Summer is practically hear and let’s face it. No one wants to be slaving away every day over a hot stove in the sweltering heat. Thats where meal prep comes in handy. All you have to do is take a few hours once or twice a week and prepare all of your meals in advance. It saves you loads of time and energy in the long run. Saving your time isn’t the only great thing about meal prep because preparing in advance also ensures that you will stay on track. So instead of reaching for fast food or quick fixes you have your pre made meal right on hand. If you arrange your meals accordingly you can have delicious meals lined up in a row right in your refrigerator to grab and go for the whole week.
Not only is meal prep a great way to stay on track but you can make healthy meal prep food in a mason jar. You can pick mason jars up at most local dollar stores, home suppliers or department stores. Once you start using mason jars you soon will realize that they are very versatile. You can make anything from breakfast, salads, pastas, rice bowls, snacks or even desserts just to name a few. They are also very aesthetically please and keep well when sealed and placed in the fridge.
The following 3 recipes are a great start to healthy meal prepping in a jar and I hope that they inspire you to be creative and make your own recipes or add your own personalized twists to these ones. Don’t be afraid to make your favorite meals. Just make sure to layer the wet ingredients on the bottom and layer up from there. The beauty of a healthy meal in a mason jar is that most anything works. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oatmeal
Ingredients:
½ ripe banana, mashed
½ cup Oats
1tsp ground cinnamon
⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk (if you want chocolate oats just substitute chocolate-flavored almond milk for the plain almond milk)
¼ cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp peanut butter (organic preferred)
1 tbsp liquid honey (optional)
1 scoop protein (flavour and brand of choice)
Instructions:
In a jar combine banana, oats, cinnamon, almond milk, yogurt, peanut butter and honey. Stir well, then seal jar and give it a good vigorous shake to make sure the oats are coated with all of the liquid.
Refrigerate overnight.
Serve cold or remove lid and microwave on high for 1 minute or until desired temperature is reached.
Serve in the jar.
Tofu, Snow Pea and Cabbage Rice Jar
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup water
½ long-grain brown rice
¼ tsp sea salt
3 tbsp of sesame dressing or your choice
½ cup snow peas
½ cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced cabbage
1 cup cubed firm tofu
Instructions:
In a medium pan bring water to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice and salt. Cook.
First pour dressing of choice into the bowl. Then layer the rice, snow peas, carrots, cabbage and tofu. On top. Seal the jar and refrigerate for up to a day.
Remove the jar from the refrigerator a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. Turn the jar upside down in a bowl and let the dressing coats the rice.
Rainbow Fruit Salad Jar
Ingredients:
¼ cup diced strawberries
¼ cup diced pineapple
⅓ cup diced mango
¼ cup diced watermelon
Instructions:
Layer the fruit in the jar.
Seal and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Serve in the jar.
