Shown in the photo are carrots, celery, and sliced garlic in the front.
I like the fact they're made of glass; not only can you see the contents in the jar, you can see at a glance how much of the contents remain!
When you're ready to refill your jars from your stock, just go pick out one from your stash of stored Mylar bags.
Open it, take out a packet (or two) and reseal the Mylar bag, and refill your jar!
Important: Do not forget to sterilize your jars before use.
If you're planning on canning or preserving food at home, it's important to sterilize your Mason jars before use. This will help to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold and will keep your food fresh for longer.
There are a few different ways to sterilize Mason jars. One method is to wash the jars in hot, soapy water, then rinse them well. Next, place the jars upside down on a clean towel and let them air dry.
Once the jars are dry, you can sterilize them by placing them in a preheated oven (200 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes.
Another method is to sterilize the jars in a dishwasher. Simply place the clean jars on the top rack of your dishwasher and run it on the hottest setting.
Another option is to boil the jars in a large pot of water for 10 minutes.
Once you've sterilized your Mason jars, they're ready to use. Be sure to fill them with food while they're still hot to prevent bacteria from growing.
The Mason jar was named after its inventor, John Landis Mason. He patented the jar in 1858, and it quickly became a popular choice for canning and preserving food.
As you know, Mason jars are made of glass, and they have a screw-on lid that creates an airtight seal. This makes them ideal for storing food for long-term storage.
We also need to have a 100cc oxygen absorber in the jar, and an easy way to tell if the oxypack is 'worn out' is when you take the lid off. If the lid opens without a popping sound, you will need to replace the old pack with a new one.
NOTE: I'll keep the 'old' 100cc oxypack and put that in the smaller jars (the jars I use for the elephant garlic and spices).
Even though they may not have much 'life' left in the old oxypacks, there's probably enough life left in them for the small jars until you cannot feel any air-pop-resistance at all!
Susan Gast began Easy Food Dehydrating in December 2010. Read Susan's story of what sparked her interest in all things related to "food dehydrating."
Susan is featured on Mother Earth News blog, and on Solo Build It (SBI) who host this site along with her sister site, Finally-Keto. Read her first SBI interview, and her second SBI interview. Susan also runs an additional SBI website: SusanGast.com - Non-Fiction Author - and showcases many of the books she's created and marketed over the years.
Since 1980, Susan's involvement in publishing - in one form or another - led her to create a "review site" of products related to the publishing industry. Visit ePubTechReviews today.
Do you want to send Susan a quick message? Visit her contact page here. She'd love to hear from you!