Must-Try Mason Jar Meals for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

by Maria Luci, editor at Maria’s Farm Country Kitchen and Rodale’s

What’s the best place to house everything from pennies to pasta to pickles? A mason jar, of course! Since its creation in 1858, the glass canning jar has been used to help keep us organized, preserve our seasonal harvests, and look lovely on our counters.

But one of our personal favorite ways to use beautiful Le Parfait jars is as a place to make and store meals!

Recently, mason jar meals have become extremely popular—and for good reason. The possibilities are endless. Better yet? Mason jar meals are portable, perfectly portioned, and can be made in advanced to be enjoyed whenever you feel like indulging—giving you extra time in your busy week to just enjoy the season.

So grab a jar (or a dozen!) and give these morning-to-evening mason jar meals a try—for a filling, delicious, and handy “day in a jar.”

BREAKFAST: Blueberry Preserve Overnight Oats

Ingredients:

• 1 12-oz Le Parfait Terrine jar
• 2 Tablespoons blueberry preserves
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup almond milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• A handful of slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, almond milk, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl.
2. Carefully spoon half of the oat mixture into the bottom of the glass terrine jar.
3. Scoop 1 tablespoon of preserves on top of the oats. Cover the jam with the remaining oats and scoop the other tablespoon of jam on top. Cover tightly with the canning jar lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
4. Remove the overnight oats from the refrigerator, sprinkle with slivered almonds, and enjoy!

SNACK: Pumpkin Spice Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 1 6-oz Le Parfait Terrine jar
• 2 cups popped non-buttered organic popcorn
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice blend (or equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger)
• 1 Tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. Place the popped popcorn into a large bowl.
2. Melt the butter before drizzling it over the popcorn. Mix the butter into the popcorn until the kernels become well coated.
3. Sprinkle a bit of the pumpkin spice blend and the sugar onto the buttered popcorn and mix thoroughly. Continue to sprinkle and mix until the popcorn is evenly covered.
4. Fill the terrine jar with the popcorn, sprinkle a little extra sugar on top, and enjoy—or wrap the lid with a bow and give to friends and family for a sweet holiday treat!

LUNCH: Power Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 1-liter screw-top glass canning jar
• 1 Bee’s Wrap food storage wrap
• 3 cups kale, chopped
• ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ½ cup grilled chicken, chopped into bite-size pieces
• ¼ cup red onions, diced
• 1 hard-boiled egg, diced
• Your choice of vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

1. Fill the bottom of the jar with the red onions. Then layer in the egg, blue cheese, chicken, and kale.
2. Cover the top of the jar with the food storage wrap, making a little pocket for your dressing.
3. Fill the pocket with dressing and cover. (This will keep the rest of the ingredients from getting soggy!)
4. Refrigerate until you’re ready for lunch!

DINNER: Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 35-oz screw-top glass canning jar
• 2 oz penne pasta, cooked
• 1 oz mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 oz pesto
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• Basil leaves, for garnish
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Scoop the pesto into the bottom of the jar.
2. Layer in the tomatoes and mozzarella.
3. Add the penne pasta and basil leaves and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Screw on the lid and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat!

DESSERT: Eggnog S’mores

Ingredients:

• 1 7-oz screw-top glass canning jar
• 1 disc Taza eggnog chocolate
• 1/8 cup heavy cream
• Mini marshmallows
• ½ Tablespoon butter, melted
• 4 graham crackers

Directions:

1. Crush the graham crackers and mix in a bowl with the melted butter.
2. Chop up the Taza eggnog chocolate disc and heat with the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the chocolate until it’s melted and smooth then remove from heat.
3. Line the bottom of your jar with the graham cracker/butter mixture.
4. Layer in mini marshmallows until the jar is almost full.
5. Scoop the chocolate mixture over the marshmallows.
6. Top with a couple of mini marshmallows, place on a baking sheet, and broil until the top marshmallows are toasted.

Maria Luci is the manager and editor at Maria’s Farm Country Kitchen and content creator and editor at Rodale’s. She grew up in Virginia, but now lives in Philly with her husband, a black cat, and a giant Aloe plant named Big Al. When not writing and editing, she’s usually cooking up organic recipes or running—or eating when she should be running.

Related Posts:

• 3 Healthy & Delicious Mason Jar Meals
• An Easy Summer Dinner for When It’s Just Too Hot to Cook
• This Easy Homemade Pesto Tastes Way Better Than Anything Out of a Jar