Does the thought of meal prepping make you break out in hives?  Do you wonder…why does everything have to fit neatly into sectioned off containers?  What if I get bored of eating the same meal EVERY FREAKING DAY???

An awesome solution to these questions comes in the form of a beautifully shaped jar, and serves as a bit of a compromise when it comes to meal prepping!

As an In Demand Woman, you desire to eat healthfully and you also know that your active lifestyle doesn’t always afford you time for elaborate meals.  We want to share with you some Simple, Sustainable & Fun options for meal prepping with mason jars that will offer you the variety, health and simplicity you seek.

OVERNIGHT OATS

These are so great for a healthy, simple breakfast that you can prep the night before and do it for one day or every day of the week!

Top overnight oats with your favorite toppings…fruit, yogurt, seeds, nuts—even chocolate chips!

Half-pint mason jars work best for this meal.

To start:

Assemble in the jar: oats, milk, yogurt and chia or hemp seeds.  Any variety or brand of ingredient works (i.e. steel-cut oats, regular oats, non-fat milk, almond milk, Greek yogurt–plain or flavored…your choice!).  Shake it up to mix everything together.

Then add any variety of flavors or toppings:

• Fruit
• Nut butters (powdered works great!)
• Nuts
• Other seeds
• Shaved coconut
• Chocolate chips

Put in the refrigerator overnight and your breakfast is ready for at-home or on-the-go in the morning!

A quick mason jar “hack”…use an empty fruit cup container to hold the dressing or sauce, place on top of the lettuce and close the lid tight!

MASON JAR SALAD

When you need a quick lunch and want to make sure you get in your veggies, mason jar salads are the way to go!  We recommend using a quart-sized mason jar  so you can pack it full of the good stuff.  The key to mason jar salads is layering the dressing and more “wet” items on the bottom of the jar, packing the ingredients tight and topping it off with the lettuce.

When it’s time to eat, simply dump the jar onto a plate (or bowl), toss with a  fork and enjoy!

PROTEIN SHAKE

One of the biggest hassles about making a protein shake is adding in all the STUFF!!!  And then hoping you don’t forget anything.  So, instead of relying on hope as a strategy, plan ahead with all of your dry ingredients in mason jars.  Half-pint sized jars usually work best since the ingredients are dry and not bulky.

Dry ingredients in mason jars make shake prep Simple, Sustainable & Fun!

Some items you can include:

• Protein powder
• Oats
• Creatine or other supplements
• Spices like cinnamon, cocoa powder, turmeric
• Powdered nut butter (PB2, PB Fit and Barney’s are some of our faves!)

When you are ready to mix your shake, start with liquid ingredients (almond milk, yogurt, etc.) in your blender, empty your pre-prepped mason jar, add ice and blend!

Mason jars serve so many wonderful purposes in our kitchens!  Use these tips to change up your meal prepping routine and keep your breakfasts, lunches and snacks Simple, Sustainable & Fun!