Mason Jar Meals

If you're trying to lose weight and/or need a quick easy lunch to take to work, have a go at making Mason Jar Salads. These are basically salads in a screwtop jar which you can make in advance and store in the fridge. They will keep for three to seven days, depending on ingredients.

The principle is the same for whatever ingredients you use:

Layer One: Dressing goes on the bottom, so pour that in first.
Layer Two:  Next add any proteins or grains you want so they can absorb some of the dressing and provide a buffer for the next additions.
Layer Three: On top of those chunky foods, add in chopped veggies, fruits, cheeses, nuts, and anything else you want in your salad.
Layer Four: Lastly, add a handful or two of your greens of choice.

This is the basic recipe but there may more or fewer layers and different ingredients - it's all so flexible.

Here are a few recipes to get you started.

Mango and Greens Chicken Salad

Ingredients (per jar)

1 tablespoons honey mustard dressing
1/2 cup cooked chicken, cooled and diced
1/2 cup cooked green beans, cooled and cut into 1″ long pieces
1/2 cup mango, peeled and diced
1/4 cup avocado, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon toasted and chopped almonds or walnuts
1-2 handfuls of mixed greens or baby spinach

Method
1. Stack all the ingredients into your jar, starting with the salad dressing and ending with the greens. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
2. Pour salad onto a plate or into a bowl, then mix, eat, and enjoy!

Greek Salad

Layered them from the bottom up:
1. lemon vinaigrette
2. raw zucchini
3. kalamata olives
4. chickpeas
5. red onions
6. crumbled feta cheese
7. tomatoes
8. pine nuts
9. romaine hearts and baby spinach

Keep in mind these are versatile so you can swap anything you don’t like for something else or leave it out entirely.




 If all this sounds terribly healthy, then have a go at this breakfast Mason Jar recipe! Cook in a microwave.

Bacon And Eggs In A Mason Jar

Ingredients

2 raw eggs
fresh spinach
grated cheese
cooked bacon
seasoning

Instructions
Mix eggs, salt & pepper, spinach and cheese together in a bowl
Pour mixture into a mason jar
Cook in microwave for one and half or two minutes (checking often)
The egg mixture will puff up during cooking but deflate when out of the microwave, so don't freak out if you see it rise higher than the jar.
Top with some additional cheese and bacon crumbles

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