How to Vacuum Seal Mason Jars

Vacuum-sealing a Mason jar is one of the easiest ways to keep flour, coffee, nuts, pasta and other dry goods fresh for months. It takes about ten seconds a jar.

What you need

• A clean, dry Mason jar (regular or wide mouth)
• A flat canning lid (the metal disc)
• A jar sealer, either an attachment for your vacuum sealer or a cordless standalone unit

The steps

1. Fill the jar with dry goods, leaving about an inch of headspace.
2. Wipe the rim clean so the lid seats properly.
3. Place a flat canning lid on the rim (no screw band needed for sealing).
4. Set the jar sealer over the lid, matched to your jar's mouth size.
5. Run the vacuum, through your FoodSaver's accessory hose or by pressing a cordless sealer, until the lid is sucked down tight.
6. Remove the sealer. The lid stays vacuum-sealed until you lift its tab to release it. Add a screw band for storage if you like.

This is dry storage, not canning. Vacuum-sealing a jar removes air to keep dry goods fresh. It does NOT make moist or cooked food shelf-stable and is not a safe substitute for water-bath or pressure canning. For preserving those foods, follow tested canning guidance from the NCHFP.

Tips

Canning lids are cheap and reusable for vacuum sealing (unlike heat-canning, where they're single-use). If a jar won't hold its seal, check the rim is clean and undamaged and the lid is flat. See our best jar sealer guide for which tool to use.

The verdict

Fill with dry goods, wipe the rim, add a flat lid, seal with a jar attachment or cordless sealer, and you've got a vacuum-sealed jar that keeps for months. Just remember it's for dry storage, not a replacement for proper canning.