Walk into a Trader Joe’s and it is packed with some affordable fresh ingredients. Lots of people head to Trader Joe’s to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables for preservation. Some even pick up ingredients to make soup.
One of the essential ‘tools’ for preserving will be Mason Jars. You already know that Trader Joe’s sells great ingredients for preserving, but does Trader Joe’s sell mason jars?
The answer is yes and no. While Trader Joe’s doesn’t actually sell mason jars i.e. you can’t walk into the store and buy packaged empty jars, many of their products (especially their soups) come in mason jars. So, if you are fine eating some delicious food and then cleaning out the jar for preserving, etc. then Trader Joe’s may be worth checking out.
Let’s explain.
Overview of Trader Joe’s
For many people, Trader Joe’s doesn’t really need any introduction. This is a company that has rapidly spread throughout the United States, and you can now find Trader Joe’s in most towns and cities.
Trader Joe’s is a grocery store chain. A pretty big one, but with a twist. This company, mostly, stocks its own-brand products.
All of these products are sourced from some of the best suppliers in the world. Trader Joe’s has limited floor space in their stores and no warehouse storage.
So, they have the philosophy that they don’t overload their shelves with similar products. Instead, they stock a single version of a product, but they make that the best product it can be.
This isn’t where Trader Joe’s uniqueness ends, though. This is a company that takes great pride in offering unique flavors and products. There are items here that you would struggle to find anywhere else in the United States, at least at the price that Trader Joe’s sells.
Because Trader Joe’s stores are so small, they have an almost community feel to them. Each store only has a few staff members working there, and if you shop at Trader Joe’s often enough, you will get to know these staff members.
Trader Joe’s is probably the only major grocery store chain where you get that, and the company takes pride in this customer-focused approach to doing business.
They love interacting with their customers, and many of the product lines that they keep in their stores are heavily influenced by what their customers want.
Trader Joe’s Product Range
Trader Joe’s mostly focuses on products that sell incredibly well and at high profit margins (while also being sold at a cheap price).
So, the bulk of their range is going to be dedicated to food. However, Trader Joe’s isn’t afraid to add a few other products to the mix too.
While their household goods selection isn’t necessarily massive, they do have a few awesome products that may come in handy around the home.
The dryer bags and candles at Trader Joe’s tend to receive very good reviews, as do their detergents and room spritzers.
On the kitchen front, they don’t sell a huge range of products. While you may find that they have some storage products in, on occasion, the only kitchen stuff that they seem to stock consistently will be sponges and wipes, as well as some dish soap.
Trader Joe’s isn’t really a place that you would head to if you need to get a ton of useful items for your kitchen. They don’t sell pots ; pans, cutlery, etc. That is the domain of the larger grocery stores.
Mason Jars and Their Uses
Mason jars may just be small glass jars, but they are incredibly versatile.
Mason jars are commonly used for canning and preserving. If you have a good lid on the mason jar, then they are airtight. This helps to keep the food inside protected.
Anybody making jams, salsas, etc. could do well to have a few mason jars around the home. They can even be reused, although you will need to clean and sterilize them first.
Because they are airtight, they also make a great option for food storage. Because you can freeze them, you can make up individual batches of food in each mason jar and put them in the freezer. A lot of people do this with soups. We love to store cereals, rice, etc. in our mason jars.
They can even be used for DIY projects. For example, people make candles in the smallest mason jars. Carry out a quick Google search for mason jar DIY projects and you will get thousands and thousands of ideas.
To check the current price and availability of Mason Jars, click here to view the selection on Amazon.
Researching Trader Joe’s Mason Jar Availability
Researching Trader Joe’s mason jar availability is tough. This is because there are two potential sources for mason jars at Trader Joe’s.
If you are looking to buy clean, ready-to-use mason jars, then you can use the Trader Joe’s website to check stock availability (www.traderjoes.com). Calling the customer service team, or speaking to one of the in-store staff can give you information on whether the company expects to have mason jars in the store as a seasonal product.
The other option is to buy Trader Joe’s food that is already in mason jars. There isn’t much that you can do here other than browse through their products online or walk around the stores. Many of their soups are in mason jars, as are some of their sauces.
Results: Does Trader Joe’s Sell Mason Jars?
Trader Joe’s does not sell mason jars directly i.e. you can’t buy clean mason jars that are ready to use for food storage, craft projects, etc.
You can buy certain products from Trader Joe’s that use mason jars, though. For example, some of the soups sold by Trader Joe’s will come in glass containers. Some pasta sauces are like this too. You will need to clean and sterilize them before use.
Alternatives to Trader Joe’s for Mason Jar Purchase
While Trader Joe’s doesn’t stock mason jars, most major supermarkets do. Prices can vary depending on the size and brand of the mason jar.
The cheapest way to buy mason jars is to shop online. There are plenty of online craft stores, survivalist stores, etc. that have them listed. You will be paying a few dollars per jar, plus some extra cash for the lids.
Final Thoughts
While some of their products are sold in mason jars, Trader Joe’s doesn’t actually sell mason jars in their home products section. If you want mason jars from Trader Joe’s, then you will need to purchase one of their foods sold in glass jars and then clean the jar out.
This is probably going to be more expensive than purchasing mason jars elsewhere (although, a lot more delicious!).
If you want to buy mason jars, head to stores like Walmart. You can also find cheaper options online, especially at sites like Amazon.