Best reusable product packaging?

March 28, 2012 12:27 PM

I realized recently that I purchase a certain brand of tomato sauce because underneath the label lies a very attractive mason jar. Do you have products that you buy almost as much for the reusability of their packaging as the product itself? The Altoids tin would be another example.
posted by gwint to Home & Garden (90 answers total)

Farm Boy sells French lemonade pop in glass bottles with hermetic stoppers. I save them to make tej (Ethiopian honey wine) or ginger beer.
posted by LN at 12:29 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

the couscous i buy (they also sell pilaf mixes and wild rice) comes in a super handy plastic tub that is great for kipple collection - like buttons or whatnot. sometimes i reuse them to store other dry rice or pasta in.
posted by nadawi at 12:30 PM on March 28, 2012

When I was getting started homebrewing, I would buy any beer that came in a bale-top bottle. This mostly meant drinking lots of Grolsch.
posted by gauche at 12:34 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Green Mountain Gringo salsa. Those jars were my drinking glasses for nearly a decade. Really nice pint jars.
posted by that's candlepin at 12:34 PM on March 28, 2012 [4 favorites]

GROLSCH beer for the reusable hermetic stoppers.
Many mustard containers (esp. in France) are designed to be reused as drinking glasses.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 12:35 PM on March 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

We sometimes buy chicken soup from Whole Foods that comes in this little plastic pail with a handle on it. For some reason I can't keep myself from tossing it in the recycle bin and I always end up using them for stuff around the house, like storing screws or Nerf bullets.

Also, good single malt scotch often comes in these cardboard cylinders that have a million various uses around the home and shop.

Do they still sell Band-aids in those metal containers? Those things were the shit.
posted by bondcliff at 12:35 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Yep, Wegman's brand "Grandpa's Sauce" - it's the only jarred pasta sauce we buy, as we are very adventurous cooks and typically don't buy "pre-made". It's very good, and the jar is an awesome bonus - it even has measure marks on it.
posted by ersatzkat at 12:36 PM on March 28, 2012

I love the bottle that St. Germain liqueur comes in. It makes a nifty vase!
posted by bcwinters at 12:36 PM on March 28, 2012

Adams peanut butter comes in generously-sized, wide-mouthed jars. I use them for all sorts of things around the house.

Straus Family Creamery milk & cream comes in beautiful old-school milk bottles that make great rustic vases. Also, their milk is unbelievably delicious.
posted by dialetheia at 12:38 PM on March 28, 2012

And OMG, there used to be this hazelnut spread (think Nutella without the chocolate) that we would buy in Turkish markets - the glass it came in is a perfect short glass for bourbon and rocks, and measures a perfect liquid 8 oz cup besides. Sadly, they switched to plastic.
posted by ersatzkat at 12:38 PM on March 28, 2012

McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal in the tin.
posted by hooray at 12:41 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Bonne Maman jams, jellies and conserves come in wonderfully reusable jars (my favourite)
posted by humph at 12:41 PM on March 28, 2012 [14 favorites]

I really like the glass jars that Better than Bouillon comes in. I use them to hold small kitchen knick knacks.
posted by chara at 12:43 PM on March 28, 2012

Oh and I'm still using film canisters and aluminium cigar tubes for any number of things like screws, washers, etc.
posted by humph at 12:44 PM on March 28, 2012

Metal coffee cans get nailed to the garage wall and get used as tool cubbies.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:46 PM on March 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

I love this thread!

I reuse those little tins that Burt's Bees stuff comes in - once the contents are used up, I fill them with my coconut oil (my hand cream of choice) - they're the perfect size for throwing in your purse.
posted by dotgirl at 12:49 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Marmite jars are pretty handy to keep. And seconding the Bonne Maman jars - we use ours for our own home-made jams and chutneys.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 12:50 PM on March 28, 2012

My roommate buys kimchee for the $5 glass half-gallon jugs with plastic lids.

And the free kimchi.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:51 PM on March 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

Also, I used to buy aluminum cigar tubes to reuse as travel cases. Gauge & length have to be <=, so I'd make sure to get them as big as possible.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:53 PM on March 28, 2012

Martinelli's apple juice for the glass jar, which is shaped like an apple.
posted by hellomina at 12:53 PM on March 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

I have a couple small sake bottles that look pretty nice as a small table vases.
posted by Seboshin at 12:54 PM on March 28, 2012

We love the old POM glass containers to use them as drinking glasses. There's still a good market for them on eBay.
posted by Argyle at 12:58 PM on March 28, 2012 [4 favorites]

Like Dialetheia above, I have a local dairy that sells milk in glass bottles. I use one to collect my loose change. I also bought an ice wine once to use its slim glass bottle for a time capsule.
posted by cribcage at 12:58 PM on March 28, 2012

The majority of my drinking glasses are Bonne Maman jam jars.
posted by elizardbits at 1:02 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I reuse Tabasco and other hot sauce bottles by filling them up with my own homemade hot sauces, and I make outdoor oil candles out of wine bottles.

(Both of the above also make cheap, but much more appreciated, housewarming gifts.)
posted by lstanley at 1:03 PM on March 28, 2012

I have a friend who homebrews beer, and he specifically buys cheap ass brown bottled beer so he can re-use the bottles with his own brew inside.

Before he got a capping machine, he tried buying Grolsch bottles, but that got much too expensive.

Now I want some Matty Light.
posted by Sphinx at 1:05 PM on March 28, 2012

Butterball lunchmeat containers are awesome for freezing/reheating leftovers. Too bad the actual lunchmeat is vile.
posted by jabes at 1:05 PM on March 28, 2012

Back when film canisters were a normal thing to be toting around, they were basically the official standard thing to store your drugs in. Lord only knows what the kids use nowadays. Probably the decline of real film is why Altoids is still in business.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:07 PM on March 28, 2012 [6 favorites]

Pom used to sell an iced tea that came in the most perfect, slim, tall drinking glasses.
posted by GilloD at 1:10 PM on March 28, 2012 [4 favorites]

nthing Bonne Maman jars, my beer glass of choice for Hoegaarden in college. I love Farrah's toffee tins, because they're gorgeous and functional and remind me of home. Ty Nant bottles are vases in the making, and I've repurposed tonic and chinotto bottles as stem vases.

Nutella jars outside the US are deliberately meant to be reused as glasses. Mole jars are designed the same way.
posted by holgate at 1:12 PM on March 28, 2012

Republic of Tea tins make excellent holders for pencils, tools, utensils, etc. And you can decoupage them and make them pretty, just like altoid tins.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 1:16 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Spam containers are great for, well, containing things. Also because people see it and ALWAYS have to comment about how much they love / hate Spam.
posted by HeyAllie at 1:22 PM on March 28, 2012

nthing the pom glasses. I still use them as my primary drinking glasses. Wish they still made them :(
posted by Quack at 1:27 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I recently bought a bottle of mineral water that had a beautiful leaf print. I use it now as a olive oil dispenser. I don't remember the name, but I love this concept.
posted by hotelechozulu at 1:35 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Akishika Bambi Cup Sake comes in a sealed cup that has bambi on it and is reusable afterwards. It is totally awesome.
posted by kdar at 1:38 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Nutella sold in Europe comes in lovely small juice glasses.

And orange Fanta bottled in Mexico comes in glass bottles with ridged sides that make a cool sound when scraped with a coin; i call it my "fanta guiro."
posted by daisystomper at 1:49 PM on March 28, 2012

Talenti gelato jars are excellent, unbreakable, perfect shape with perfect tight-fitting lids. A million uses.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 1:53 PM on March 28, 2012 [6 favorites]

Teddie peanut butter is delicious and most varieties come in glass jars with tightly-sealing lids. It might be a New England-specific thing, as it's readily available from upstate NY to Maine, but I can never find it in NJ.

Seconding holgate and daisystomper with Nutella, and a picture: the one on the right.

Royal Dansk Danish Butter cookies, for sizable tins that I use to store my own baked goods.
posted by brackish.line at 1:53 PM on March 28, 2012 [5 favorites]

"I purchase a certain brand of tomato sauce because underneath the label lies a very attractive mason jar"

FYI: You've just described how we obtained all of our "not the nice ones" glassware. Perfectly nice glasses for drinking water but we don't care (much) if the cats (or we) knock them over and break them.

As for your question, we buy a brand of lunch meat specifically because it comes in a container that makes a nice reusable container for taking leftovers to work (especially again, unlike Tupperware or something we paid for, I don't care if I lose them.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on March 28, 2012

The smallest size Nutella jars were mentioned above (and not just in Europe, in Canada too). Sadly, Nutella in Australia is packaged in plastic, even the smallest size, so I had to actually buy juice glasses instead of just eating a lot of Nutella.
posted by OLechat at 2:03 PM on March 28, 2012

Guitarists used to buy Coricidin decongestant just for the glass bottle it came in, which made a nice slide.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 2:07 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Fuze used to come in glass bottles [years ago], and we collected some and used them to make this neat glass rainbow window seat thing. They're the only bottles we've ever found that didn't have some sort of empression/engraving on them.

Also, I buy my pasta sauce, just like you, pretty much solely based on the container it comes in. I doctor it up so much anyway, none if it ever tastes like what's in the jar. I have about 30 jars, from that and other sources, and they're my favorite things ever.
posted by FirstMateKate at 2:13 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Really old Milk of Magnesia jars were made from beautiful, thick cobalt glass. I have around 15 of the 24 oz. (?) size I bought at an estate sale.

There was a beer sold in bottles designed to be used as glass bricks available back in the 80s, but I could never find it in stores, and I don't remember the brand.
posted by jamjam at 2:23 PM on March 28, 2012

Yes, I once had the unfortunate, difficult task of having to eat four jars of Nutella in quick succession so that we could have a set of juice glasses.

I recently bought a gigantic jar of peanut butter so that I could store my brown sugar in it after.

In my smoking days, I used to love collecting the boxes from Mini Meharis for art projects. I love match boxes for the same thing.

My spice drawer is filled with artichoke jars. They're the perfect size, and the fact that they are squarish means they lie flat with the name facing up.

I will say that the containers I miss most are film canisters. Among other things they fit a stack of Gavison perfectly. I have yet to find a good substitute.
posted by looli at 2:37 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I bought some delicious milk in a thick glass bottle. I now use the bottle to store my home-brewed iced coffee in the fridge. :-)
posted by sleepykitties at 2:39 PM on March 28, 2012

- super cute and versatile tiny clay pots with French yogurt - La Fermiere yogurt
- Spega yogurts - are they still available?
- milk bottles
- Trader Joe's pink lemonade bottles, with a stopper on top - great for making iced tea, coffee, syrups
- Tea tins, especially Harvey & Sons and Chinese jasmine.
- Clementine boxes for a planter box, usually only lasts one season, but it's cute and easy.
posted by barnone at 2:49 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Cape Cod Polish in the tin.

Lately I've remembered the old long round Alka-Selzter bottles -- my Dad put silver half dollars or maybe silver quarters in them.
posted by jgirl at 3:01 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ty Nant bottles are lovely and make great vases for wildflowers.

Rice Select jars (probably the ones nadawi is talking about) are plastic, and perfect for toddler toy-pieces.
posted by Mchelly at 3:16 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Every tabletop roleplayer that I have ever known has kept his dice in a Crown Royale bag at some point in his or her life.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 3:16 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Kraft Pimento Cheese Spread jars are small and thick, and make excellent kid drinking glasses. Searching for a picture, I found this blog post. My grandma used to have like 20 of these. I think they used to be taller and slimmer, and they had a small etched star on the front. Memories . . .
posted by peep at 3:19 PM on March 28, 2012

Illy espresso cans: in particular, the whole bean ones with the coloured lids. Screw-top, metal, perfect for doodah storage.

I just surveyed the house, and (re-)discovered various coffee cans, old mint-ball tins, and an Orval bottle vase.
posted by holgate at 3:39 PM on March 28, 2012

My aunt told me she buys Patron tequila because she reuses the bottles as containers for her homemade Norwegian glogg that she gives out at Christmas.
posted by cwarmy at 3:48 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

OMG ALSO there are these awesome little french yogurts that come in individual ceramic pots. They are the perfect size for so many little odds and ends around the house that I am not sure how I lived without them for so many years. Also the yogurts are delicious.


Yes, I once had the unfortunate, difficult task of having to eat four jars of Nutella in quick succession so that we could have a set of juice glasses.

I am deeply moved by your tale of bravery and sacrifice!
posted by elizardbits at 4:19 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

M&M minis in the tube, to store laundry quarters.
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:33 PM on March 28, 2012 [5 favorites]

I love the white glass jar this marmalade comes in. I have a bunch of them. One holds our toothbrushes in the bathroom, another is a pencil cup, one is in the kitchen cabinet for storing loose leaf tea, etc etc.
posted by fancyoats at 4:37 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I buy smoothies only because they come in a tall plastic cup with lid, and these are perfect for raising little seedlings.
posted by leigh1 at 4:42 PM on March 28, 2012

Oh, also Ommegang beer in the large glass bottles. They're very similar to wine bottles, but I prefer the shape. And I've been meaning to take my collection of the corks and tack them onto a board to use as small pegs.
posted by brackish.line at 4:54 PM on March 28, 2012

360 Vodka comes in lovely bottles with the reusable hermetic stoppers. (And the company will reuse the stoppers if you won't.)
posted by puddleglum at 5:42 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Mitica honey from Spain comes in a smallish size with a great square glass jar and a stopper top, great for reuse for all sorts of small items.

The smaller jars of Cortas jam from Lebanon come in an attractive round jar with a plain gold lid that I like to reuse, too.
posted by gimonca at 5:49 PM on March 28, 2012

When I was little my mom would give me juice in an empty Honey bear.
posted by ljesse at 6:00 PM on March 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I almost bought some candles recently because they were poured into tall slim shot-glasses and were about the same price.

And my parents were crazy about Crown Royal bags, those velvet(?) draw-string bags the liquor came in.

Also, second the artichoke jars. I used those for homemade spice mixes, until I started making more, and had to upgrade to Trader Joe's salsa jars.
posted by Sunburnt at 6:48 PM on March 28, 2012

I bought dozens of bottles of Lorina French Lemonade specifically for the packaging. Makes great mead bottles.

My mom still uses the same jars from Kraft spreadable cheese foodstuffs that she had when I was a kid. They're easily 30 years old at this point.
posted by slogger at 7:03 PM on March 28, 2012

M&M minis in the tube, to store laundry quarters.
posted by Iris Gambol

I use the same containers for Q-tips when I'm traveling.
posted by hootenatty at 7:16 PM on March 28, 2012

These Bama jelly jars are like the ones my grandparents always used.

I have some of the POM glasses, too. great size, and the lids still pop on.
posted by annsunny at 7:28 PM on March 28, 2012

The "string" for the Afro-Brazilian berimbau is usually actually a stripped and cleaned steel belt from the radial of an old car tire[PDF]. I've never known anyone to buy these things new.

Likewise, I've known bongó players to replace the head of the higher pitched drum with old X ray film.
posted by dr. boludo at 7:57 PM on March 28, 2012

>M&M minis in the tube, to store laundry quarters.

>>I use the same containers for Q-tips when I'm traveling.

Oh, man, I wonder if this solves my quest for a film canister substitute! I will have to eat a lot of M&Ms to find out.
posted by looli at 8:02 PM on March 28, 2012

Crown Royal bags

I was in college before I realized that these had other purposes than holding Scrabble tiles.
posted by elizardbits at 8:13 PM on March 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

I buy the tomato sauce in the Mason jars, too! And re-use the mason jars for home canning. My mother used to do the same with the Teddie peanut butter jars already cited by brackish.line.

In college I went through a phase of buying (and drinking) riesling because I loved the color of the traditional cobalt blue bottles. I can't even remember what Mateus tastes like, but I'll tell you the bottle makes a nice lamp. These days, I have a weakness for Sanbittèr, partly because it comes in marvellous little glass bottles that are perfect for re-use as bud vases and electric toothbrush head de-gunking chambers.

There was a point in my life when I contemplated buying a half gallon of bleach just to make a bailer, but then I realized I had a cat piss enzyme cleaner bottle on hand that would work just the same.
posted by Orinda at 8:32 PM on March 28, 2012

Lots of European hard fruit candies or say, violet pastilles come in tins that are good for holding pills in your purse. Bonus, they're usually pretty in an old fashioned way.

Nthing the old Collins-glass-ish Pom bottles.
posted by ifjuly at 8:40 PM on March 28, 2012

I bought a little plastic container of q-tips the other day just so I could throw out the q-tips and use the container for carrying tissues in my purse.

Baby food jars for bulk-bought spices.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:41 PM on March 28, 2012

I have a large collection of various sizes of metal tins from Yankee Traders tea (which I think used to come in Hickory Farms baskets). I guess they're "vintage" now. eBay link

Everything from some brands comes in a nice gift box—Levenger is one example. I keep all sorts of crap in various-sized Levenger gift boxes.
posted by kostia at 8:51 PM on March 28, 2012

The little Everyday Food magazines fit perfectly into a clementine box placed on its side.
posted by schoolgirl report at 8:52 PM on March 28, 2012

Oh, and I carried tampons in a Crown Royal bag in my purse for a good fifteen years.
posted by kostia at 8:52 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I store paintbrushes in Trader Joe's coffee cans.
posted by zoetrope at 8:54 PM on March 28, 2012

oo oo oo! I WIN!:
Nintendo Candy in tins shaped like magic mushrooms!
(i bought all of them...and the Zelda mints...and the nintendo controller tin...super sturdy and adorable!)
posted by sexyrobot at 9:32 PM on March 28, 2012

Many, many years ago Stouffer's (I think) frozen meals used to come on a pretty sturdy white plastic plate. We used those plates for years and years...they were perfect for microwaving leftovers. I wish I could find some more like them.
posted by SisterHavana at 11:54 PM on March 28, 2012

I brew my own beer. Sam Adams bottles are brown, the labels come off easily, the sixpack carrier is high-walled, the caps are pry-off, and they're relatively cheap. Works out to be about a $1.50 more than buying brand new empty bottles from the home brew shop, and the Sam Adams bottles come with free beer inside.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 5:36 AM on March 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

My husband once bought like 40 Kinder Surprise eggs so that he could use the little plastic cases for Grand National sweepstakes he holds every year. He put the horses' names in them and put them in a bucket for people to pick for £2 each.

We still have them and I swiped one to store my stitch markers for knitting.
posted by like_neon at 5:45 AM on March 29, 2012

Those Grey Poupon glass jars (the small ones) are terrific for smal portions of homemade salad dressing. Throw in garlic, balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper (in addition to some of the remaining mustard) and shake like crazy. Voila. It's my go-to dressing shaker.
posted by Atom12 at 6:25 AM on March 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

In the '90s I bought Honey Bear honey to make bongs out of the containers (a la Clueless) to give to some pot smoking friends. I doubt that they lasted long (the heat no doubt melted the plastic eventually) but it was good for a laugh.
posted by coolguymichael at 9:06 AM on March 29, 2012

Now you mention it, I wonder if metal cigar tins would make funky tampon holders. Hmmm...
posted by penguin pie at 10:48 AM on March 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

For years my dad smoked a pipe, and his workshop was FULL of these awesome round, white plastic tubs that the tobacco came in. He was pretty cheap, so I presume he selected his leaf based on the utility of the container. :7)

And though you could see through an old PB jar, the tobacco tubs held more stuff and they bounce when dropped.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:06 AM on March 29, 2012

I like the square bottles Trader Joe's uses for tapenade, mustard and other things; they're a good size for herbs, spices and misc. stuff. I buy olive oil and vinegars that come in nice bottles that can be re-used for homemade liqueurs at the holidays. Salsa & pasta sauce in canning jars, definitely. Put in some sand or gravel, and a votive candle for party lighting. I store all kinds of stuff in canning jars in the bathroom, and peanut butter, pickle and assorted jars hold hardware, nails, screws, etc. in the furnace room. Oatmeal boxes store yarn or other bits.

I live near the ocean, and try to plant new sea glass if I have bottles with a pretty color, or interesting logos. 50 years from now, someone will find a bit of pale green glass etched by salt and sand, and be pleased.
posted by theora55 at 11:44 AM on March 29, 2012

Don't know if these are available in the US, but Gü puddings in the UK come in nice glass ramekin dishes (and are conveniently delicious).
posted by inbetweener at 1:29 PM on March 29, 2012

Newman's Own salsa jars make pretty good drinking glasses. I use Teddy Peanut Butter jars to make smoothies--16oz, and the wide mouth fits an immersion blender perfectly.
posted by angels in the architecture at 8:32 PM on March 29, 2012

gauche: "When I was getting started homebrewing, I would buy any beer that came in a bale-top bottle. This mostly meant drinking lots of Grolsch."

If you mean these fellows, here in the Netherlands the little red rubber donuts are pretty much the canonical cheap guitar strap locks, and quite effective for that purpose.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 4:46 PM on April 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

SisterHavana: "Many, many years ago Stouffer's (I think) frozen meals used to come on a pretty sturdy white plastic plate. We used those plates for years and years...they were perfect for microwaving leftovers. I wish I could find some more like them."

I still have one of those! It's great for nuking stuff in the microwave. I don't think it was Stouffers though, Lean Cuisine is what comes to mind.

I also have a bunch of those mustard glasses. I use them in the bathroom and for juice.

I also have a few of these Dentyne gum containers. They're quite sturdy and have a small opening as well as a larger one.
posted by deborah at 7:30 PM on April 2, 2012

Most of mine have been mentioned: Teddie, Dundee, Classico sauce, Bonne Maman. I use all of those for various things - mainly storing leftovers in the fridge. I find plastic untrustworthy so these are the go-to leftover holders. Just adding a couple more uses:

The bail-top beer bottles are excellent for making homemade vinegars to give as gifts.

I have a thing for vintage soda bottles. By purchasing some of these pourer tops, you can repurpose these as bottles for oils, vinegars, dressings, simple syrups, and in fact I use one to hold my dish soap in the kitchen. You could use them for hand soap, etc, too.

If you make chicken or vegetable broth with scraps from your kitchen, pint and quart jars are awesome for freezing that to use when you want.
posted by Miko at 7:37 PM on April 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

Starbucks Frappuccino bottles can be washed and reused many times. I make cold brew coffee in large batches and portion them out into Frappacino bottles for storage in the fridge.

Nthing POM Wonderful bottles. Those were standard drinking glasses in college.

Nthing Martinelli's Apple Juice jugs.

Orange prescription bottles (with the labels removed, of course) are pretty handy for storing small, assorted things like screws and washers.
posted by dephlogisticated at 7:32 PM on April 3, 2012

Pretty much any household in the UK has a Quality Street tin reused as a biscuit or sewing tin.
posted by mippy at 4:34 AM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]