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Thursday, May 14, 2015

3 Healthy Mason Jar Meals- Made Easy!

Summer is right around the corner and everyone is jumping the gun on getting their beach bodies back, or even just eating healthier as the weather gets warmer. I myself am not a "dieter" per say. I like making healthy life style changes and sticking with them for a better tomorrow.

Recently I have gotten really into mason jar meal and snack prepping. I saw some mason jar salads on Pinterest and decided to make my own salads and meals using the same concept.

A good rule of thumb is to use more crunchy vegetables rather than leafy, because you don't want your salad to wilt.

I start out my mason jar salads with a dressing or light vinaigrette.

My all time favorite Mason Jar salad calls for two tablespoons of the incredible Balsamic & Basil Dipping Oil from Tastefully Simple.

After pouring in 2 tablespoons of the Tastefully Simple Oil, I add bright red cherry tomatoes, chopped green bell peppers, some fresh mozzarella, and Kale greens on top. (make sure to put any leafy greens on the top for minimal wilting.

(You can pick up a bottle of Tastefully Simple Balsamic & Basil Dipping Oil and other products from Tastefully Simple: Sarah Calcutt.)

Sarah, my Tastefully Simple Consultant, was so helpful in picking out some delicious dressings and oils from her Collection to pair perfectly with the mason jar meals and salads.

You can add about 1-3 tablespoons, or just enough to lightly coat your veggies once your jar salad is shaken.

The first salad I made was layered with 2 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette, 1 cup of chopped red cabbage, 12 baby carrots, and then another layer of 1/2 cup chopped red cabbage.




The second jar I prepared was the same as the first, except I topped the final layer with a few cut up pieces of a ripe red apple for some added sweetness. Red apple also goes fabulous with balsamic dressings.




These mason jar salads are so easy and convenient. You can either dump your salad onto a plate, which will come out with the dressing on top since you put it in the bottom of the jar when prepping. You can also shake the jar and eat your salad right from the source!

These mason jar salads are between 60-90 calories and extremely high in vitamin A.




The last, but certainly not least mason jar was not a salad, but an actual prepped meal stuffed into the awesome recyclable and reusable glass jar.

The meal is simple and uses less than 4 ingredients as well. I first stuffed 4 ounces of cooked turkey breast in the empty jar. I then steamed some fresh green beans and stuffed 1 cup of them in each jar with turkey breast.

I like my veggies on the plain side of flavor, but you can feel free to salt the water you use to steam the green beans for a little added flavor.

This mason jar meal is between  150-160 calories and has 25 grams of protein.



I meal prep for four to five days at a time, and I have found that the mason jar salads actually will last that long in the refrigerator unlike plated leaf salads which get soggy from the dressing and moisture.

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21 comments:

  1. I never thought to do a meat/veggie jar!!

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  2. I love this idea for a snack at work! Great post!

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  3. Yum! What a great idea, especially for those busy mornings during the week when you just have time to grab and go.

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  4. Great ideas Chelsea. The colors of your meals are fabulous! They are really a great feast for the eyes and the tummy.

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  5. I really love these ideas of Mason Jar Salads. It is a wonderful way to have a healthy lunch or dinner.
    twinkle at optonline dot net

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  6. I love these! They're more creative than the traditional salads I typically put in a mason jar too. I'm definitely planning on making a few more mason jar lunches when I begin grad school next month, and these may join my repertoire. Thanks for sharing, happy FF, and have a wonderful weekend! :)

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  7. This is great idea putting meals in Mason jars. So time savings and healthy way to have a healthy meal. Thanks for sharing. Pinned & twitted.

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  8. Stopped over from #HomeMattersParty. These salads look great for summer whether its for a work lunch or an afternoon at the beach. I like to prep my smoothies too for 2-3 quick breakfasts during the week.

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  9. Such great ideas! Thanks so much for taking the time to link up with us over at the #HomeMattersParty - we hope to see you again on Friday :) Feel free to bring a friend or two!

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  10. I see so many mason jar meals and I really need to start doing it myself....not only healthy but pretty! #MeanderingMondays Have a great day

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  11. Mason Jar Meals are so much fun and yours look delicious. Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday this week.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  12. What fun ideas! I would not have thought of them...

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  13. I have seen this done, but haven't tried it yet. I have Kale ready to be harvested. I have got to try this! Thanks for sharing them with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  14. I'm a fanatic when it comes to mason jar meals so this is right up my meal-plannin' street! Thanks for sharing :)

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  15. great ideas and using the jars means less trash and easy recycle to the next meal! I had done salads and oatmeals but hadn't extended the thought to a meal - great idea!

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  16. What a great idea to make salads in mason jars, these sound delicious! Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend? I hope you will join us again this Monday!

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  17. Nutritious, delicious, and fun to make! Mason jar meal prepping has become a weekly part of my life now. It was so much fun putting these jars together

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  18. First off, I LOVE mason jars and secondly, I LOVE these healthy ideas! I will be pinning :) Thank you for sharing this week on the Art of Home-Making Mondays!

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  19. Hello beautiful! This looks so amazing. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you on tonight at 7 pm because we love to party with you! Happy Memorial Day! Lou Lou Girls

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  20. These are great meals to take on the go. Thanks for linking up and sharing your recipe with us at Funtastic Friday. Hope you join us again this week.

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  21. I never thought of using Mason Jars for meals on the go. Creative! Thanks for sharing on Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party!

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