Once upon a time, long, long ago, a new-ish blogger with more mason jars than readers heard about an amazing thing called a Kickstarter. A Kickstarter, the blogger learned, was a way for individual people to directly support entrepreneurs with really awesome ideas.
The very first Kickstarter the blogger ever heard about was for a brand new lid that turned any mason jar into a leak-free pouring device. The lid was called a reCAP, and it was designed by a lady named Karen who just wanted to make, shake, pour and store her salad dressing in one convenient jar.
“Shut up and take my money!” yelled the blogger, hurling her financial support at the reCAP Kickstarter as fast as the credit card company would allow.
Months later, an big bag of reCAP Mason Jar caps arrived in the blogger’s mailbox – a thank you from Karen for the blogger’s Kickstarter pledge. The blogger fell in love with the caps and soon found them indispensable. She discovered the versatile reCAP pour caps could be used with everything from dish soap to coffee, fermenting vegetables to olive oil.
The blogger told everyone she could that the pour caps were awesome!
After several years of hard work, both the blogger and the little mason jar lid company had grown much bigger. The blogger had way more readers and Karen had hired extra people to keep up with the growth of reCAP, and to bring more functional mason jar accessories to market.
But the blogger always remembered how great it felt to help an entrepreneur with a great idea succeed, and Karen always remembered how much support the blogger had given her in those early days. And they both still really loved mason jars.
And that, ladies and gentleman, is the story of how reCAP came to be a sponsor of this blog, and why and I am so happy to bring this mason jar accessory giveaway to you today.
It’s always easy to endorse something you’re already using the hell out of. Here’s a snapshot of how the original reCAP Pour Caps get used in my life. I just walked around my kitchen, rounded up these jars, and took a few pictures. I really do use these caps all the time, every single day.
My son will now demonstrate how I use a Pour Cap to turn half-pints of applesauce or pearsauce from the pantry into leak-free to-go snacks for my kids.
I was inspired by those fruit squeeze packs that are so popular now. They let kids drink their fruit purees. I loved the drinkable fruit concept, but hated the waste and crazy expense associated with the disposable packs. The Pour Cap makes a DIY equivelent easy.
Long-time readers already know that I press a reCAP and an airlock into service as a fermentation lid for lacto-ferments.
My go-to water bottle and hot drink holder these days is a mason jar with a Pour Cap. After our latest round of metal thermal mugs sprung leaks, I opted not to replace them. Now, when I want to keep my coffee or tea hot, I use a Pour Cap, a pint-mason jar and a koozie I slide over the bottom of the jar. That keeps my coffee warm very effectively.
Pretty much what I’m saying is, without reCAP it’s entirely possible I would die of dehydration and/or caffeine withdrawal.
Introducing Flip Caps
Karen and the reCAP team recently launched a new product line, the Flip Cap. The basic Flip Cap is a secure lid for regular-mouth mason jars. The top flips open to give you wide-access to whatever is in your jar. There are also accessory screens that snap into the Flip Cap and turn it into a shaker cap, and a counter ring so you can keep track of the age of your mason jar contents.
Maybe I’m biased as a parent, but the Flip Lid has got “snack time” written all over it. Fill a jar with some nuts, dried fruits, and maybe some chocolate chips for a DIY trail mix, then top the jar with a Flip Cap for super easy snacking.
The shaker screens add extra functionality for spices, grated cheese, coarse salts, cleaning powders and more. The screens just clip in, so you can add or remove them from the Flip Caps as you need.
Once the shaker insert is popped into the Flip Cap it’s very secure and can’t be shaken out of the lid.
I make my own scouring powder by mixing equal parts baking soda, borax, and kosher salt with citrus essential oils. The reCAP Flip Lid with the shaker screen is perfect for storing and using this cleaner.
Fitted with the smaller shaker screen, the Flip Lid is perfect for homemade spice blends, like my Citrus and Spice Seasoning Salt.
Just the right amount of yummy flavor escapes.
My verdict on the new reCAP Flip Cap? Well designed, functional, flexible, and like all reCAP products, BPA-free and made in the USA. The snap-in shaker screens are fantastic. The only part of the Flip Cap package I received that won’t be pushed into constant use in my home is probably the counter ring. Most of the things I will use my Flip Caps for will be dry-goods with long shelf lives. I am, frankly, just not organized enough to keep track of the best-by date for stuff like that.
ReCAP Mason Jar Accessory Giveaway
My friends over at reCAP want you to be able to try their range of cool mason jar accessories. So, they are giving away a reCAP variety pack worth over $50. One lucky winner will receive one each of the following:
- Regular Mouth Pour Cap in Sky Blue
- Wide Mouth Pour Cap in Sunshine
- Flip Cap in Sky Blue
- Flip Cap in Sunshine
- Flip Cap Accessory Kit
- Adapta Sprayer
- Adapta Pump
- Set of Multi-Purpose Americana Tags
To enter to win this complete kit of reCAP accessories, just leave a comment below telling me how you will use the new reCAP Flip Caps – with or without shaker insert – if you win. That’s it!
The Fine Print
- This contest is open to US residents only.
- Contest closes 8 pm Pacific time, Monday July 27th 2015.
- Winner will be notified by email and shall have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize.
- I am proud to have reCAP Mason Jars as a seasonal sponsor of this blog.
Good luck!
1
They look super. Dried herbs would be my choice for the shaker.
I’d use the flip top lid on a jar of to-go snacks for my boys, and the big shaker lid sounds like a sweet cocktail shaker 🙂
My mother-in-law got me a few of the original lids and I love them! I’m excited to try these for homemade spices!
I have two Recap lids that I use for lax-fermenting salsa (o:
I’m gradually getting rid of plastic (like Rubbermaid and Ziplock) storage containers and moving to mason jars instead. I love the idea of snack lids, and a coffee mug lid (I would use that those a LOT.) Also, the spray bottle attachment would be great for my DIY cleaning solution.
Thanks!
I use and love the original reCaps. The new Flip-Lid looks great for take-along snacks, as a shaker, and oh so many more. Endless options, I’m sure.
I love the shaker idea! I keep wishing that someone would come up with this for shaking powdered sugar or glitter for craft projects. So happy to see that ReCap has done it and would love to try it out!
I would use them with the shaker cap for powdered or cinnamon sugar (yum!), for powdered homemade cleaning supplies (borax/baking soda cleaners/etc) after labeling of course, for homemade spice rubs. I have a lot of ideas!
I can put my olives in the jar with the flip lid and the shaker and strain out some of the juice for a dirty martini!
I had a different one and promptly lost it. Would love to try these. I’m definitely intrigued by using them with an airlock.
Without- I like the snack idea.
Shaker insert is floating my boat at the moment. Love the idea of making my own spice blends. Also thinking the flip lid would be nice for homemade salves and such–you could scoop it out without having to unscrew the top each time!
On a somewhat related note, I noticed at the hardware store the other day that Ball is marketing a variety of jar tops now–things for sipping and such. Their marketing dept probably realized how many people were loving the ReCAP products. I’d still much rather get them from the small but mighty start-up folks!
On my To Do List is to order some of these ReCaps and also start making my own cleaning products! So, I’ll use the flip lids for some cleaning powders as well as herb/spice blends.
Homemade BBQ rub. Previously in plastic takeout containers. This looks much nicer
Fantastic for my homemade salad dressings! I love the idea of using it to pour honey too. The flip tops look amazingly convenient, and I would love to turn a mason jar into a dish soap pump so I can throw out my old warped plastic one. Also, thanks for the homemade scouring powder idea!
We already love the reCap lids, but the new flip top ones look fantastic. They would be perfect for my cleaning supplies.
Cool contest, thank you! I already use my ReCaps for grownup sippy cups but would totally use more of them for honeys! That’s a ‘duh’….wish I’d thought of it before for my sage/honey cough syrup. I had no idea they had all those other cool new products, thanks for the introduction!
I would love to have a cap like that to use with coconut oil. It would be so nice to pour it into a pan instead of using a spoon every time.
Amazing! I’d use them all! From salad dressing to homemade spice mixes – I could fill a dozen jars easily!
I have been trying to find something like this for years. I have poked holes in tin lids to make shakers for homemade BBQ rubs and then take the lid apart and put one on top without holes to seal in goodness. This is perfect. And I love the pour lid for homemade ranch dressing. We use that for almost everything. Love the idea for the pump. Hand and dishwashing soap is so much cheaper in the big container but then you have to use a funnel to get it into the empty bottle.
I would use those for everything!
I would use the for snacks for the family. Thanks
Wonderful idea. I would use them for dried herbs and sauces.
I would love love love to win these!
carol
I’d use them when making homemade condiments and lacto fermenting foods.
I pretty much echo everyone above, using the various jars for homemade condiments, spice mixes, soaps and cleaners, and all that good stuff.
But my real purpose? COMPLETING THE MASON JAR TAKEOVER! FIRST THE KITCHEN, THEN THE REST OF THE HOUSE! THEN, MAYBE, THE WORLD!!!
A while back, you posted something about realizing you have more mason jars in your kitchen and pantry than any other style of container. We’ve nearly hit that point. My husband groans about all the mason jars in our cupboard, refrigerator, and pantry (though he does mostly smile when he does it!). I want to complete the takeover! MASON JARS EVERYWHERE!
I’d use for drinking
What a wonderful giveaway! I love reCAP! You can never have enough ;0) I have been wanting to try the new reCAP Flip Caps. So many uses, snacks for the car, use the shaker inserts for spice mixes, kosher salt, sprinkles, parmesan, the list goes on and on.
Earlier today I made a batch of NomNom Paleo’s Magic Mushroom Powder, and a shaker cap would be perfect for that!
I store everything in mason jars…. But probably spice blends would be the first thing I’d use.
Wow, generous giveaway. Per your previous recommendations, I have happily incorporated several pour tops into my Mason jar arsenal and I love them! The flip top is very enticing, as is your homemade cleaner application. I can see grated cheese and spice rub uses in my own kitchen. Also, I’ll put in a “bravo” for the spray cap. I just got one recently, and love it for cleaners, plant misters, etc. Re-CAP is great! Thanks to you (and Karen) for the giveaway.
Your drinkable applesauce idea just rocked my world. 🙂 I bought a bunch of the original recap lids, and somehow, drinkable apple sauce to replace those ubiquitous pouches NEVER OCCURED TO ME!!! ARGH!!!
The new flip lids would definitely be for snacks. Tuck into the diaper bag and go!! And spices. And cleaning scrub sounds brilliant. And I think I’d totally have to try it as a cocktail strainer… Decisions, decisions. 🙂
Wow! I usually take a jar of popcorn to work for snacking, and a Flip Cap would be great for that! It would also be great with the shaker for keeping spice blends to put on the popcorn.
Dang, what wouldn’t I use them for? Making pickles, shaking out dried and crumbled herbs, my wife’s morning coffee as she runs out of the house, holding snacks for the kiddos…the list goes on. I hope I win, but I’ll still get a pack or five if I don’t…
I love these! I also carry my coffee around in a mason jar, but have to sit down and unscrew it to drink. I love this idea. And, with a 4 year old, I love the fliptop snack idea!
Morning smoothies for on the way to work, homemade cleaning products, spices…the list goes on. Genius!
I would LOVE to have a replacement for the squeezie habit I’ve (unwittingly) helped my child develop!
I’d use shaker lids for my herbs and spices for sure
I would use the flip cap for chopped up dehydrated vegetables.
hmm, what won’t I? nuts, for sure, dried fruit, beans. I scour with baking soda, so having a large format shaker lid would be great!
I love these! There are so many things I could do with these. I think the main thing I would do is put olive oil in it to keep handy — rather than hauling out the big old jar of it everytime I need it! I have a giant jar of McCormick Hamburger seasoning also that would be handier if it were in a jar with a shaker lid!
Ooooh, I love your idea of using it for an abrasive household cleaner! I usually use baking soda to clean, but applying it usually means I accidentally dump large quantities over my countertop or sink. I’d love to use the Flip Lid on a jar to hold and apply my baking soda!
P.S. I love the unvarnished nature of these pictures–no photoshoping of the messes that so frequently appear on little boys (as well as girls 😀 ) shirts!
I never throw away a Mason jar. Recaps will help me reuse them in more ways.
I have wanted some of these for ages. I’d use them to replace failing travel mugs, on jars I store seeds, grains, granola, and all kinds of dry goods for easy dispensing. And for oils for less messy pouring, but easy refilling. And much more I’m sure.
These new lids look terrific! I use jars for dry goods – nuts, oats, seeds, etc. The flip caps would be great for easy access when I pull out the jars for smoothies or cooking. Thanks for the giveaway!
Wow, these would be so awesome to win!! I have a big jar of baking soda that I use for cleaning, and the shaker flip cap would help me get a more even application! And I can’t tell you how excited I’d be for the sprayer and pump as well.
I am with you on the trail mix thing for sure! And I’m thinking that I would move some of my bulk spices into jelly jars instead of all the odds and ends of jars/bags/little plastic containers they are in now. Very cool! And I need to get some of the pour ones too, obviously now 🙂
I would can my pickles in these and my peaches. Store my pasta sauces and leftovers in these jars. There is so many ways for these to be useful to me…I would really love to have them. Thank you.
What don’t I do with jars? And then cover with ever s doing rusting lid rings? My sweetie makes me love filled smoothies of mysterious nutritious blends to take away with me, Ehem, they come in a jar and take the day to get through all that special care. I spritz and spray and sprout and soak and store and sprinkle my own blends of herbs,seeds, dried fruit bits and roast and snack all kinds of beans, nuts, fruits, and veggies that aren’t suited to bags,yuck…they Make their way to jars, and often my car, or office, or kids’ dorm. They probably help keep me from forgetting to eat or gnawing off some bit of someone when I’m out and realize oh! Food now! Crabby spontaneous canabalism is not ok.
What *wouldn’t* you use them for? I mean really! I’m thinking of the jar of homemade pork/chicken rub in my fridge that could so benefit from a flip top lid. Pick me! 🙂
Anything from the great bulk bins at my local co-op, Honest Weight.