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One of the very early posts I shared here on this site was a quick little idea that I almost thought wasn’t worth writing about. It was a quick tip that the lids from parmesan containers fit on canning jars. That turned out to be a very popular idea and it’s been pinned on Pinterest thousands of times!
As the years have gone along I’ve seen more and more handy lids for canning jars that can turn them into sippy cups, piggy banks, flower vases, solar lights, fermenting jars, soap pumps, and more. But you don’t always have to buy them. Here are a few frugal ideas for DIY mason jar tops so you can save a little money and just make your own!
I have some of these plastic storage caps and I love them and use them a lot. They’re a simple and easy way to turn a mason jar into a storage container and they’re not too pricey either. But if you’re the frugal type you might be able to simply recycle a lid from some other product and accomplish the same thing.
The Homemade Option:
You might be able to make your own plastic lids for canning jars by looking around your pantry. I discovered that the lid from an 18 oz jar of peanut butter, the lid from a jar of mayonnaise, and the lid from a container of instant coffee all fit onto regular mouth sized canning jars. Try a few for yourself and you might find a few more that will fit too.
Have you ever put a bouquet of flowers in your canning jar only to find they didn’t fill up the opening completely and wanted to all flop over to one side? These frog lids are the solution with their grid structure that allows you to distribute your flowers evenly over the space of the mason jar opening and keep them there.
The Homemade Option:
I was able to make a homemade version of a frog lid by using some of my jewelry making supplies. I had some 20 gauge craft wire in my stash that I snipped into pieces approximately 2½” long. I then glued them in a grid like pattern onto the inside of a ring for a regular mouth mason jar. I’m using my frog lid on my mason jar that I tinted blue and it’s working perfectly!
Mason jars make cute drinking glasses and lots of folks like these mason jar tops with a hole in them to stick a straw through. They’re a fun idea for serving beverages at picnics and parties, or to have a glass (not plastic) beverage container when you’re on the go.
The Homemade Option:
I recently discovered that I could punch a hole through a canning lid top with my paper punch! Of course I couldn’t reach all the way to the middle of the lid, but to me it looked just fine towards the side of the lid. Another quick and easy hack is to just use a cupcake paper turned over on the top of the jar, then screw the canning lid ring over it, and poke the straw through. I picked up some cute straws and cupcake papers at the dollar store and I was good to go!
Mason jars get used for lots of storage reasons, but sometimes we want to store pourable items in those canning jars. A top with a pour spout can be a perfect solution.
The Homemade Option:
This homemade option probably isn’t as durable as the ready-made option, but it will work! Just cut out the pour spout area from a cardboard container of orange juice and place it inside your canning jar ring to make your own pour spout. Some cartons of creamer and milk have these same types of spouts. I’ve also done this with the top of a salt container for a mason jar lid to make a smaller pour spout.
These lids are available for those who use their jars to grow their own sprouts. It allows for draining the water from the jar and replacing it with fresh water, without losing the seeds that you’re sprouting.
The Homemade Option:
I’ve yet to try making my own sprouts, but it’s on my to-do list! I’ll be ready with my homemade version of this top that I made using a circle of plastic canvas cut to size and glued inside the ring of the canning jar (I used the finer size 10 mesh plastic canvas). Some other ideas are to use a piece of metal screen, a piece of cross-stitch canvas, or even just using cheese cloth or nylons over the top of the jar.
And finally, this handy lid lets you screw a top onto your mason jars with either a full pouring area on one side or holes on the other.
The Homemade Option:
Use them parmesan lids . . . ‘nuf said.
How about you? Have you come up with a creative homemade solution for a fancy canning jar top? Feel free to leave me the details in a comment below. I love all canning jar stories!
I have seen some use the top of a salt container lid with the metal pouring spout and put it on a mason jar for salt by the stove…
Your ideas are great! Now I’ve got to get to saving my peanut butter lids…lol
Thank you!
i want a top to fit a 30fl oz jar to use for the top of the snow man to put the hat and face on any ideal what will work i have a lid i need something to fit to build with it
Clever ideas. I also use mayo and pb jars for the small mason jars, but they are not leak proof for liquids. I’ve had them fall over in the fridge, and what a mess!
Thanks for sharing that info AJ! I have only stored dry things using recycled lids so it’s good to know to take extra care if you use this frugal option with liquids.
It sounds like your frog lid is just as nice as the ones you can buy. I’ve done something much simpler for a one-time use. I didn’t invent it, I copied it from the florist. Simply take the top of whatever container you are using for a vase and run a few strips of Scotch tape in either direction across the top, leaving some space in between. Picture a tape version of a tic-tac-toe board, with spaces where the tape doesn’t cross. Insert flower stems through the spaces.
I have several mason jars that I have different plastic lids on. But Alas I like you have not found Lids to fit my big mouth mason jars . I am also open to suggestions
great ideas, thanks for posting
I have seen some use the top of a salt container lid with the metal pouring spout and put it on a mason jar for salt by the stove…
Your ideas are great! Now I’ve got to get to saving my peanut butter lids…lol
Thank you!
Great ideas! I would like to find a replacement for the Ergo Spout Mini. It delivers a very fine drizzle, perfect for the even buttering of popcorn.
i want a top to fit a 30fl oz jar to use for the top of the snow man to put the hat and face on any ideal what will work i have a lid i need something to fit to build with it
Do you know if their are any jars that have lids to fit the Wide mouth Ball Jars.
I have not discovered any yet, and I wish I could find some too!
Such GREAT ideas! Thanks! ❤️
Clever ideas. I also use mayo and pb jars for the small mason jars, but they are not leak proof for liquids. I’ve had them fall over in the fridge, and what a mess!
Thanks for sharing that info AJ! I have only stored dry things using recycled lids so it’s good to know to take extra care if you use this frugal option with liquids.
Thank you I seen your site for plastic lids for the jars .awesome idea
For the frog thing for flowers use medal chicken wire. Try a PC of pop can & put the pour PC in it like soap bottle.
*metal
Beverly,
It sounds like your frog lid is just as nice as the ones you can buy. I’ve done something much simpler for a one-time use. I didn’t invent it, I copied it from the florist. Simply take the top of whatever container you are using for a vase and run a few strips of Scotch tape in either direction across the top, leaving some space in between. Picture a tape version of a tic-tac-toe board, with spaces where the tape doesn’t cross. Insert flower stems through the spaces.
You’re right Judith! Tape can be used as a super simple to give any jar or vase a quick “frog lid”. I’d forgotten that little trick!
I have several mason jars that I have different plastic lids on. But Alas I like you have not found Lids to fit my big mouth mason jars . I am also open to suggestions
.