The $4 Kitchen Storage Gem Hiding in Trader Joe’s Sauce Aisle (I Use It Every Day!)

I didn’t plan on becoming someone who reuses jars. It just kind of happened, and it all began with Trader Joe’s $4.99 organic virgin coconut oil.

After scooping out the very last bit of coconut oil, I stared at the jar for a second and thought, Why does this feel like something I should keep? It’s wide, sturdy, and honestly just a really solid glass container. So I cleaned it out and used it to store oregano, which I accidentally bought too much of because I didn’t realize I already had another open jar shoved in the back of the pantry. Then, my jar storage discovery spiraled … in a good way.

After finishing both Trader Joe’s cacio e pepe and lemon pesto sauces (both of which are ridiculously good, by the way, and only $3.79 and $3.49, respectively), I peeled off the labels using The Kitchn’s hairdryer trick, washed them out, and boom: rustic-chic glass storage! (Is that the right term? Rustic-modern? Rustic-minimalist? Whatever it is, it looks intentional and cute.)

Of course, because the vessels come with food in them, I know they’re food-safe and BPA-free — and because they’re solid glass, they don’t have any harmful chemicals that can leach into the food I’m storing in them. I’ve reused the jars for just about everything.

• One holds all my extra oregano (yes, I somehow had two jars).
• Another stores pistachios. They fit perfectly!
• I consolidated three jars of capers into one, because again, why did I have so many?
• And maybe my favorite repurpose: I popped a faux plant into one of the empties, and now it doubles as simple shelf decor.

The best part is that these jars don’t look like reused grocery packaging. They actually feel elevated. The pasta sauces come in jars that clean up beautifully, and once the labels are gone they look like something you’d see in one of those stunning “pantry restock” social media videos. No mismatched plastic tubs or mystery lids required.

As a bonus, reusing them feels like a small win in the sustainability department. Fewer things headed to the recycling bin, less single-use plastic being tossed out, and fewer storage containers I need to buy. Trader Joe’s basically handed me free organizers, and I’m not mad about it!

If you’re also constantly buying doubles of pantry staples or feel like your cabinets are a little chaotic, this is such an easy fix. Just clean out the jar, peel off the label, and give it a new job. The look is effortless and a little rustic. I love that the jars are clear, so I always know when to restock. There are also some practical (albeit gross) reasons you might want to decant your pantry goods and spices.

Now every time I finish a Trader Joe’s item in a glass container — or any store, for that matter — I pause before tossing it in the recycling bin. Because, more often than not, it’s actually something I can use again, and that’s one fewer container I have to buy! While you can snag the coconut oil in-store for just $4.99, if you don’t live near a store you can also get it on Amazon or at Walmart for a bit more money.

Buy: Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, $12.95

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: The $4 Kitchen Storage Gem Hiding in Trader Joe’s Sauce Aisle (I Use It Every Day!)