Making do, jam style.
When I was making my jam this summer, I noticed that it was pretty difficult to get the jam into the jars without making a big mess.
I remembered that my mom had a hand-dandy little wide-mouthed funnel-type (want some more hyphens??) tool that made the job a lot easier.
Unfortunately, I didn't have one, and I wasn't feeling like running around to stores looking for one. So, I took a scissors and cut off the bottom portion of an old plastic funnel that someone gave me years ago.
Much better.
It's not wide enough to use for canning whole fruits or vegetables, but it works great for jam and other thick liquids. Yay!
Today's 365 post: Cutie-Patootie
I love my canning funnel. You should be able to find one at a hardware store like Ace. I use it for canning, but also for filling jars with bulk stuff, like grains, dry milk, baking supplies, etc. It wasn't expensive and I like that mine is steel.
I bought a plastic one on the cheap years ago that mostly lurks. It moved with us and survived husbandly kitchen purges. Actually comes in useful sometimes!
I found mine at Goodwill for 50 cents. Great thinking in the time of need on your part though!
I found mine at Wal-Mart. And like mamfitz I use it for all kinds of things, not just canning.
Got mine at a garage sale. I don't can all that much, but does come in handy around the kitchen.
I love my canning funnel. I use it most often, paired with a cloth jelly bag, to strain chicken broth into jars.
Love, love, love my canning funnel. And I use it for almost everything.
I inherited my Grandma's canning funnel (and other supplies) when she passed away. Every time I use them it's like she's still there in the kitchen canning with me!
Good thinking. I have a canning one that came in a kit.
When I need a funnel for other stuff I usually have a milk jug in the recycling I can use. This has made me look at other plastic containers for other uses. When I need a funnel I just cut up something then recycle it later. This way I'm not junking up the place with stuff I only use once in a while.
I just learned of making a canning funnel from a plastic hot-cold cup. Cut out the bottom and it slides right in the mouth of the jar. I do have a canning funnel, received as a wedding gift, that I use a LOT - especially for putting hot milk + yogurt starter into jars for yogurt-making.
I did the exact same thing about 5 years ago! Great minds think alike. 🙂
Your jam looks wonderful! Good job on the resourcefulness, btw.
Excellent frugal solution. 🙂
As Alton Brown says, "Never, never buy that which you can make."
My husband did the EXACT same thing as you a few weeks ago when making strawberry jam!
I love that you took something that you weren't using and made it into something that you needed.
When you're at Goodwill keep your eyes open and I'm pretty sure you will find an inexpensive canning funnel before jam making time cones around again.
Linda
From one Kristen back to another...brilliant! We really must be quite similar as I struggled with the same problem when making my jam this summer. You found a solution quicker than I did! Thanks for sharing. I'll be doing the same! And thanks so much for taking time to stop by my humble frugality site, too!
Yeah, you've gotta have the funnel 🙂
I made another batch of yogurt and this batch wasn't as smooth. Still delicious, just not as smooth as the first batch. Does that ever happen to you, and do you know what might causes it? Thanks!
What a great idea - I need one of those...
Cool idea. Way to go with using what you have 🙂
I have a canning funnel, but I'm totally gonna do this for some funky little Italian jars I have that won't fit the canning funnel.
Kristin love the inguenuity of your funnel. I second looking at hardware stores you can usually pick them up there really cheap, I too see them at thrift stores. I can alot of things so a canning funnel is essential. I really need to look for a metal one because I know that sooner or later I am going to melt my lovely red plastic one. Beautiful jam!
necessity creates invention! good for you.
Oh my...how I wish I'd read this post on Saturday instead of today! I made 24 jars of grape jelly without a funnel this weekend...and let me tell you...sticky purple mess 🙂
How clever!
I always regret how many times extremely specialized doo dads stand in for just this kind of creative thinking.
Cut another half-inch off that funnel and it would be wide enough for canning.