The local food movement has no more ubiquitous symbol than the simple Mason jar. Is it me, or are more people doing more things with Mason jars than ever before? I see it as a a sign that this local thing is catching on–big time.

Here’s a quick roundup of unexpected things to do with Mason jars from across the internet categorized into two categories; delicious things and decorative things.

Delicious Things

Cobb and Ceasar Salad

It actually makes a lot of sense to transport salad in a jar for at-work lunches, but it’s also a fun way to serve salad for a lunch or brunch soireé. These vegan versions of Cobb and Ceasar come from Happy. Healthy. Life and look pretty great.

Strawberry Shortcake in a Jar

Perfect for this time of year, layer up vanilla cake, whipped cream and strawberries in a jar, screw on a lid and throw some burlap secured with rope and you’re like an instant country cookin’ goddess. This version uses store bought stuff, but of course, yours would be all home made.

 

Granola, Yogurt and Peach Parfaits

This one’s perfect for Ontario’s Own Peach Pureé or fresh Ontario peaches that are at their peak right this second. Like the strawberry shortcake, just layer up and serve. The Amateur Gourmet features this recipe and some prime quotes like this one about the whole Mason Jar phenomenon:

If serving a granola, yogurt, and peach parfait in a Mason jar makes me a hipster, then crank up the Vampire Weekend and ship me to Williamsburg. Preferably in a Mason jar.

Butter in Mason Jars
This use for Mason Jars may be the best of the bunch. Veronica Armstrong has a recipe for homemade butter in…..you guessed it. She warns that you might want to clear out the family for this little recipe though, since she says you need to behave like a “deranged butter addicted lunatic shaking a mason jar like there’s no tomorrow.” Still, the results look pretty spectacular.

Decorative Things

DIY Mason Jar Pin Cushion from Craftbits.com is a pretty and smart little sewing kit for quick repairs. It’s so easy even I could do it. It would make a cute kids’ birthday gift.

Built in Flower Vase

This one’s a bit more complex but quite cool. If you’re not inclined to make it yourself, etsy has a version you can buy for $100 (of course they do). But if you’re feeling ambitious, there are step by step instructions on Readymade.

 Milk Glass Mason Jars 

These painted Mason Jars from LittleMissMomma are pretty irresistible. Turns out the trick is to paint the inside of the jars with acrylic paint, not the outside. That makes them much more resistant to wear and tear.