The week Scott and I got married (nearly four years ago now!), my dad cut a giant hole in my kitchen wall and inserted floor-to-ceiling spice rack into a few inches of unused space. This had long been the wedding present plan, though looking back on it covering the apartment with drywall dust a few days before the big day wasn’t one of my better laid plans.
Still, I’ll never regret the mess, because I LOVE this spice shelf. Not only did it give me a bounty of additional storage space, the shelves are perfectly spaced to hold the canning jars that house my herbs and spices. Truly, it was one of the best presents I’ve ever received.
For the longest time, I thought I was the only one using slightly past their prime mason jars for this purpose, but in recent years, I’ve discovered that I’m very far from alone. And this spring, Ball finally recognized the fact that many of us use their jars in this way and released a product designed expressly for spice storage.
Meet the Dry Herbs Jars
I appreciate the slight rim on the edge of the lid, which means they stack with a sense of security. And finally (though this has nothing directly to do with their utility as a spice jar), I love the look of the smooth-sided four ounce jar. Would that they’d kick those quilted quarter-pints to the curb and sell these by the dozen!
Disclosure: Ball has provided these Dry Herb Jars at no cost to me. However, I am unswayed by this gift and my opinions remain my own.
I recently re-organized my spices I had crazy duplicated because I couldn’t see into the cabinet!
We use a variety of storage containers for spices/herbs at our house ranging from plastic containers to Ball jars to tupperware and glass. I agree, Ball should sell these by the dozen!
willy-nilly and that ain’t good. Kudos to Ball for coming up with a great solution. now to make it excellent and sell by the dozens…like you said.
I like to mix up my own spices. Taco seasoning, steak seasoning, etc. I love the concept of these little jars. What a wonderful addition to my pantry. I would love to win these!
I use older spice jars or canning jars.
A few years ago I was so disgusted with my disorganized spices. I had several spice racks and tried to separate the spices according to sweet, savory, or ethnic flavor. I realized that some spices could fit more than one catagory so – yep, I found I had more than one jar.
I found a delightful countertop unit with 3 drawers – each drawer could hold 9 jars (unless I had the little jars that are about an inch and a half tall – they’d fit double). I bought 3 of the units so now I have space for 81 different spices.
Who needs that many? I guess I do because all the spots are holding a jar. Recently a friend ‘shopped’ my spice rack when she had decided hers were all old. We both win – my jars will get empty sooner and not get stale and she has fresher spices for free. ;>
These jars would be so perfect for the herbs I grow and dry. Thanks for bringing them to our attention and offering the give-away.
Yes, I guess we all use canning jars to store all sorts of food items ( I also use pint-sized jars for beans ) – they’re all lined up in one corner of my kitchen counter so I can reach for them quickly. Not the neatest but….. that’s all I can do until I get organized. I also have some herbs in plastic bags in the freezer.
These jars look lovely – I hope I win!
I have a lot of Tupperware spice containers that I’ve had for 20+ years. It’s time for something new!
We’ve usually used ours up before we had any left to store! I had planned on just storing in extra jars this year from canning. These would be wonderful!
My spices are stored in all sorts of ways: old Penzey’s spice jars with new names written on them, in Tupperware containers for larger amounts picked and then dried and in the odd resealable bag. These jars look great!
I reuse as many glass jars as possible but they all roll around because the drawer I keep my spices in is too short. These look cool and the larger holes will be perfect for some dried ghost chili flakes that I don’t have a jar for yet.
i store mine in the freezer, in their original jars. I’d really love to try out the ball jars though!
When I used to work at a preschool I asked the parents for clean baby food jars, so I have a pretty good collection of little glass jars for bulk spices. Since I’ve moved so often they usually live in a cardboard box! Some friends have agreed to help me build a real rack for them soon though.
Wow these are so awesome would love to have a set or three.
I don’t organize at all (the shame!) But I would if I had cute jars like these!
Old baby food jars make good spice holders.
My spices are stored in a variety of 4-oz Ball jars, old Penzey’s glass jars, little plastic bags, and old McCormick glass jars. I keep thinking that someday I’ll chuck everything and start over, but I’m just too much a tightwad to do that – if I’m spending money on spices, it’s not going to be for the containers. 🙂
(and if you come back to the Chicago area with the next book tour, we have three different amazing spice shops to visit!)
I’m storing bulk herbs in washed jelly jars and I also reuse the Spice Island glass jars when I happen to have them. These new Ball jars are awesome!
Mine are mostly in plain glass spice jars and some old used jars. Would love a set of these for some for the baggies of spices from the bulk bins at my coop that are up in the cabinet.
My son and I just spent a lovely hour bonding over spice cupboard reorganization. These shakers would be great for our home dried seaweed, sage, mint, oregano, thyme and parsley.
I use old spice jars and buy new ones whenever I’m at the spice store.
I place dried herbs in old jelly jars. These look so neat and useful!
Mine are in a double-door over-counter cupboard. The jars are a mishmash of things I’ve bought for bulk herbs (spice jars of varying styles, jelly jars, spring-rubber lidded large glass jars) and the typical spice bottles in which I purchased the herb.
I am somewhat organized in the storage, though – I have a pull-out basket each for Mexican, Japanese, and Indian flavors. Beyond that, savory herbs are alphebetized on the left bottom shelf and pastry herbs and flavorings are alphabetized on the right.
But it would be great to be able to stack bottles because they currently don’t take up anywhere near the height of the shelf on which they are stored.
Ooh, I saw these in Walmart recently. I love to grow fresh herbs (I must have 5 different varieties of basil alone); I either cook with them fresh or I hang them to dry and then crumble them into old jars. Little itty bitty matching containers would make my heart go pitter patter every time I saw them.
Old mason jars or glass baby food jars mostly. Sometimes other jars from store-bought items (capers, mustards, etc) Thanks for the giveaway!
Wow these look great. I can’t wait to try them. And yes I would love it if they offered these smooth jars for canning in this size too. Heaven! Currently my spices are stored in old jars or repurposed spice jars from commercial stores. It allows me to have a little bit on hand while storing the extra bounty of fresh dried spices and herbs in the closet under our stairs (the coolest, driest, darkest spot in the house). 🙂
Love these jars!! Ball Jars are THE best – my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother trusted your products to put up food. Generations of farmers:-)
We store them terribly. In a pile in the store jars. It’s a goal.
I’ve been using old glass spice jars for my herbs, these look like a step up!
Thanks for showing these to me. =)
Regular spice jars, but in an old coke crate hung on the wall
I’m currently storing all my spices in the containers I bought them in, but looking forward to transitioning to more bulk spice purchases once I figure out the best way to store them.
my store bought ones are in the jars they came in. the ones i whip up are in canning jars too 🙂
I don’t use mayo, but my hubby loves it. I make him buy the teeny-tiny glass jars, so I can re-purpose them for spice jars. He uses so much mayo, that I have enough to use the jars to sort everything from screws in the garage, to buttons and notions in my sewing basket. But, the shaker top on those Ball jars are to be envied!
My spice storage is embarrassing…;)
I store my herbs & spice in glass jars & in a dark cool area in my cupboard ever since I read that exposure to direct sunlight “ages” the herbs! These jars would be a perfect addition! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I reuse the spice jars that are empty to refill my bulk spices from Penzeys. I agree on replacing the quilted jars with these ones!
Canning jars, previously used store bought spice jars and sometimes plastic baggies are used.
I really love the look of the jars. Especially like that they will stack!!
I bought a large and a small decorative glass plate at a Hospice thrift store, and a short glass candleholder at a dollar store, glued the three together with a super adhesive, and those two plates, now separated by the candleholder, are holding many of my spices on my kitchen counter! I would rather it held cupcakes, but it is what it is, because I ran out of cabinet space! I have more spices in plastic bags in the freezer, too! I can put a photo of my setup on my Pinterest page if you want to see!
One of the benefits of diy kitchen renovation – we now have an enormous spice drawer. No fancy system – we’ve got all sorts of glass, plastic and metal containers in there. And, like many other commenters, a few of those plastic bags from the bulk section.
I keep my herbs in little glass containers that I find or in the bulk plastic bag I bought them in. Not the most efficient method for sure!
I am currently storing my spices in the plastic bags from the bulk section and shopping for a new system!
I try to use jars as often as possible. My spice cabinet is overloaded.
I would love to have these jars.
Sad to say, I use the baggie method for my spices that I buy in bulk….
My spice storage is a complete mess — baggies, old spice jars, old jars, etc. reside in multiple parts of my kitchen. Love your inspiring spice rack!
empty mason jars, empty glass jars, the bulk bags from Penzy’s…everything goes in my spice cabinet.
I store my spices in jars! I love these new little jars with the lids!
I always use canning jars. These look amazing!!
Spices have found homes in already used, cleaned store-bought containers but mostly in jars with reusable plastic screw lids. Though I love repurposing jars, unscrewing the lid and trying to add only a bit of spice for a recipe can be tricky (and who wants to dirty another spoon!). The shaker lid on these are sure to solve the problem!
I’m following your spice board on pinterest! So great!