Mason Jars are a Girls Best Friend

Meal prep has been a constant love affair of mine. Sometimes we take breaks from each other, especially when life gets crazy. But it never fails, I find my way back, usually with a new strategy to try. The latest, and maybe greatest, tool I have found is mason jars!

I'm not joking, I love these things. I've started prepping all of our breakfasts and lunches in mason jars of various sizes. By prepping everything on Sunday evenings after our weekly grocery trip, I have less excuses on Wednesday morning when I am packing my lunch. When I manipulate my environment for success, let's just say Jimmy Johns loses out on a lot of business.

I wanted to share with you my favorite mason jar recipes I have found so far:

1. Mason Jar Salads

We have fully embraced the mason jar salad life. So far we have made grilled chicken salads, salmon salads, taco salads, pepperoni salads, and simple veggie side salads. Anything you can think to put on a salad, you can put in a mason jar. These are so simple to grab and go for quick lunches on the way to work. Instead of waking up early and throwing together a sandwich and chips, I grab a jar and a veggie box and I'm on my way.

2. Mason Jar Mixed Fruit

Along with salads, we love throwing some mixed fruit in one of the smaller jars for a quick snack. On the hot summer days we fill them with watermelon, load up the cooler and head outside!

3. Mason Jar Pasta Salad

Another easy quick lunch, pasta salad! There are so many ways you can throw these together. Our favorite is a shredded chicken and avocado pasta salad.

4. Mason Jar Smoothies

We love smoothies, but they take some time to make in the mornings. Honestly, I love my sleep so it's time I rarely have. We started putting spinach leaves and frozen fruit in jars and freezing them. In the morning we grab the jar, dump in the blender, put a few spoonfuls of greek yogurt in, pour a little water in and blend it up. In 5 minutes max, we are good to go and on our way to work.

5. Mason Jar Sushi

We haven't tried these just yet, but we are so excited to make them next! Check out this recipe at https://spoonuniversity.com/recipe/deconstructed-sushi-jar or search mason jar sushi on Pinterest.

6. Mason Jar Soups

Soup is an easy to go lunch item, especially in a jar. Easy to transport and easy to microwave. Any soup can be poured into a jar and paired with a side salad.

7. Mason Jar Shepherds Pie

This is the recipe I am most excited to make! We love making shepherds pie, easy to transport shepherds pie is a no brainer. With the filling on the bottom and the mashed potatoes on top, you can eat straight out of the jar or pour into another bowl after microwaving.

8. Mason Jar Egg Scrambles

Like I said, my mornings are pretty hectic. Making an egg scramble ahead of time that can quickly be microwaved is a life saver for my morning. Plus, if your fridge is filled with mason jars, think of the organization!

9. Mason Jar Burrito Bowls

Burrito bowls make a great lunch or dinner. Also a nice way to mix it up from the leafy greens and add some protein and carbs to your diet. Photo from catchmecooking.com

10. Mason Jar Instant Ramen

Although soup is a favorite for lunch, I sure do miss my ramen noodles. A college kids favorite, the ease of 188 calories in the microwave or on the stove. Well, mason jar ramen brings that ease back with homemade ramen ready to go. Check out this recipe https://www.brit.co/mason-jar-ramen/ but know that search on Pinterest and you'll find 20+ more where that came from!

I want to end this post with a connection to ABA and meal prep. Applied behavior analysis involves changing behavior, changing how the environment effects a behavior, and acknowledging how an individual learns. In the case of meal preparation, we are modifying the environment to promote the behavior of healthy eating. By changing the antecedent (what happens prior to the behavior), in this case food being readily available or not readily available, we can change the behavior.

Let's look at one example before we go. If I have 15 minutes before work and I go to my fridge to make a lunch and I see a roll of uncooked hamburger, a head of lettuce, a tomato, yogurt, and sausage links, I am most likely going to turn around and order Jimmy Johns. That's just my personality. I don't have the time to make meals before work, I would rather get a sandwich delivered to my office. It's all about convenience.

Now if I walk to my fridge and I have 15 minutes before work and I see three varieties of salads, fruit cups, veggie snack boxes, pre-made wraps, and smoothies ready to go, I am more likely to grab a healthy option and hit the road. Manipulating the environment and what happens immediately prior to my decision about what I eat, has a great effect on my calorie intake.

If there is one thing you take away from this post, know that you can do it. Anyone can do it! Although that Sunday afternoon spent in a grocery store then meal prepping away seems like hours on end, I guarantee you it will save you time and stress throughout your week. You will feel more inclined to make healthy choices simply because of convenience. If you decide to hop on the mason jar train, let me know what you make! I'm always looking for a new recipe to try.