There’s no doubt about it. Preppers have loved mason jars for many, many years.
And it’s no wonder why – these glass jars are some of the most useful and versatile inventions ever. And they can be an incredible asset in a survival situation.
You may know a few ways to use these tools in a crisis. But in our newest survival article you’ll likely discover a few brand new survival uses you never expected!
10 Amazing Survival Uses for Mason Jars
See In The Dark
Believe it or not, you can turn an ordinary mason jar into a homemade lamp to see in the dark. This can prove hugely useful, whether you’re bugging in or bugging out.
All you need for this DIY project is some vegetable oil, a mason jar with both parts of the lid, and a wick.
Punch a hole in the center of the flat part of the lid. Then insert the wick through the hole.
Next, fill the mason jar with oil, and stick the bottom end of the wick into the oil. Now seal the lid, making sure there’s only about an inch or so of wick sticking out. Light the remaining wick on fire, and you’ve instantly got a lamp that will last for hours.
Here’s a video to show you a visual of the process:
Keep Kindling Safe
Kindling can be incredibly easy to lose, and a pain in the butt to light if it gets wet. Thankfully, the mason jar solves both issues. Store your kindling in a small mason jar and seal it up tight. You can use bark, dryer lint, cotton balls with petroleum jelly… whatever you like.
Protect Yourself
Need a makeshift defense tool when things get rough? Break off the top of a mason jar and use that jagged glass to help keep an attacker at bay. Plus, if you’re a bit more ingenious you can break the glass into pieces and use those as arrowheads.
Build A Mini First-Aid Kit
First-aid kits can easily save lives in an emergency. And the good news is you can make lots of kits at once using nothing but medical supplies and mason jars.
Place gauze, bandages, Q-tips, tape, and other items into the jars and seal them tight. This will protect the items and keep them safe from water damage.
Protect Your Valuables
There are certain items like cash, birth certificates, passports and more you have to be very careful with. Thankfully, you can place these valuables into a mason jar to keep them protected and in one place. To keep them extra safe, you can even bury the jar into the ground, and put a rock on top to remind you where it is.
Store Your Ammo
Ammo is one of those things you can’t afford to lose – especially when you need it most. By putting your ammunition in a mason jar, you can put it all in one place and keep it safe from the elements (and from other people). Feel free to bury it if necessary to keep it hidden from looters and thieves.
Plant Some Herbs
Here’s a cool thought – put some dirt in a few jars and plant seeds in each to make your very own herb garden. You can also use mason jars for growing starter plants until they’re ready to be put into the ground.
Make Homemade Sunscreen
Sunscreen is one survival item lots of people don’t think about (until they get burned on their first outing).
Luckily, you can save money and make your own sunscreen. Not to mention, making it yourself will help you avoid all those harmful chemicals and toxins many companies put in commercial sunscreen.
And, by putting it in a mason jar, you’ve got a convenient, airtight container for safe keeping.
Here’s a video to help you get started.
Plan Out Your Meals
Mason jars may be good for canning, but the truth is they’re far more useful for meal planning than we give them credit for. For instance, they can also hold dry goods like rice or beans. You can even make soup mixes where you put all the dry ingredients and seasonings in the jar, and then seal it tight – when you’re ready, add water or broth!
Check out this video to see a lady who’s completely prepped with mason jar meals.
Boost Morale & Have A Pick-Me-Up
This is arguably the best survival use. You can use mason jars to make homemade wine!
Now keep in mind wine is good for a lot more than just getting drunk. For one, it’s a morale booster, and helps take the edge off in a stressful situation. Plus, it’s also an excellent bartering tool, allowing you to give some away for the supplies you need most.
Plus, if you prepare now by making a bunch of wine at once, this’ll give you a huge payoff after the fermentation process is over!
Below are Parts 1 & 2 of the wine-making process. Enjoy!
