The French canning jar can be considered a life saver in more ways than one. The French canning jar was invented during the Napoleonic wars in France as as way of preserving food for traveling solders. These wars lasted for 15 years, and required troops to remain isolated in the countryside for extended periods of time without steady access to food supplies. As a result, many began to suffer from scurvy and starvation, so in a desperate attempt to protect their soldiers, the French government offered a 12,000 Franc reward to anyone with a solution for this food scarcity.
In 1806, Parisian candy maker Nicolas Appert discovered that glass containers that were sealed with a metal disc and wax and then dipped in boiling water worked effectively to preserve food, bringing life to our beloved French canning jar.
