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
The first thing I would do would be to store my homemade honey dijon vinaigrette (dijon mustard, raw honey, ACV, and olive oil, dash of yellow curry powder). I always give it a good shake before I use it, and the result is always a rusty, gross looking band. I hate wasting bands and lids on things that I don’t can (dressings, dry goods, leftovers). I am enamored with pour spout, it looks great for not wasting/spilling any flour when I pour into a measuring cup (kind of clutz here). Iced coffee also comes to mind, because I always pour it into a quart mason jar and sip on it throughout the day, but it always dribbles a little down my chin, dang threading! Its like an adult sippee cup! Thanks for sharing this post Erica!
What an amazing idea!
I have Mason Jars throughout my house…most found in old glass dumps in our area.
My idea is to use the tops to add Mason jars in the bathroom for Bath Salts, Mouthwash, Powder. That would be so much prettier than the containers that stuff comes in.
Thank you for your creativity and ingenuity!
Best,
Beth Anne
I would use the shaker caps for custom steak rubs!
These would be amazing
I am expecting twins (my first children). They will need all manner of snack containers, etc. in the next months/years, and these would be perfect!
Before that, my fur-child (of the canine persuasion) has one food that is a dehydrated powder we mix with water for each meal, PLUS another powder that we shake on top of that to help with her breath-that-smells-like-dead-things. Both of those have reCAP written all over them!
Thanks Erica, and reCAP!
I can think of a million ways! Drinks,olive oil, dish soap, my famous rub! Fingers crossed!
I would use these to replace the bits of foil and plastic wrap with holes in them currently adorning mason jars I already have. For spice blends, for seed storage and application, for fine sand for pouring, for glitter, for home-made sugar sprinkles, for sterile potting soil, for lightning bugs……..
My first thought for the flip caps was the jars of nuts I have for snacking! No more searching for the lid after someone walked off with the jar……
I’m always looking for good alternatives to travel mugs. Thanks!
For fermenting (with an airlock!), homemade mayo, storing dry fruits and nuts…the list goes on and on!
I love using mason jars to store a variety of things in, i.e. food, cleaning products, office products, etc.
What a great idea.
I would find bunches of things to use these for! But my biggest use would be to put my drinks in them. I always drink out of glass and have always wanted to find a way to use a mason jar. Now if someone would just invent a way to slip on a non slip sleeve like the Life Factory bottles…
I would use them to help preserve all the sauces and condiments I’ve been making with fresh produce this summer! I’ve been making simple syrups for cocktails with fresh berries this summer and the caps would be a great way to store and serve them.
Oh my goodness! I had no idea that reCAP had so many products. I’ll use the shaker lid to dispense my homemade French fry seasoning, among a zillion other things.
I like the pump the most. So awesome to use a mason jar as a soap dispenser. I like the shaker too, I would use it for my own mixed seasoning mixes. Of course the pour spouts would be so great for iced tea and coffee on the go. I love them all!
Where to start? I love the ideas for coffee and for seasoning salts, but I could see myself quickly sliding down and becoming a UGE fan. I love mason jars and their versatility and these lids take it up to a whole new level!
I live full time in an RV and use mason jars to store TONS of different things. They fit in the cupboards and the refrigerator so well. I make kefir and would love to have the lids for the kefir process.
I’d put the small shaker lid to use on pizza night with parmesan and crushed red pepper.
For fermenting and the pump looks like it would be great for homemade chocolate syrup!
Great write-up! Lots of ways to use them — shakers, ferments, replacing icky lids on condiments and other items, cleaners… great products!
I would use them all in the kitchen. 🙂
oh man – I love all of these ideas! I think storing granola in the new flip caps would be a fantastic idea!
The new flip lid looks perfect for my BBQ rubs and other homemade spice mixes.
These look fab! I make my own scouring powders as well, so these would come in very handy. So many uses for these different lids. Thanks for the chance!
I would be using the caps for the ice coffee that goes in my lunch box, and for fermenting of veggies.
Would also have a use for some of my seasoning mixes, with the shaker top.
I would find MANY uses for all the different lids. I make all my own salad dressings and cleaners, I would love to add some new lids to my jars!!
These are all great ideas. These would keep me from reusing annoying plastic containers that never quite fit the purpose. Glass is much easier to clean! Soaps for sure, marinades and salad dressings. Vinegar with the spray top. Maybe try again to grow sprouts– with the shaker lid for rinsing?
I would use the recaps for iced tea and fruit juice and water mixes that I drink a lot. I grow and dry my own herbs so I would love to use the shaker on the little 4 oz mason jars. I want to experiment with making spice and herb mixtures and I would love to win this set–
What a great line of jar lids. I think I would use them just the way you outline in your post. And probably other ideas would turn up once I was using them.
Live Mason jars but these look like they will make life much easier! Thanks for the post!
I will use these all the ways you have, my dear! YES, PLEASE! I love the snacks on the go idea the most, though. They could fit in cup holders which means they could travel in our bike or car cup holders without spilling. SO luxurious 🙂
Wow, these look really useful. I can think of several uses without even trying. Apple sauce, olive oil, coconut oil, homemade vinegar….
I could use these tops for all the things! Lots of sensitivities in my family make it necessary to create our own cleaners and condiments of every type.
I can’t believe I just found these recap lids. They are fantastic! With the flip top functionality, the options really open up. Would love to get my hands on some to try them!
Hey Erica! I love the one I have, and could put all these to great use!
I would love to use these caps to ferment my vegetables!
Currently the cabinet under my sink is overflowing in mason jars. I save the old canning lids so I can use them to store anything when needed & not waste my new ones. To have a lid that would allow me to pour out dressings, drinks, etc. would be fantastic! This would open up a whole new world of uses for my jars. I also love the idea of using a koozie to keep coffee hot. Last summer I started drying my own spices. I have been storing them in mason jars to have easy access. To add the shaker lid would make that system even more functional. Thanks for the all the ideas!
Iced coffee, iced coffee, iced coffee… can you tell I’m a little obsessed?
I would use the reCAP products to allow me to downsize my kitchen. They would allow me to throw out the bpa filled products we currently store our food in and replace them with mason jars that are multipurpose. All we would have to do is choose the appropriate reCAP lid to have a cup, snack holder, coffee thermos, dressing spritzer, hand soap, etc. by making this changer we would also save much storage space which is not only helpful now, but also as we work towards becoming more minimalistic. Finally, I love the idea this is fr a family based company. While that has nothing to do with how I would use the product it would make me a proud user of it. I would much rather support small family based companies than large cooperations, and would tell my friends they should support this awese product line as well.
I store my oatmeal, lentils, wild rice, etc in mason jars and will use the new reCAP Flip Caps on these jars for easier (and quicker) opening (am I lazy?). What I Super want is the adapta-cap pump lid for my dish soap and I would order one from Amazon immediately, but, unfortunately, Amazon says they are not in stock and there is no expected restock date.
I would use them for dried herbs, beverages, tasty breakfast smoothies.
These look fantastic! I’d use for bulk dry goods and snacks. The wide mouth jars could be great for snack-sized portions of fresh fruits and veggies for snacking and storing in the fridge. I also love the spray attachments for household cleaning. Thank you for considering!
How did I not know about these sooner?!!! I am the same way with using my mason jars in all sizes for all things – but I was not able to use them to their fullest potential — until now!! I love the flip cap top for drinks / smoothies on the go! I would absolutely love to be the winner on these. And if not — I will most definitely purchase all these. And I would rather support a homemade business that began through kickstarter than some big corporation.
I will spread the word about these to all my fellow mason users!
I love using mason jars to shake cocktails, so the strainer lids would be a fantastic addition to that. It would eliminate the need for an external strainer.
I know exactly what I will do with the flip cap. Even if I don’t win, I intend to get a bunch of them, and use them for herbs. I recently took a cue from this blog and stuck all my herbs in a drawer with labels on the lids. So much easier than trying to find the right thing in a cupboard! The reCAP shaker lids would be perfect!
I would use these for storing salad dressing and spices. Excited to try these out.
I just started getting into lacto-fermentation, and would love to try making my own fermentation/airlock lid.
The flip caps are making my head spin with ideas! But the first thing I would do is use a pump dispenser for liquid soap in my bathroom.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I already use the pour caps for drinking and fermenting. You’ve just given me a zillion more ideas.
I love the variety of lids and uses from lotions and soaps, my homemade cajun seasoning, and water bottle.