I’ve mentioned this in a few different blog posts at this point, but it’s still true: I tend to get a bit obsessive about food. My most recent food obsession is a particular brand of yogurt called Oui by Yoplait. It’s a French-style yogurt that comes in individual glass jars. And to be honest with you, I might be just as obsessed with the jars as I am with the yogurt that comes in them!
Since I’ve been eating a lot of this yogurt lately, I’ve been coming up with ways to repurpose all of the adorable yogurt jars I have refused to throw out. And I have so many ideas at this point that I can’t help but share them with you here! :-)
But before we get to that, let’s quickly explore why this yogurt is packaged and sold in glass jars in the first place!
A Brief Introduction to French-Style Yogurt
The main difference between traditional French-style yogurts (like Oui) and other styles of yogurt is that it is “pot set.” This simply means that the yogurt is cultured and sold in the same container, usually in an individual portion.
Using glass containers for pot set yogurt is a very practical choice, because glass stands up well to heat and is easy to sanitize. And I’m certainly not complaining either, because there are so many wonderful ways to reuse these cute little jars! :-)
Put A Lid On It!
In the next section of this post, you’ll find a list of creative and practical ways to reuse Oui yogurt jars. Some of the uses don’t require any special equipment or alteration—simply wash the jars and go nuts!
Other ideas require you to fit a lid on the jar, but I have good news on that front! There are plenty great lids that fit Oui jars perfectly that are readily available online! Here are just a few:
- Yoplait Lids – Yoplait offers both blue and clear lids for Oui jars, available for purchase on the Walmart website.
- Wood Lids – These wood lids are designed for small Weck jars, but they fit perfectly on Oui jars too. They have a rubber gasket that forms an airtight seal.
- Bamboo Lids – These Bamboo Wood Lids are designed to fit Oui jars and they have silicone sealing rings for a tight seal. They are also eco-friendly!
- Silicone Lids – If you want a simple lid that fits well and is easy to clean, look no further than these pretty silicone lids from Amazon! You get a variety of colors and you can choose from candy colors or pastels.
- More Silicone Lids – These simple stretch lids come in packs of ten and will also fit your mason jars, so they’re very economical.
- Hydroponic Garden Lids – These cork adapter lids let you use Oui cups to grow small plants hydroponically or make a tiny terrarium! Perfect for herbs on your windowsill!
Okay, now let’s get to the good stuff! :-) Without further ado, here are 13 creative ways to reuse Oui glass yogurt jars.
13 Brilliant Uses for Oui Yogurt Jars
1. Candle Votive
Use a yogurt jar as a candle votive. Just put a tea light inside (either the standard kind or battery-powered) and light it up. It you want to add a little something extra to your votive, pour a bit of colored sand into the bottom before adding your light.
2. Odds & Ends
Use a yogurt jar to corral collections of small items, like spare change, office supplies, craft supplies, and more.
3. Spices
Fill a couple of these yogurt jars with your most frequently used spices. For instance, I go through a lot of Italian seasoning, so I filled a jar with it and popped a lid on top. It’s always handy when I need it, and it looks great on my countertop too!
4. Gift Jar
Need a quick and easy birthday gift idea? Fill one of these jars with small gifts like candy, money, accessories, etc. Cover the top of the jar with some cute tissue paper and secure it with a bit of string. So easy, and it looks great!
5. Succulent Pot
Generally speaking, most succulents do best in containers that have drainage holes. But if you fill the bottom of one of these jars with gravel first, you can absolutely use it as a pot for a small succulent! Be sure to use a cactus soil blend, which is drier than regular potting soil, and water your succulent infrequently for best results.
6. Bath Salts
Use yogurt jars to store or gift your favorite homemade bath salt! To make bath salts with Epsom salts, mix 2 cups of Epsom salt with 1 cup of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. Add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil and mix well. I like to use lavender or Slumber blend for a relaxing bath before bed. This recipe will fill about six jars, and each jar is just the right amount for a bath!
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Meal Prep & Portion Control
If Yoplait can use these jars to make single portions of yogurt, why not reuse them to make single portions of other foods? Get tons of single serving inspiration by reading my post about meals-in-a-jar at the link below.
Related: 21 Marvelous Mason Jar Meals You Need to Try
8. Condiments & Spreads
Fill these jars with jams, spreads, and other condiments for parties and get-togethers. It couldn’t be easier to do, and people will really appreciate how beautiful they look out on the table!
9. DIY “Sea Glass”
Love the greenish tinge of sea glass? You can transform your yogurt jar into a DIY sea glass container! I used this sea glass spray paint to coat the inside of the jar, then set it upside down on some paper to dry. How easy is that? This paint comes in a variety of beautiful colors, too.
10. Air Freshener
Use a few yogurt jars to make your own gel air fresheners! Get the full instructions for making gel air fresheners by reading my blog post about them below.
Related: How to Make Your Own Gel Air Fresheners
11. Bathroom Storage
Use yogurt jars to store personal care items in your bathroom, like cotton swabs, cotton balls, and hair accessories. They’re as nice to look at as they are useful!
12. Snacks
These jars are the perfect size for snacks. Just fill one up with nuts, cereal, granola, candies, or trail mix, then pop a lid on the top and toss it in your bag for later! (As to whether you offer the snacks to your kids or keep them for yourself… that’s for you to decide.) ;-)
13. Mini Flower Vase
Have some little spring blossoms coming up in your yard or garden? Use a yogurt jar as a mini vase to display them in your home! There’s nothing like a vase of fresh flowers in the springtime, no matter the size!
How would you reuse these glass yogurt jars?
More Ideas You'll Love
Was I glad to also see this! I was literally just diagnosed with pancreatic insufficiency so I need to snack twice a day & small meals 3 times so these are perfect for snacks or AS a snack…whose container I can reuse later!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use my jars both for breakfast juice glasses and for washing out my watercolor brushes. I love the ‘heft’ to them, they don’t tip over at all. Blessings!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I make my weekly batch of oatmeal (in my Instant Pot, of course), I use the yogurt jars to store individual servings. Perfect!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Unfortunately for me, the sugar content in this yogurt is too high, because I am type 2 diabetic. 15 grams is above what I can have. :(
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How do you get the sticky residue off. I have tried Goo Gone and WD40. It is still on there.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here is one of my posts that gives multiple ideas for removing labels and the residue. Hope this helps.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s How To Remove Sticker Residue The Easy Way
Every time I click on the links that say wood lids and cork lids it doesn’t take me anywhere. I would love to know where I can get them. I see other people are asking also so maybe they’re having the same problem. Could you please post the websites so those of us having this problem can get them as well? Thanks so much.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The yogurt in Europe is so much better than anything we have here and was so glad when this first came out. I have saved all my little jars too. They are great for anything in the sewing department, like buttons, little patches, pins, thimbles and such. If it fits in the jar you have a holder. I also like it for the spices. I have also made mini parfaits and (other desserts too) in them for dinners. They are great for just about anything you can imagine, but the best part is the yogurt! Thank you and the readers for some good suggestions.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For everyone asking where to get the different types of lids, just click on the links above. I have a whole section on the lids and where to order them. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the Oui jars to save my bacon grease in the fridge for cooking- the glass lets you pour it in hot/warm and I just allow it to cool on the counter and then put in the fridge to chill & solidify. I take a scoop out for adding to green beans or whatever as needed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Where do you get the lids? Cork, etc. I have never seen them..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee gives you a link to click on where you can get the lids, just before the 13 ideas are listed…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Where did you get that adorable wood lid???
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For my son’s wedding I made votive candles from the Oui yogurt jars. In place of sand I used sugar that I tinted with food coloring. It was a lot cheaper than sand. I then tied matching colored ribbon and made a bow around the lip of the jar. If you have enough notice about the wedding date, or any event, the votive candles can be bought for a lot less the day after Christmas. In this area, none of the venues allow real candles to be used any more.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How creative! I love this idea… Thanks for sharing it. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the larger ones to keep fresh herbs in the fridge… if you trim the bottoms of the stems and put them in water, they’ll hold for quite a while and these jars are the perfect size!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I haven’t bought any of the Oui brand for awhile. I do love their new French Country decorative jars. They are so cute. I’ll have to look and see if they are still being sold. The jars are limited edition
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is great, Jill!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You are not kidding about this yogurt!!! I’m not a big yogurt eater but I wanted the jar for Q- tips. I bought one thinking my son would eat it. He didn’t eat it so I was sharing it with my 10 month old dc baby. It is the BEST yogurt I’ve ever eaten!! Then I washed the jar and both labels came off immediately in one piece each!!! This is the best hint!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m so glad!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A few years ago I saw an idea (probably on Pinterest) for using small containers for holding individual servings of veggies and dip. These little guys would be perfect! Spoon in a generous serving of dip, then arrange a variety of veggie sticks right in the same jar. Cut the sticks thin enough to make for easy eating, and tall enough to look attractive standing tall out of the jar. Very cute clustered on a table or on a pass-around tray!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Genius idea, especially for small children who haven’t learned to not to double-dip!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My Oui jars are from when it first came out and seem to have a label that is painted on? Is there any way to get that off?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Interesting – I haven’t come across that jar type. Are you able to scrape it off at all? If so, I would soak the jars in hot water for a few minutes, and then apply a layer of peanut butter. The oil in peanut butter usually helps to dissolve the adhesive. Best of luck!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And here I was, thinking I was all alone with a secret obsession for Oui containers! BTW, have you seen the little half-size ones with the limited edition chocolate creme in them? So adorable! In the kitchen, I use Oui containers as my drinking glasses, to warm or melt butter, chocolate, peanut butter, as handy upright storage for my measuring spoons, chopsticks and skewers, condiment packets, etc. In the bathroom, I have one holding my toothbrush and toothpaste, one as my water glass, and several others on the countertop, in the medicine cabinet, AND in the drawers to store tweezers, cotton swabs, hair accessories, small tubes of stuff, bandaids, etc. etc. etc…
To remove painted-on labels, wipe with a cloth or paper towel dipped in isopropyl alcohol from the drug store (get the 91 percent or higher strength). It will also usually remove any glue, adhesive, or sticky residue remaining on both glass and plastic containers (just don’t let plastic soak in it – it could damage it). There’s also an excellent solvent-type product called Goof Off that’ll remove just about anything that you DON’T want from anything that you DO.
Thanks so much for providing sources of lids for these little beauties – now I’ll be able to do even MORE with them!
Thanks for the great tips, Lee Anne!
The labels are textured and look painted, but they are plastic and peel off easily. Clean the residue like Lee Anne suggests below. I tried 91% alcohol on one jar, but it wasn’t working all that well. I ended up using Goo Gone.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank You, THANK YOU!!!! Did I say “Thank You” yet??? THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Jennifer!! :-)
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