Need easy mason jar meal ideas? We’ve got you covered. We know your days are super busy. Sometimes, you can forget to take time to yourself and enjoy a meal. Stop living off granola bars and coffee, you need real food! Meal prepping is a great way to make sure you get to enjoy delicious food throughout the week, without the stress of cooking. Mason jars are small and super easy to throw in any purse or lunch bag. I’ve put together some of the tastiest mason jar meals for those days you hardly have time to breathe.
Do you live for carbs? Don’t be ashamed, I know I do. Layered pasta is so easy and super quick to prepare for your mason jar. Take your favorite sauce, mines Classico’s Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce. Put a few spoonfuls on the bottom of the jar, then adding graded or balled mozzarella cheese. The majority of the jar space should be filled with your choice of cooked pasta. I prefer medium shells, but Rigatoni or Farfalle tastes just as good. When you’re ready to eat, simply shake and heat!
Who doesn’t love pasta salad? So refreshing and so simple to make! Once again, we’re going to layer up this jar. First you’ll need to cook up some Rotini pasta. Then add in broccoli, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and if you’re a meat lover- Italian sausage! Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pour in your favorite Italian dressing, and you’re all set. When ready to eat, shake it up and enjoy!
Mmm my favorite! Salads are my favorite go-to lunch. With your choice of grilled chicken, walnuts, apple, and dressing stack up all you favorite salad accessories in one little jar. Apple chicken is a must-try, but you can pack any type of salad into your mason jar. Some ideas include Greek, Thai, Cobb or Caesar. These are delicious and guaranteed to last all day long!
More mac n cheese please! We want as much cheesy goodness as we can fit in one jar. Kraft, Annies or homemade mac and cheese, you just can’t go wrong. Why not make it even better by adding veggies or meat? Bacon, ham, sausage, broccoli or peppers there are so many ways to spice up your everyday mac n cheese. Before eating, just throw it in the microwave so its warm and ready for you to enjoy!
Perfect for those cold days when you have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. Looking forward to a hot and tasty soup for your lunch or dinner is the perfect way to get through your busy day. Of course, you can just pour in a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup, but making it homemade is way better. Ideas besides chicken noodle are tomato, clam chowder, split pea or butternut squash soup. For great homemade soup recipes, click here.
These are perfect for on-the-go breakfasts. Your mornings start early and you’re going to get hungry before lunch. Yogurt parfaits are great because they’re filling, but not too filling. Chose your favorite yogurt, greek or regular. Mix in your choice of berries, banana, nuts, and granola. Your stomach will thank you for this one!
Taco Tuesday has a deeper meaning to it with these taco salad jars. These will keep your stomach full all day long. You’ll need the basics- corn, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. Pick between chicken or ground beef for the meat of the taco, and your choice of salsa, sour cream or guacamole. Shake your jar and enjoy this easy yet delicious meal. After having one of these, you’ll never think about Chipotle again.
Fruit salad, yummy yummy. These are perfect to pair with another mason jar meal. Fruit salads are refreshing and great for your mind and body. My favorite fruit salads are packed with honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, and pineapple. Mix melons, berries, oranges, kiwi or bananas together to blend the perfect salad. This is a great snack for anytime of the day.
The best breakfast for when you’re on-the-run. Overnight oats are easily prepared the night before and left in the refrigerator while you’re sleeping. I prefer to eat Maple, Brown Sugar and Cinnamon oats. They’re full of the best ingredients (if you can’t already tell by their name). Before leaving home, throw fruit, nuts or extra cinnamon or syrup on top! For the full recipe, click here!
This is by far the easiest jar to throw together. Celery and pretzels with peanut butter are the perfect way to hold your stomach over in between breakfast and lunch. Other great ideas are apples and peanut butter, pretzels and Nutella or even crackers and cheese cubes. Super simple and delicious!
Açaí bowls are so tasty but so expensive. Stop spending $15 every time you want to enjoy one of these bowls and make your own at home! Açaí can be bought from most grocery stores, but I find the best can be purchased at Trader Joe’s for just $3.99 a box. These come with strawberries, blueberries, banana, and coconut, but of course, nothing tastes better than fresh fruit. My favorite granola is Nature Valley Oats ‘N Honey Granola Crunch. Top with your choice of coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter, honey or nuts. Remember to keep your jar as cold as possible before eating (but not frozen)!
Saved the best for last. Sushi is my absolute favorite food and I only wish I could have it for every meal. Of course, you’re not going to shove a roll of sushi into your jar, so we’re going to make it more of a Poke bowl type of meal. Start with sticky rice, and then chose your toppings based on your favorite sushi rolls. Love California rolls? Throw crab meat, cucumber, and avocado into your bowl. Do you prefer shrimp, salmon or tuna in your sushi? Good thing you get the freedom of designing your own jars! And of course feel free to stop any of these with some soy sauce, ginger or wasabi!
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