Storage jars Am I being thick to not understand them?

[booboo57]

This weekend exciting project is to sort out food cupboard. (again). I don't understand storage jars. Please can someone explain them to me. For example you buy a bag of rice. I doesn't all fit in the jar so you put the rest of the packet in the back of the cupboard. Jar is running low. Buy more rice. Put packet in cupboard until jar is empty so as not to mix old rice with new. When empty find new packet of rice put in jar. Some doesn't fit so put at back of cupboard then find other left packet bits. How is this supposed to work? I seem to have lots of packets with a bit left in. Jars waiting to be emptied to put new packets in. Failing at housewifery again.

Why have you got them if they don't work for you?
Is it ascetics, something you think you should have, an idea of being organised?

Do you want them to work for you, or would you be better off just using the packets etc?
What about tubs/boxes the packets sit in? My normal bags of flour, sugar etc sit in small ice cream tubs, keeps them contained, stops any spillage etc.

The only thing I decant is flour, as I brought 16kg sacks in lockdown last year and obviously they don't fit in the kitchen cupboard.

They look nicer and don't leak bits of flour etc. Lots of things come in pretty standard sized packets, so presumably the real answer is to get storage jars the right size to hold a full packet. I have only a few storage jars, but do have the same size issue with them as you do, OP!

I would just mix the rice if I could be bothered with jars. I just keep my food In the packet it comes in. It's easier.

I use storage jars however I have a large pantry separate to the kitchen which is where my excess is stored so storage jars work for me in that situation. I wouldn't be using them if the bags were kept to hand in the kitchen. I also bulk buy so 16kg bags of flour which lasts me approximately 6 months so storage jars make it a lot more manageable

I use storage jars because as a student I lived somewhere with pharaoh ants and german cockroaches, nice. The jars kept the pests out of food.
I continued using jars out of habit, preference.
Now I use jars because I live in an old slightly porous house, jars keep the damp out.

Most people don't need storage jars, lots of people like them. Putting packets in tubs to catch spills is just fine.

Get the right size jars, my rice jar holds 5kg. Jars don't have to match, they have to do the job you want them to.

Just mix the rice. Rice lasts for years how slowly are you using it?

*:15MrsPernicious

I use storage jars because as a student I lived somewhere with pharaoh ants and german cockroaches, nice. The jars kept the pests out of food.*

Yeah, that would be a VERY good reason! Shudders.

I have storage jars that are big enough to hold the whole packet - for pasta, wholemeal pasta, plain flour, self raising flour, sultanas, seeds, lentils, oats. I have opened top storage boxes (baskets?) for other items in their packets, e.g. big pack of bread flour, prunes, dried fruit, etc.

I think I’d just mix rice to be honest. I no longer buy rice like that as I can’t cook it! Microwave rice or boil in the bag rice to me now

I have plastic trays, shallow boxes for some bags of things to sit in and then I have jars for the rest. Looks nicer. Feels cleaner too.

Use up the odd bit left in the packet before starting on the jar!

I'd only use jars if they work for you. Getting bigger jars is a good idea. They do keep things tidier and easier to see what you have I find. Do you have one of those shops where you can buy products loose so only as much as you want?

Buy packets that will fit in the jar with a bit of room to spare so there’s space for a bit of old rice when you put the new in.

@SnugglySnerd

Use up the odd bit left in the packet before starting on the jar!

I don't use storage jars, but this is just such a simple and yet clever answer to the problem.

Just mix thr rice and/or use the stuff in the packet first.

You need bigger jars! I put flour and similar into jars as we are plagued with pantry moths and they can seemingly get into even closed packets of flour.

Jars are wrong size
I have a mix of kilner type jars so that a packet of cous cous fits in a smaller one, a packet of pasta in a large one. Cereal is usually fine as cereal containers are made to fit standard boxes. Occasionally there’s a bit that won’t fit but it’s probably only a bowls worth so that gets eaten that day and boxes recycled

For little packets or sachets I have an open box tray type thing that they all can stand up in

It’s definitely helped to keep the cupboard cleaner as I’m no longer spilling bits out everywhere

Don’t bother labelling them though. Jars are clear and you can generally see through them because of that. Not too sure why people bother.
That way you can change it to something else if it works better that way for you

we use jars because of mice.
you need big enough containers though.

I use jars and what doesn't fit is used up first, or put into a smaller jar.
Some things stay in the packaging but are also put in a jar or container.

Flour stays in the packaging and is also in plastic storage boxes, this is because of weevils which are already in the flour when I buy it and I don't want them to spread. It was from Waitrose last time but not sure of the brand as I binned it when I saw the little dots moving about.

Last house came with pantry moths, the type that live in kitchen cupboards, so once the cupboards and pantry were cleaned out I bought even more jars.

Have also acquired some kind of flying insects which we inadvertently brought back from France in a bag of dried beans, so I am extra vigilant now I know about these things.They were like some kind of very big grain weevil which we have also had due to infested bird treats.

So, keeping things opened in packets is not a consideration for me. I have learned something different about infestations every time I move house.

The Home Edit addresses this problem by having a back stock section. It's one place for all the opened packets which you check first before shopping. It's more storage but if you want to use jars and containers it a system.

Pantry moths and weevils are the same thing, I think?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'd like to use jars more cos its tidied and also have had mice in the house though thankfully not in the cupboard. I think I need bigger storage jars! Any suggestions? And maybe a back storage area to check before shopping. Right off to empty the cupboard now. Wish me luck.

@SnugglySnerd

Use up the odd bit left in the packet before starting on the jar!

I do this. Also, I am using some when I first open the packet anyway to it's not the whole packet that has to fit.

I recently got a ton of storage for dry goods. I started off by buying 1 of each size. Then had a happy hour with some big bowls and a funnel working out what size of container was the best fit for each thing. Then noted down how many of each size I though I'd need. It's not perfect, some bits left in the cupboard, but I'm pretty happy.

If you'd ever had weavels you'd know the answer.
Also old rice and new rice? Just mix the rice! I also tend to use the end of the packet before the stuff in the jar.