Can I use canning jars for this?

**dolfinonmi** · 05-25-2009, 11:48 PM

I am trying to a bit more organized with my stockpiling and have accumulated quite a few kinds of dried beans. My question is this...can I store them in canning jars without having to worry about them getting buggy or anything? TIA for any help with this.

**Palooka** · 05-25-2009, 11:51 PM

I would say so. I store all my beans in glass jars and I just make sure the lid is on. So far they have been fine.

**Thevail** · 05-26-2009, 12:50 AM

I can't see any reason why not, as long as the lids fit tightly and you keep them out of direct sunlight.

**frugalfranny** · 05-26-2009, 01:58 AM

Would agree with the above posters....as long as no bugs were in them going into the jar you should be okay.

Don't know if it will work with beans but I always keep a stick of double mint gum in my flour....no bugs! Dont have a clue where this came from, I have just always done it. Takes me forever to use even a 5 lb. bag of flour. (tells you how much I bake!!)

**Grainlady** · 05-26-2009, 07:41 AM

I keep a large variety of beans/seeds/grains/dehydrated foods/pasta... in canning jars and extend their shelf-life and keep pantry pests at bay by vacuum-sealing canning lids onto the canning jars using my FoodSaver (jar attachment). I have a large number of 1/2-gallon jars I store food in.

There are three things that will quickly degrade your dry-goods (foods):

1. air
2. light
3. heat

Prevent those and you'll find they will keep longer.

**_kit** · 05-26-2009, 07:41 AM

I have a couple of shelves up in my kitchen that are full of canning jars that I use for storage like this. I keep a variety of beans, rice, pasta, tea, marshmallows, coconut, etc. in them and never have a problem. I wash the lids in the dishwasher when it's time to refill a jar and I label the tops with masking tape to include the name of what's in it and the date that I refilled the jar so I know how old it is.

**tervsforme** · 05-26-2009, 09:56 AM

I use canning jars for all kinds of things. Beans, M&M's, almost anything. It lets me see what's there a lot easier than keeping things in their packages.

**zakity** · 05-26-2009, 05:59 PM

You can use painter's tape to label the jars. It doesn't leave the sticky stuff like masking tape does.

**dolfinonmi** · 05-26-2009, 07:53 PM

Thanks for all of the replies to my question. I am off from work until friday and am wanting to get started on this. I went to mom's today and raided her jars that she doesn't use anymore. I have plenty now and there is still quite a few there. Thanks again..

**dean** · 05-26-2009, 08:20 PM

I store beans, rice, pasta, etc. in old green canning jars. I have for 35 years, so did my great-grandmother, she taught me to put a whole bay leaf in the bottom of the jar. No bugs ever in all that time.