How Trader Joe's Shoppers Are Reusing Their Leftover Glass Jars

If you're considering your life choices after polishing off an entire jar of Trader Joe's olive tapenade in one sitting, don't toss that empty container in the recycling! Trader Joe's shoppers are reusing their leftover glass jars in an eco-friendly and sustainable way by removing the labels and repurposing them as breakfast containers for easy meal prep.

Showcased in a TikTok by @pandyanya, the jars are soaked in warm water to soften the labels before they're scraped off. Then any sticky residues are scrubbed away with a paste made of baking soda and dish soap before an old toothbrush is employed to scrub the entire surface area of each jar clean. Once dried, the squat dimensions of these particular jars make them the perfect size for a serving of overnight oats or chia pudding.

However, you could also use them for whipping up quick salad dressings or making a small batch of speedy pickles. Their robust material, coupled with their transparent surface, makes them incredible for showcasing layered desserts like mini single-serve cheesecakes, breakfast parfaits, or trifles. Better yet, unlike dessert bowls, you can simply screw the lids on to stop them from absorbing any odors from other foods sitting in your fridge. And once you've enjoyed your puddings, you can give the jars a quick wash with warm water and dish soap before using them again.

One of the awesome things about reusing Trader Joe's jars is that they're guaranteed to be food-safe and BPA-free because they've already had food stored in them. As long as you clean and dry them well, you can use them for pretty much anything from dried herbs and spices to nuts and lentils (on a Reddit thread discussing how customers reuse T.J.'s packaging, one commenter said they save the jars "like a depression-era granny" and use them for storing homemade sauces and leftovers too). Repurposing a product or upcycling it into something new is one of the simplest ways to conserve energy, curb your carbon footprint, and reduce landfill waste. So, why not see those empty jars in a new light and come up with some inventive ways to use them again? Aside from using the taller jars for dried goods, some TikTokers are transforming them into homemade candles or using them as coffee cups. 

Finally, Trader Joe's jars, whether big or small, have an elevated quality to them, which means they will instantly lift a tired-looking pantry. Instead of spending money on purchasing several matching jars, you can kit out your cabinets for free and give them a rustic but considered feel that has a chic homesteader vibe. Several of T.J.'s jarred products have black lids, which set them apart from mason jars that usually have silver or gold-colored lids.