Has the thought “Can you put Mason Jars in the freezer?” ever crossed your mind? Are you looking for a great way to freeze your food without using harmful and dangerous plastics?
If your answer is yes to both questions, then this guide is definitely for you!
Mason jars are quite popular to homeowners because they provide many benefits, such as tightly sealing your food and ingredients to avoid spoilage and contamination from the outside.
However, many people tend to wonder if freezing the material is possible.
In this article, we will show you everything you need to know about mason jars and the surrounding concerns and questions about the product. So, buckle up your seatbelt and read on below!
Can You Put Mason Jars in The Freezer?
One of the best and easiest ways of storing vitamins and other essential nutrients in fruits and vegetables is freezing them, especially when we have home-grown produce during the cold winter.
Sad to say, we often use Ziploc bags or even plastic containers for this.
There are several good reasons to stop using plastic items and packaging, particularly when it relates to storing and cooking food. So, is there any free plastic solution for your freezer?
Yes, there definitely is!
Mason jars are great alternatives for storing food and ingredients. Furthermore, they can be placed in the freezer and is even perfectly safe.
Can Mason Jars Be Frozen Without Breaking?
If you have tried placing a jar inside your freezer only to find it breaking into pieces or cracking, then we certainly understand your concern since this happening can be quite a messy-clean up process.
If you ask, “Can Mason Jars be frozen without breaking?” then it’s a big yes! There are tips and ways to prevent it from breaking, so you must follow them.
Always Leave a Headroom
When you freeze a portion of food, it generally expands, and the only area it can go to is the space or headroom you leave at the top.
To keep your mason jar from shattering in the fridge, you must leave plenty of space at the top.
The universal rule of thumb is one inch of headroom: the larger your mason jar, the plenty of space to fill it in. The more food you freeze, the more chances of it expanding.
Thus, you’ll have to leave more headspace to avoid your material from breaking.
Cool Your Food or Ingredient
If there is one guaranteed way to break your mason jar in your fridge, it’s a thermal shock.
When the rise in temperatures is incredibly tremendous and ultimately too much for your container to take, thermal shock occurs.
A great example would be placing a piping hot carbonara sauce into your container and then tossing it right into the freezer,
Cooling your food or ingredient for 5-10 mins before placing it in the container as slowly as you can is the safest and best method to prevent thermal shock and stop your mason jar from shattering in the freezer.
Don’t Place It Near Cooling Elements
Stop placing them next to, on top of or besides, the cooling component of the fridge to keep your container from cracking in the freezer.
- Chest Freezer – The cooling element can be found in the very bottom
- Upright Freezer – The cooling element may be found at the very back
If you position it in an upright freezer door, or close to the top, or in a chest freezer basket, your jar will still freeze and be cool enough.
And the risks of destroying the pot will go down!
Protect Your Mason Jars
As states above, jars contract and expand while they are in the freezer, just like the container’s contents.
It might not sound like a big deal but stuffing the jars in your fridge right next to one another leaves no wiggle space for the container to move.
Placing the jars near each other may cause them to wobble or rattle any time you open the fridge’s door.
The speed at which the glass freeze will change if they are kept too close together. Note, you wouldn’t want to freeze them too soon.
Before placing your glass in the refrigerator, put them inside a shatter-proof plastic container or a cardboard box to prevent them from getting knocked up by one another.
How Long Can You Freeze Mason Jars?
Everybody wants to know how long can you freeze Mason Jars, especially those who tend to store or freeze food for weeks.
Mason jars are among those simple things that are handy to have in the kitchen since it has a variety of uses such as storing food, spices, and other ingredients.
They are commonly known for their airtight screw-top covers (usually with a two-item design), soda-lime glass material structure, and traditional American aesthetics, which have not improved much since they had been invented in the 19th century.
Considering this, they are great for freezing food for a period of time.
Depending on the food, spice, or ingredient you are storing (assuming it doesn’t spoil), You can freeze your jar for up to three to five months.
However, be careful to check the contents of the container before using it in case molds or spoiling occurs.
The Best Ways to Thaw Your Mason Jar
Knowing how to thaw your jar is as essential as knowing how to freeze it.
Thawing process is relatively more straightforward than you have imagined, and we have presented here the two best methods you can follow to ensure effective results and your jar’s safety!
Method 1
If you have the luxury of time, it’s best to transfer your product from the freezer to the fridge for a couple of days before using it.
This is a great way to slowly defrost the food and help the jar adapt to the new temperature without breaking the glass.
Method 2
This method is for those individuals who don’t want to wait for days for their food to defrost.
You may place your jar in a basin of water for 20 minutes and transfer it to a basin of warm (Not Hot!) water and wait for another 15 minutes.
This will help your jar cool but be careful since it might cause it to break!
Conclusion
“Can you put Mason Jars in the freezer?” It is a question that is now in your past since you are equipped with new knowledge that would certainly make your kitchen experience better and easier!
If you ever find yourself planning to store leftover food or ingredients, don’t forget to give this guide a read. It’ll help you in the long run!
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