Summer might have only just technically started, but for those of us who like to enjoy the juicy, bold and sweet flavours of summer throughout the year, it’s time to get started on our winter stocks! If one thing has been proven so far in 2020, it’s that our favourite foods and drinks can sometimes fall out of stock in the supermarkets, so it’s best to be prepared and have some backups available. So where to start?

Canning
Canning is a process that has been done for centuries and is one of the most effective ways to preserve food. Typically, it involves preparing and processing food and storing it in airtight containers under a specific set of circumstances and it can give produce a shelf life of anything from 1 – 5 years. Freeze-dried goods can even last up to 30 years if canned properly! Canning can take up a lot of space and so its best to use a glass jar with a lid that is appropriate for your quantities, using larger jars for large batches rather than lots of small ones.

Preserving
Preserving food is a broad term, but typically this type of processing requires added ingredients to ensure food remains in an edible state. Whether it’s adding a stabiliser like sugar to fruit to make a jam, or adding vinegar to veggies to make pickles, there really is no end to the fruit and veg that can be stored this way. Providing you use airtight glass jars with lids, jams, chutneys and pickles can be dry-stored so you don’t have to worry about them taking up room in the fridge or freezer.
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Freezing
One of the most obvious ways to preserve food, freezing goods can extend the shelf life of produce by around 1-3 months. Most produce can be frozen as is, but fresh vegetables often need to be blanched first so that they keep their textures. 

 Canning is a centuries old practice used to preserve food and while it looks much different today than it did when it was conceived, the process is very similar to a time gone by. You may not know it, but any form of preserving is classed as canning, so all those jams, chutneys, terrines and pates that you’ve made – all technically canning! We’ve put together some of our favourite canning recipes that use nothing more than this seasons produce and hinged jars!

Pickled Beetroot
A classic pickle, beetroot slices are great additions to salads, sandwiches and burgers, making them perfect for picnic and BBQ season. Simply get your hinged jars, slice up your beetroots, or keep them whole for baby beetroots, add them to the pickling vinegar made up of white wine vinegar, sugar, salt and any spices that you like. Mustard seeds, mace, cloves and peppercorns all pair well with the rich a earthly flavour of beetroots so try some of these for a simple and savoury level of spice.

Butternut Pate
For this recipe, start by roasting a butternut squash and 4 garlic cloves in the oven. Once cooked, peel the flesh of both out from their skins and mash in a bowl. Add some thyme or rosemary, a tablespoon of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon and 50g of almonds before pulsing in a food processor. You can serve this chunky or smooth in a hinged jar as a vegetarian starter, sandwich filling or even just a dip!
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Carrot Curd
Carrots are great in both savoury and sweet recipes and carrot curd can be either! Make half a cup of carrot and ginger juice in a juicer, ensuring it is a smooth as possible. If there are lumps make sure to press the juice through a fine sieve to remove them before moving on to make the curd. Next, cream together ¾ cup of butter, 6 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth, then add 2 eggs and 4 egg yolks until just combined. Next add the juice, and then heat the mixture for 20 minutes over a low heat, stirring all the time until the mixture is thick and curd like. Just transfer to a hinged jar and enjoy on cakes, sandwiches or yoghurt. 

We’ve all turned our hands to new things over the lockdown period, whether it’s rediscovering a long lost art or trying something completely new. If you’re running out of ideas and want some inspiration for ways to pass your time and be productive, then you are in the right place! We’ve put together a guide on how you can get creative, with just a few jam jars.

Build a Bar
One of the most common lockdown trends we’ve seen across social media is people making their own bars in their home, in place of the usual Friday night visits to the pub. Whether it’s a new shelf for liquor or a full garden hang out, home-style bars can easily replicate the décor and styles of our more traditional haunts. Jam jar candles set the mood for a piano style jazz bar, cocktails in jam jars give off the quirky club vibe or you could go the whole hog and make some hanging jam jar light fittings for the avant-garde lounge feel.

Get In The Garden
If you’re the green-fingered type, then jam jars have a number of uses that can help your hobby to flourish. Getting seeds to germinate outdoors with the unpredictable British weather can be a challenge without a greenhouse, but you can make a miniature one with the help of jam jars! Pop those seeds into their growing spot and then place a clean, clear jam jar over the top to create a baby-sized greenhouse for your new fruits and veggies to start their life in. Once they are sprouted, you’ll want to keep the pesky slugs and snails away, so simply turn over the jar and fill with beer for a quick slug pub.
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Kitchen Creations
Empty jam jars are great for repurposing in the kitchen and can be used for more than just jams, preserves and chutneys. Bake individual puddings for a quirky and delicious treat at your next dinner party, make overnight oats for a healthy breakfast on the go or even store small portions of soup and salad for an eco-friendly container.

Milk bottles are soaring off the shelves at the moment, with more people than ever looking to use these glass bottles as opposed to plastic alternatives. It’s no secret that reusable milk bottles are kinder to the environment, whether you use them to get refillable milk from a dairy or use them store excess produce. There are so many uses beyond this though, and everyone can benefit from owning a milk bottle!

Make Juices
Nothing says lazy Sunday brunch like a jug of fresh juice and whether you’re an apple or orange fan, it couldn’t be simpler to make your own. With the aid of a juicer, any sort of juice can be made in bulk and stored in our milk bottles for use at a later date. If you’re holding a brunch, then our 1-litre size is perfect for serving larger groups and makes a fantastic rustic addition to the table setting, or if you’re making enough juice for you to use in the week, our 250ml sizes are great for portioning out, so you can just grab one and go! Why not make a different juice for every day of the week and freeze any excess in another sized bottle, prepping you for weeks to come!

Infuse Some Booze
Whether you’re a flavoured gin connoisseur or a spiced rum savourer, our milk bottles are great for infusing your favourite tipples. Simply add your booze of choice, flavourings and sugar to the bottle, seal and leave for a minimum of six weeks. Some of our favourite seasonal fruits and veggies make delicious additions to white spirits including strawberries, rhubarb and even rocket and our clear milk bottles look chic and rustic, so you won’t mind leaving them on display around your home, filled with colourful harvested goodies!
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Make Your Own Milk
While our milk bottles are great for refilling with locally sourced milk, you could even try and make your own dairy alternatives. Oat milk, nut milk and even hemp milk are simple to create at home and will last significantly longer when stored in the fridge in a glass bottle. Go double green by reducing your dairy intake and your plastic use!

Most people don’t stop to consider just how useful glass jars with lids can be and many of us associate them with preserves, pickles and jams, but their uses stretch far beyond these delicacies! Employed by many for their ease of cleaning, reusability and freshness, the humble glass jars can come in handy in almost every room in the house!

Keep Veg Fresher
With airtight seals, glass jars with lids are ideal for keeping food and produce fresher for longer. One of the latest trends people are trying is cutting up their vegetables, submerging them in water in a jar and then screwing the lid on. This unique way of storing vegetables is said to preserve their shelf life and keep them crisper and fresher than just storing in the fridge, or in an empty container. This is a perfect solution for those who find themselves throwing out lots of vegetables every time they stock up the fridge, and with jars in a range of sizes, its ideal from everything from carrots and squash to baby onions and peas!

Shake it Up
Glass jars with lids are ideal for making food and drinks that require shaking, whether it’s salad dressings, cocktails, or even beaten eggs. Perfect for single portions, those in a hurry in the morning can use a traditional 8oz jar to store their breakfast smoothie, pre-made omelette mix or even overnight oats. But don’t worry, the night owls can benefit from them too, add premeasured cocktails, sauces and salads to them for dinner (and drinks) on the go!

Stick to a Plan
We’ve all been there….you’re trying to drop a few pounds and the lure of the chocolate at the back of the cupboard is compelling us to break our diet. Using glass jars with lids to portion out meals and snacks that are quick and easy to grab when temptations strikes, makes us far more likely to stay on track with our healthy eating and less likely to give in to temptation!
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To purchase glass jars with lids in a range of sizes, visit our website.

August is another ripe month for home growers and seasonal cooks, with lots of great British staples making their way off trees, out of the ground and into kitchens. Whether you’ve got a glut to use up, want to try something a little bit different with this harvest or just enjoy the intense flavours of seasonal produce, we’ve got some delicious recipes for the month ahead.

Preserved Peas
Technically a fruit, peas come into fruition this season and with large plants with plenty of pods, it’s easy to end up snowed under! A staple with Friday night fish and chips, midweek meals and even Sunday dinners, these little green peas are a hit with adults and children alike, so make sure they don’t go to waste by preserving them. Simply blanch them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, place into a jar and fill 2cm from the top with boiling salt water. Depending on your crop amounts, we have a range of glass jars to buy online to suit!

Cherries and Kirsch
One of the most anticipated treats at Christmas time is cherries in kirsch and whether you pop them in champagne or eat them straight from the jar, these boozy sweet treats always go down well. Making your own kirsch couldn’t be simpler and with them ripening on the trees now, you’ve got 4 months to let your cherries absorb all of the delectable flavour before Xmas. Simply destone your cherries and smash up the stones, before placing them in a jar filled with vodka. Leave to marinate for as long as you can resist, before popping in some whole cherries. See our range of glass jars to buy online and make lots of small samples or one huge batch with our small and large versions.

All of our glass jars to buy online are available in wholesale or retail quantities as well as smaller pack sizes for home use. 

Now that the lockdown restrictions are easing and we’re allowed to gather in small groups in gardens or public parks, many people are looking forward to hosting a socially distances soiree of their own. If you are planning on putting on a spread for your guests, one of the key concerns is minimising contact and reducing the number of people who touch any inanimate objects. While it may seem like a bit of a logistical nightmare, we have some tips to help your garden party run smoothly and safely.
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Drink Reception
Using our mini milk bottles, you can prepare a table at the entrance to your garden where guests can pick up a designated vestibule for their evening’s drinks. Mini milk bottles are a great option as they add a bit of twist to welcome drinks and can be easily labelled with names, helping to minimise any unnecessary touching by other guests. By designating one per guest, this also minimises the chance of cross-contamination of utensil usage and you can also set up a small sanitising station on the same table, further assuring you that any germs being carried in are eradicated at the first instance.

Portion Out
If you’re having a BBQ and want to provide condiments, rather than putting whole bottles in a communal space, it is recommended to provide each guest with a portion. Miniature jars are a good idea for ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing and even dessert sauces and come in a range of sizes depending on what it is you want to serve in them. This directly reduces the number of people touching one communal container and the chances of germ passing.

Go Glass
While many may feel that using disposable cutlery is the safest option, this amounts to a huge cost and a huge amount of waste. Plus, items such as paper plates and cups are not easily sanitised and can hold onto the flavours of any cleaning products you do use. Glass jars and bottles however can be cleaned easily and effectively and can withstand the high heat of a dishwasher, killing any remaining germs. 

​July is one of the most fruitful (pardon the pun) times of the year for British growers, with a large range of delicious crops ready for picking. As things ripen on the allotment, in the greenhouse or even in the garden, it’s easy to end up with a  glut of one thing that leaves you scratching your head with how to use it all before it goes bad. As always, we’ve got some preserving, pickling and producing ideas to help you make the most of this season’s crops.
Artichokes
There are so many delicious uses for this earthy vegetable, whether it’s putting them on a pizza, grilling them on a BBQ or chopping them into a salad. One of the easiest ways to preserve them is to submerge them in olive oil, antipasti style which allows them to maintain their rich flavour and to be pulled out of the cupboard at a moments notice. As artichoke hearts are fairly large, you’ll need a spacious jar, such as a Bormioli Rocco jar to hold it. Simply pop your artichoke in, submerge in oil and add any additional flavourings you’d like before sealing.

Berries
July is the prime time for picking British grown berries such as strawberries, gooseberries and early variety raspberries all of which make delicious jams! Making jam couldn’t be simpler and all it requires in it’s most rudimentary form is your berry or berries of choice and some jam sugar. For smooth jams, puree the fruits and strain to remove large lumps and seeds before boiling rapidly with the sugar. Lumpier jams can be formed from putting whole or partial fruits in with the jam and cooking in the same way. Make sure you’ve got enough jars for your batch – red spotty lid hexagonal jars are one of our favourites!
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Fusion Infusions!
As well as many varieties of fruit, this month is also a great one for herbs and when the two combine, they make the perfect pairing for infusing white spirits. Whether it’s gin, vodka or rum, pop in your fruit and your botanicals, reseal and simply leave to infuse for a minimum of 1 month. These make great gifts and look absolutely divine in our swing top bottles. 

With harvest season just starting off, those with a penchant for preserving are readying their jam pans and stocking up on sugar, ready to turn this year’s fruits into flavoursome spreads! Whether you’re making traditional flavours like strawberry and raspberry or being more adventurous with obscure flavours like rhubarb and ginger, our glass jars with lids come in a range of shapes, sizes and styles to compliment your flavour creations.

Square Jars
Square jam jars with lids are by definition, flat on all sides making them more efficient for maximising fridge or cupboard space so work well for those making big batches for personal use or gifting at a later date. We stock these jars in a range of sizes including 130ml, 220ml and 282ml and with a range of lid options depending on your personal tastes.

Round Jars
Rounded in shape and featuring the classic twist off lid, round glass jars with lids are the traditional shape used for jams and are also a good choice for other types of preserve. Our range starts at the miniature sized 82ml perfect for ‘hotel’ style jams, going all the way up to half a gallon which is ideal for commercial kitchens or home food operations.

Hexagonal Jars
Quirky to look at and with features of both the round and square jars, these glass jars with lids come in 45m, 55ml, 110ml & 190ml sizes. The miniature versions are great for wedding favours and can be purchased in multiple pack sizes depending on your guest lists and can be purchased alongside gift tags that are styled with ‘love birds’ on the front.

Decorative Jars
For those looking for a jam jar solution that is truly unique our range of decorative jars includes globe jars, honey jars and Bormioli Rocco jars all of which are stand out in their styles. 

Whether you’ve grown it yourself or just bought it from a supermarket, seasonal fruit and vegetables are one of the easiest ways to eat sustainably. However, with the magic of our budget glass jars, you can turn that in-season veg into a preserve, chutney, jam, soup, marinade or sauce and enjoy it outside of the season for months to come. If you want to enjoy delicious, sustainable fruit and veg in this way, then we’ve got a recipe for each month using some of the most readily available ingredients.

May - Rhubarb
Rhubarb is an extremely trendy flavour at the moment and this hardy fruit has a variety of uses. Versatile in flavour and cooking methods, rhubarb can be used in sweet and savoury dishes and is a standout flavour that is sharp but sweet. A firm favourite recipe is a rhubarb curd that is tinged pink and tastes absolutely sensational on toast, in sandwich cakes or dolloped into porridge. Simply puree the rhubarb and sieve to get the juice, add sugar and lemon juice before bringing to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in the butter and eggs before pouring into one of our budget glass jars.

June – Beetroot
Another versatile ingredient, beetroots are full of vitamins and minerals and help to support healthy immune function, so getting them into your diet is always a good thing. This vibrant veg is delicious when pickled and will absorb all of the flavourings you choose to accompany it with in a budget glass jar. Simply chop beets into small pieces and then bring a brine solution of white wine vinegar, sugar and salt to the boil. Toast any spices you may want to add such as mustard seed, star anise or cardamom and add these into the vinegar solution, before pouring over the beets and sealing the jar.
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July – Berries
July sees lots of different sorts of berry come to fruition, including some varieties of raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and gooseberry all of which make delicious jams. Making these delicious preserves couldn’t be easier, simple sterilise our budget glass jars, mix together equal parts fruit and sugar and gently boil away until a splodge dropped onto a cold plate forms a ripple.