Sometimes I need to remind myself about why I've made the choices I've
made and stick with. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday thinking about
the can vs jar debate/lecture we have here every so often as I was
looking at their Marinara sauces and wondering why I prefer the can
over the jar, so I looked at the list of ingredients to remind myself.
They read pretty much the same, but the deciding factor for me is type
of oil listed. The can says extra virgin olive oil and the jar says
safflower oil. I also figured out why I buy the red can of Marinara
and not the blue one when the ingredient list is virtually the same.
Slapping forehead: the blue can is *whole* tomatoes.

I found a comment on the internet that Costco's Kirkland brand
Marinara sauce has virtually the same list of ingredients (but regular
olive oil, not extra virgin), so I'll try to remember to look at it
when I'm there - but the size and price of Trader Joe's 28 oz can
makes it very appealing to me. I don't use marinara enough to merit
buying a large "economy size" and have it hang out (opened) in my
refrigerator until it develops mold and needs to be thrown out - just
to say I buy marinara in a jar.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

SF,
Frankly, I'm surprised that you aren't making your own at home. You can control the oil, the salt, type of tomatoes, plus you add that nice aroma to the house and save a buck too.

On 9/17/13 12:16 PM, sf wrote:
>
> Sometimes I need to remind myself about why I've made the choices I've
> made and stick with. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday thinking about
> the can vs jar debate/lecture we have here every so often as I was
> looking at their Marinara sauces and wondering why I prefer the can
> over the jar,

Sometimes I choose between the two just based on how (if?) I can easily
recycle the container the item comes in.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 09:51:07 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> SF,
> Frankly, I'm surprised that you aren't making your own at home. You can control the oil, the salt, type of tomatoes, plus you add that nice aroma to the house and save a buck too.

Mainly, I do, but sometimes I just don't feel like it and yesterday
was one of those days. Honestly, at $1.29 (or whatever it was) for a
28oz can - the only savings is time.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 12:56:42 -0400, Goomba >
wrote:

> On 9/17/13 12:16 PM, sf wrote:
> >
> > Sometimes I need to remind myself about why I've made the choices I've
> > made and stick with. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday thinking about
> > the can vs jar debate/lecture we have here every so often as I was
> > looking at their Marinara sauces and wondering why I prefer the can
> > over the jar,
>
> Sometimes I choose between the two just based on how (if?) I can easily
> recycle the container the item comes in.

That can is the perfect size to make small loaves of Boston Brown
Bread in too.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:08:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

> We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
> add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
> can close a jar easier than a can.

I want to use it all up at once, not have it hanging around in the
refrigerator.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 9/17/2013 12:16 PM, sf wrote:
>
> Sometimes I need to remind myself about why I've made the choices I've
> made and stick with. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday thinking about
> the can vs jar debate/lecture we have here every so often as I was
> looking at their Marinara sauces and wondering why I prefer the can
> over the jar, so I looked at the list of ingredients to remind myself.
> They read pretty much the same, but the deciding factor for me is type
> of oil listed. The can says extra virgin olive oil and the jar says
> safflower oil. I also figured out why I buy the red can of Marinara
> and not the blue one when the ingredient list is virtually the same.
> Slapping forehead: the blue can is *whole* tomatoes.
>

We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
can close a jar easier than a can.

When making a pot of meatballs and sausage, my wife makes it from
scratch using canned tomatoes and perhaps aa can of tomato paste.

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 12:56:42 PM UTC-4, Goomba38 wrote:
> On 9/17/13 12:16 PM, sf wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Sometimes I need to remind myself about why I've made the choices I've
>
> > made and stick with. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday thinking about
>
> > the can vs jar debate/lecture we have here every so often as I was
>
> > looking at their Marinara sauces and wondering why I prefer the can
>
> > over the jar,
>
>
>
> Sometimes I choose between the two just based on how (if?) I can easily
>
> recycle the container the item comes in.

Interesting. Is is tougher to recyck a jar vs. a can? My single stream system takes both.

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 1:07:16 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:08:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>
>
> > We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
>
> > add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
>
> > can close a jar easier than a can.
>
>
>
> I want to use it all up at once, not have it hanging around in the
>
> refrigerator.

I freeze portions of sauce and meatballs for a meal, plus maybe the rest of the sauce in one cup Rubbermaids. I make prob. a half gallon of sauce at a time. As to hanging around, I swear my sauce improves to its best level about Day Numero 4.

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
> On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 12:56:42 PM UTC-4, Goomba38 wrote:
>> On 9/17/13 12:16 PM, sf wrote:
>>
>> >
>>
>> > Sometimes I need to remind myself about why I've made the choices I've
>>
>> > made and stick with. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday thinking about
>>
>> > the can vs jar debate/lecture we have here every so often as I was
>>
>> > looking at their Marinara sauces and wondering why I prefer the can
>>
>> > over the jar,
>>
>>
>>
>> Sometimes I choose between the two just based on how (if?) I can easily
>>
>> recycle the container the item comes in.
>
> Interesting. Is is tougher to recyck a jar vs. a can? My single stream
> system takes both.

Here we put all paper, plastic, glass and metal in one container.

On 9/17/13 8:14 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 12:56:42 PM UTC-4, Goomba38 wrote:

>> Sometimes I choose between the two just based on how (if?) I can easily
>>
>> recycle the container the item comes in.
>
> Interesting. Is is tougher to recyck a jar vs. a can? My single stream system takes both.


Jars are much easier to recycle here than cans. And which types of
plastic they take-my service only wants #1 and #2 plastic. So I take
those elements into consideration also when choosing between similar items.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to add
> something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you can
> close a jar easier than a can.
>
> When making a pot of meatballs and sausage, my wife makes it from
> scratch using canned tomatoes and perhaps aa can of tomato paste.
>
You can also save those jars and pour unused portions from other
packages into the jars..

--
Jean B.

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
> On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 1:07:16 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
>> On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:08:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
>>
>> > add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
>>
>> > can close a jar easier than a can.
>>
>>
>>
>> I want to use it all up at once, not have it hanging around in the
>>
>> refrigerator.
>
> I freeze portions of sauce and meatballs for a meal, plus maybe the rest
> of the sauce in one cup Rubbermaids. I make prob. a half gallon of sauce
> at a time. As to hanging around, I swear my sauce improves to its best
> level about Day Numero 4.

Dunno about day 4 but mine is always better after the first day. The same
with stews and casseroles.
--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:17:22 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 1:07:16 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
> > On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:08:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
> >
> > > add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
> >
> > > can close a jar easier than a can.
> >
> >
> >
> > I want to use it all up at once, not have it hanging around in the
> >
> > refrigerator.
>
> I freeze portions of sauce and meatballs for a meal, plus maybe the rest of the sauce in one cup Rubbermaids. I make prob. a half gallon of sauce at a time. As to hanging around, I swear my sauce improves to its best level about Day Numero 4.

I'd never even consider freezing tomato sauce.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 01:32:59 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:17:22 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 1:07:16 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
>> > On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:08:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
>> >
>> > > add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
>> >
>> > > can close a jar easier than a can.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I want to use it all up at once, not have it hanging around in the
>> >
>> > refrigerator.
>>
>> I freeze portions of sauce and meatballs for a meal, plus maybe the rest of the sauce in one cup Rubbermaids. I make prob. a half gallon of sauce at a time. As to hanging around, I swear my sauce improves to its best level about Day Numero 4.
>
>I'd never even consider freezing tomato sauce.

Why? Is it because you are envisioning freezing the remains of a
small can or do you object to freezing any kind of tomato sauce on
other grounds. Inquiring minds. . .
Janet US

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 08:09:05 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

> On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 01:32:59 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
> >On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:17:22 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> > wrote:
> >
> >> On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 1:07:16 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
> >> > On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:08:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > > We do buy jars of sauce to keep on hand. It is good for pizza and to
> >> >
> >> > > add something when you need small amounts. The advantage is that you
> >> >
> >> > > can close a jar easier than a can.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >

> >> > I want to use it all up at once, not have it hanging around in the
> >> > refrigerator.
> >>
> >> I freeze portions of sauce and meatballs for a meal, plus maybe the rest of the sauce in one cup Rubbermaids. I make prob. a half gallon of sauce at a time. As to hanging around, I swear my sauce improves to its best level about Day Numero 4.
> >
> >I'd never even consider freezing tomato sauce.
>
> Why? Is it because you are envisioning freezing the remains of a
> small can

Yes. Why waste precious freezer space on what amounts to leftovers?
The only tomato product I freeze is tomato paste. Recipes call for a
tablespoon or two of it and what else can you do with the remainder of
the can? The other choices are to throw the remainder out or don't
make the recipe in the first place.

> or do you object to freezing any kind of tomato sauce on
> other grounds. Inquiring minds. . .

It is nothing as pedestrian as objecting to the idea of freezing
tomatoes, I don't use a lot of tomato sauce - so the jar would hang
out in my refrigerator until it turned into a science experiment and
had to be thrown away. Meaty tomato sauce is easy enough to make
(meatballs go into Albondigas soup at my house and that's about it) -
why bother freezing it? I've discovered that I like TJ's marinara in
a can and have decided it's not worth the effort to make tomato sauce
from scratch when it's just an ingredient. In any case, TJ's marinara
in a can is my go to tomato sauce now. No need to spend hours making
a bolognese (the real one with milk) only to end up wondering why I
wasted my time on it because I hate the final result.

I feel the same way about baked beans from scratch. I've found
commercial that taste exactly like what I make, so why bother. If I
want baked beans for dinner, I open a can.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Janet Bostwick wrote:
>
> sf wrote:
> >I'd never even consider freezing tomato sauce.
>
> Why? Is it because you are envisioning freezing the remains of a
> small can or do you object to freezing any kind of tomato sauce on
> other grounds. Inquiring minds. . .

sf has NEVER had a really good homemade spaghetti sauce. She only
cooks for one meal and maybe one other (that's what she claims).
There is no way to get a great one doing that so quickly and in small
quantities, imo.

You make a large batch. You can make it all from scratch or you can
start with canned or jarred stuff and enhance the heck out of it with
lots of onions, garlic, olive oil, meat, spices, etc, etc. Then you
let it simmer for many hours. Eat some later and it's good. Let it
sit overnight and it's better. Freeze all your extras in dinner-sized
portions and even months down the road, what you have there is better
that something you can buy or make on the spur of the moment.

I will not eat spaghetti or make lasagne unless I have some good
homemade on standby. I am picky about that. Make your own pasta (easy
to do) and cook that the same day and you've got the best you will
ever eat.

G.