8 Ways To Use Up Your Old Bonne Maman Jars

Even if you're not wild about jam, a jar of Bonne Maman likely catches your eye in the grocery store aisle. It's hard to walk away from them without purchasing one or two, especially when there are so many delicious flavors and types of jam — and they look so darn charming. They dress up the kitchen table and make you feel like you're buttering a baguette on a little Parisian balcony, or a terrace in the French countryside. Once you've had your fill of strawberry, raspberry, or apricot jam, you might wonder how to use the empty jar. They're too beautiful to throw away! Thankfully, you don't have to. There are so many ways to repurpose these into decorative pieces, storage for other pantry goods, or even to use as crockery.

In this economy, many of us can't get enough of repurposing and upcycling kitchenware, grocery items, and what might otherwise be waste. It's no different when it comes to Bonne Maman jars. Their timeless look effortlessly makes your kitchen look more homey and even elegant. These jars are made with thick glass, which is sturdy enough for all sorts of uses. Plus, their iconic gingham lids are delightful additions. Whether you're a master at DIY or you just want an easy way to reduce your waste, here are some ways to use up your old Bonne Maman jars.

It's become pretty commonplace to find people using jars for their beverages. Why throw out an empty jar when you'd be discarding useful glass containers? One of the ways to use Bonne Maman jars is for your coffee. These trendy jam jars make the perfect coffee cups. You can use them for hot or iced coffee, and they're a good size for a regular cup of joe. The signature shape of a Bonne Maman jar makes it a comfortable coffee cup to hold. Not to mention, drinking coffee in a glass just feels so much more fancy. And you can see the layers, or milk lines, if you like to make cappuccinos or lattes at home.

You can place your jar directly in your coffee machine or pour your espresso/coffee into it. Then add your milk of choice, like you would with your normal coffee cup. Add blocks of ice if you're making an iced coffee. Now, the nifty thing is that you can mix everything up and make your milk a little bit frothy by closing the lid on your jar tightly and giving everything a shake together. Another trick is to make a cup of coffee in your Bonne Maman jar, before you've washed it from its remaining jam. Those last bits of jam can sweeten your coffee and give it a fruity twist, too — and save you the hassle of scrubbing the sticky jam off the jar. Just give everything a really good shake to help the jam loosen up and "dissolve" into your coffee.

Bonne Maman jars have 10-edge sides, which makes them interesting from a design perspective. They're a lot more stylish than regular round or square jars. These are good-quality glass jars, which makes them both useful and nice to look at. That's why they're great for various decorative uses in your home. One way to use them is by making homemade candles. Place the wick and the wax (and whatever scent you may use) directly into the jar for a cute little glass candle. The shape of the glass illuminates your flame beautifully, and it makes for a lovely gift. Even if you're not proficient at using wax and candle making, you can still make little candle holders with your jars. Fill them up with water to about halfway up, then plop in a floating tea light candle, and voilà. You've got yourself a delightful candle to place around your home.

Other than candles, you can use these jars as miniature vases for flowers. Cut a couple of flower stems down to make them "shorter" and place them into your jars with some water. These cutesy vases will decorate your kitchen table, dining table, or outdoor area in a tasteful way. Alternatively, the jars are the perfect size to house tiny succulents. Scoop some soil into the jar until you've filled it up almost to the top. Then, place your succulent into the jar and scoop a little more soil around it until it's stable and well-planted.

If you're used to making your own vinaigrette, it's likely that you already reach for a jar for this trick. It's one of the oldest ways to do it, and is a home-cooking tip that's been passed down through generations. A jar is the ideal vessel for shaking up a tangy vinaigrette. This is because the shaking motion gets everything emulsified and combined into one uniform liquid, no need for a blender. If the word vinaigrette is intimidating you, don't worry, just think of it as salad dressing. Using a Bonne Maman jar however, just makes the whole affair a lot more chic. You'll feel like Julia Child serving your gingham-lidded salad dressing at your next dinner party.

You can customize it to your preferences, adding in the flavors you like. As long as it has some oil and some vinegar, it will work, but adding in some mustard, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, or some herbs and spices will take it to the next level. Close the lid of your jar and shake everything in your hand with some vigor, until you see the mixture go cloudy and all mixed up. You can even use the last dregs of jam in your jar to make a sweeter dressing, and forgo washing your jar. In fact, when I see my Bonne Maman jar is about to be finished, this is my sign that I will be making some vinaigrette with it.

Another easy way to use up your old Bonne Maman jars is for storing other kitchen ingredients. Instead of spending more money on Tupperware or containers, use your empty jam jars. They look pretty, and, by keeping the lid, you're able to close them shut. This allows you to keep certain dried goods fresher for longer. This can include anything from dried lentils, beans, and even flours and rice. Perhaps one of the most obvious choices of foods to store in these jars is nuts. Nuts can go rancid if they're not stored appropriately, and they often come in packets that don't offer the best conditions for keeping. They need to be packed into something that limits air exposure. Decant your packet of nuts into a Bonne Maman jar and keep them in a cool, dry place.

Additionally, you can also make your own playful candy jars. Store your jelly beans, M&M's, Jolly Ranchers, Nerds, or whatever candy you fancy in a Bonne Maman jar. They can even give your kitchen counter a decorative touch by creating themed or color-coded candy jars. Plus, instead of spending a pretty penny on the large boxes of mixed candy, make your own by adding a few different types of candy to your empty jar.

Pickling has been around forever and has been a way to preserve foods for longer periods and seasons. Nowadays, we don't need to rely on pickled foods as much, but we choose to for the pleasure of eating pickles. Pickles bring excitement to our food by adding a pop of acidity, or sometimes even bitterness or sweetness. They're great with rice, in sandwiches, and in salads. For people who love to cook, pickling is another rewarding way to transform foods. Now, if you've ever made a pickle of any kind before, you'll know that you need a glass jar to do it. That's where Bonne Maman jars come in handy.

They are not only the functional holder of any type of pickle you want to make, but they also have an appealing appearance, which means you could even gift some pickles to your neighbors, family, and friends. Their sturdy glass is also able to hold hot liquid, meaning that they're suitable for making quick pickles. Quick pickles allow you to achieve more rapid pickling by using hot pickling liquid. They won't last as long, but they're delicious in a pinch when you want to make some quick pickled red onions for your burgers or tacos.

Bonne Maman jars also make ideal spice jars. If, like me, your spice cabinet is a total mess and you've got all sorts of spice jars and containers falling over each other, then this tip is just for you. It may feel daunting to start, but you can begin your organizing journey by removing some of your spices and decanting them into glass jars. Starting with a theme, like just whole spices for example, can be a great way to separate your blended, powdered spices from your whole cumin seeds, cardamom pods, or star anise. These spices are usually chunkier or on the larger side and would benefit from being in a larger container, like a Bonne Maman jar. And similar to nuts, keeping them in a closed jar will help them retain their freshness and aroma much better than being in an open plastic packet.

Sorting out your whole spices into glass Bonne Maman jars can also help you see them better. Seeing them will help you use them more, and it can even feed your creative juices and inspire you in the kitchen. So, a little organizing won't just make your cooking easier; it could also make it better.

As a foodie, homemaker, or just someone who loves to cook and eat, making homemade condiments can be a real joy. There's little as satisfying as tasting your homemade ketchup, chili sauce, or even mayonnaise. Often, they taste better than the store-bought stuff, and they contain no unwanted or unknown additives. In order to store these sauces, you've got to keep some glass jars around, so hang onto your Bonne Maman jar whenever you get a chance at one. They are great for holding your homemade mayonnaise, pesto, salsa, piri piri, and more. They look neat and cute in the fridge, and if you have a special chutney or hot sauce recipe, these jars can help you turn that condiment into a wonderful edible gift that anybody would be happy to receive.

One of the other benefits of having a leftover Bonne Maman jar is that you can use it in the actual process of making some mayonnaise. It's about the perfect size and height to hold your egg and oil, as you stick in your hand blender and give everything a whizz. As someone who often makes my own mayo at home, the struggle isn't in the technique or the ingredients, but in finding the right container to blend in. 

Over the past couple of years, Bonne Maman's yearly advent calendars have become incredibly popular and sought after. If you've been lucky enough to have one of these, you'll know how fun and tasty these tiny jars of jam are, adding to the festive spirit of the holidays. When you're finished, however, you've got a whole bunch of tiny jam jars that are super charming, but you might not know what to do with them. These jars are quite small, too small for many of the ideas on this list, unless you like miniature jars of mayo or miniature candles. They are, however, an ideal size for salt and pepper. 

They work especially well for already crushed peppercorns and flaky sea salt. You can open the lid and just take out a pinch of these ingredients with your fingers. What's even more nifty is that they are small enough to carry in your purse. This means you can have a well-seasoned picnic, and it's handy for those restaurants or cafes that don't season the food to your liking. Sure, you can just ask for salt and pepper, but sometimes this draws the ire of the server, or it may come to your table when your food has gotten cold. Take matters into your own hands and never have a bland brunch again.