20 Mason Jar Meal Prep Ideas | The College Nutritionist (2024)

Preparing meals in a mason jar can be a very useful and convenient way to store your meal-prepped dishes.

It doesn’t take up too much space in your fridge, it’s easy to transport to work, and you can eat straight out of it for convenience.

They’re perfect for soups, salads, and any other kinds of foods you want to prep in advance.

So in this post, I’m sharing a round-up of meal ideas you can prepare using mason jars.

Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

419 calories

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Chia seeds – 120 calories
• ½ Banana – 52.5 calories
• ½ cup Blueberries, fresh – 35 calories
• ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
• ½ cup Milk, 2% (cups) – 61 calories

Instructions

1. Combine oats, milk, and chia seeds
2. Let sit in container with lid (like a Ball jar) overnight
3. Top with blueberries and banana

Dairy-Free Overnight Oats

377 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
• ¼ cup Almond milk – 7.5 calories
• 1 Banana – 105 calories
• 1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories
• 1 Tbsp Cocoa powder – 20 calories

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Let sit in container with lid (like a mason jar) overnight.
3. No nuts? Use a seed butter e.g. sunflower seed butter.

Granola & Fruit Parfait

300 calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup Blueberries, fresh – 70 calories
• 1 Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container – 110 calories
• ¼ cup Granola – 120 calories

Instructions

1. Layer or pile fruit and granola on top of yogurt.
2. Want a flavored yogurt? Switching out the plain for a flavored yogurt is fine, look for one with <15 gm sugar per serving.
3. No dairy? Use a dairy-free yogurt. Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free granola.
4. Note: Brands of granola I like best are Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola, Bob’s Red Mill varieties, Quaker Simply Granola Oats Honey & Almonds, and Kashi Varieties. But whatever brand you have is fine!

Overnight Oats

233 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
• 1 cup Almond milk – 30 calories
• ½ cup Strawberries, fresh – 25 calories
• 1 tsp Honey – 20 calories
• ½ tsp Sugar – 8 calories

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine oats, milk, and sugar.
2. Store in fridge overnight, in a mason jar, covered.
3. Top with strawberries and honey.

Overnight Oats with Berries and PB

519 calories

Ingredients

• 6 oz Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, from tub – 127.5 calories
• ¾ cup Milk, skim, non-fat – 67.5 calories
• 1 cup Raspberries, frozen, not sweetened – 80 calories
• ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
• 1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories

Instructions

1. Combine oats, milk, yogurt, berries, PB in a bowl.
2. Add to a mason jar & cover with lid.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. No nuts? Use a seed butter e.g. sunflower seed butter. No dairy? Use a dairy free yogurt and milk.

Mason Jar Egg Casserole

This mason jar egg casserole is perfect for breakfast and great for meal prep! So if you get bored of your usual overnight oat mason jar breakfasts, try out this delicious recipe.

Protein Smoothie

294 calories

Ingredients

• 1 Protein powder – 120 calories
• 1 cup Strawberries, fresh – 50 calories
• 1 cup Almond milk – 30 calories
• 1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories

Instructions

1. Slice strawberries.
2. Mix all ingredients in a blender, add ice if you like.

Overnight Oats with 1 Tbsp PB

439 calories

Ingredients

• 6 oz Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, from tub – 127.5 calories
• ¾ cup Milk, skim, non-fat – 67.5 calories
• ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
• 1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories

Instructions

1. Combine oats, milk, peanut butter, and yogurt in a bowl.
2. Add to a mason jar & cover with lid.
3. Let refrigerate overnight.
4. No nuts? Use a seed butter e.g. sunflower seed butter. No dairy? Use a dairy free yogurt and milk.

Raspberry PB Overnight Oats

369 calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup Raspberries, fresh – 64 calories
• 1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories
• ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
• ½ cup Milk, 2% (cups) – 61 calories
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Combine oats, PB, raspberries, and cinnamon in a jar (like a Ball jar)
2. Top with milk
3. Let sit in container with lid overnight
4. No dairy? Use soy or almond milk. No PB? Use another nut or seed butter

Arugula and Watermelon Salad

If you’re in the mood for something different, this arugula and watermelon salad is a great thing to try out – the flavors go so well with each other, and it’s such a great lunch for hot summer days.

BLT Pasta Salad

426 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Pasta, cooked – 100 calories
• 1 cup Tomatoes, grape – 32 calories
• 2 cups Leafy greens, arugula, raw – 10 calories
• ½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
• 3 Uncured bacon, slice – 132 calories
• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 35 calories
• ¼ tsp Salt – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Cook pasta as instructed on package.
2. Slice bacon into small pieces. Cook in a pan on stovetop ~8 minutes on lowest heat.
3. Add vinaigrette and seasoning to mason jar.
4. Add arugula, pasta, tomatoes (sliced), avocado (cubed), and bacon.
5. Store in fridge and shake to distribute dressing before eating.
6. Alternatively: you can just add all ingredients in a bowl.
7. No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon. No gluten? Use a gluten free pasta.

Tex Mex Quinoa Mason Jar Salad

If you love tex mex, this mason jar salad will become your new favorite lunch to go!

Greek Salad in a Jar

467 calories

Ingredients

• 6 oz Chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories
• ½ Cucumber, medium – 21 calories
• ½ cup Tomatoes, grape – 16 calories
• ½ cup Artichoke hearts – 35 calories
• ⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 133 calories
• ½ oz Olives, sliced – 25 calories
• 1 tsp Avocado oil (tsp) – 41 calories
• 2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) – 6 calories
• 1 tsp Thyme, dried – 0 calories
• ¼ tsp Oregano – 0 calories
• ¼ tsp Basil, dried – 0 calories
• ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Season chicken well on both sides with garlic salt, basil, oregano, and thyme
2. Add avocado oil to a pan
3. Cook chicken for ~5 minutes on both sides, until cooked through
4. Slice into small pieces
5. Slice cucumber and artichoke hearts into small pieces, and tomatoes in halves
6. In a large bowl mix cucumber, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and more garlic salt, basil, oregano, and thyme
7. In a large mason jar, add (in order): red wine vinegar, cucumber & tomato salad, chicken, feta, and olives
8. Add a lid to your jar, and enjoy whenever you’re ready (don’t exceed 3 days)
9. No chicken? Use beans. No dairy? Use oil with your red wine vinegar for a dressing.

Salad in a Jar with Sausage and Egg

418 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
• 1 Bell pepper, red – 37 calories
• ⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar – 152 calories
• 1 Sausage, chicken – 140 calories
• 1 Egg, large – 72 calories
• 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) – 3 calories

Instructions

1. Hard boil egg & cut in halves.
2. Slice sausage into coin shapes.
3. Spray a pan with an oil spray.
4. Combine all ingredients in a salad jar.
5. Add dressing at the end (right before you eat).
6. Note: I personally like these brands of sausage – but choose whatever brand you have access to! Trader Joe’s; Fra’Mani; Teton; Open Nature; Aidells

Chicken Salad Mason Jar Salad

Chicken salads are perfect for meal prep, and when you pair them with fresh veggies, you can have a perfect ready-to-eat salad in a jar that’s easy to bring with you to work. Plus, this recipe is done in less than 20 minutes.

Mason Jar Burrito Bowl

Did you know you can even make burrito bowls in mason jars? It’s so easy, and layering the ingredients well allows you to have the perfect bite every time. So, if you get bored of your typical mason jar salad recipes, try out these mason jar burrito bowls! It’s one of my favorite mason jar meals.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Jars

This is why I love meal prepping mason jar recipes – you can even meal prep snacks! This mini buffalo chicken dip jar is perfect for a midday snack.

Mason Jar Zucchini Pasta Salad

I already shared one pasta salad mason jar recipe above, but if you’re low-carb, or you’re simply trying to cut some calories or make even healthier recipes, you can try out this zucchini pasta salad!

Thai Chicken Soba Noodle Salad Jar

Here’s another fun healthy mason jar recipe! Soba noodles are so delicious, and since they’re great cold, it makes them perfect for an easy mason jar recipe. Try out the recipe.

If you’re looking for more cold meal prep ideas, check them out by clicking on the link.

Low Carb Big Mac Salad Jars

If you’re craving a Big Mac, but you’re low carb and you want a healthier option, this low carb big mac salad recipe is for you!