5 Clever Ways To Pack Lunch In A Mason Jar (Beyond Salad)

Reusable Mason jars are great for more than just preserving foods and displaying bundles of baby's breath; they also make a great container for meals. Perhaps the most popular use of Mason jars in the realm of food prep is the Mason jar salad. 

Mason jar salads are made by layering the components into a jar so that, once you're ready to eat, you can simply pour the ingredients into a bowl and enjoy. These salads are great for people hoping to eat healthy on the go without having to use several different containers. Mason jar salads are delicious, yes, but they're just the start. There is a nigh-infinite number of Mason jar meals to choose from, both sweet and savory; we've gathered five of the best for you to reach for on your next lunch break.

In recent years, stove top and microwave oatmeal has taken a backseat to a cooler, chiller culinary counterpart: overnight oats. It's great for those who meal prep and is perfect for lunch on the go. Unlike its heated comrades, overnight oats come together gradually; essentially, oats are combined with milk (sometimes yogurt), sweeteners, and other flavorings in a container, then placed in a fridge where the oats swell in the liquid overnight. It all comes together to form a creamy, cool, delicious bowl of oatmeal.

To prepare, simply mix your overnight oat ingredients then layer your toppings. You can really get creative with your toppings, too. For example, you can layer on fresh fruit then add a topping of yogurt as a way to keep both yogurt and oatmeal distinct. You can also try your hand at making matcha almond overnight oats, which might just give you an added jolt of energy at your mid-day meal, or perhaps a top layer of tempered chocolate to harden in the fridge and make for a great cracking topper.

Okay, okay, assembling soup in a jar may seem a bit odd, but have no fear; soup in a jar can, and does, work. Just forget the liquid: Simply put seasonings and bouillon at the bottom and add all of the fillings of your soup — beans, veggies, pasta, and meat, for example — to a Mason jar. When you're ready to eat, boil water (which you can do with a microwave), add the contents of your Mason jar, and simmer until all your ingredients have properly cooked. 

If you added a pasta to your soup, such as tortellini (a great addition to most any soup), these should be cooked until tender. You can make many Mason jar soups, from chicken noodle to bean soup and even ramen. If you're not feeling the whole self-assembly deal, you can always package prepared soups, stews, and spicy slow cooker chilis to heat up and pour from the jar.

Burrito bowls may yet be one of man's most ingenious innovations. Taking the delicious, zesty contents of a burrito and putting them into a bowl makes for a scoopable, delicious meal, and one that brings a ton of flavor. Let's take things a step further by turning that burrito bowl into a burrito jar. 

To make a burrito bowl in a jar, stack your ingredients starting with rice, followed by beans, other proteins, veggie toppings, cheese, and finally sauces — think guacamole or sour cream — before storing in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, scoop out into a bowl and enjoy. Making a burrito bowl in a jar lets you prep several servings at once, although rice should not be kept in the fridge beyond four days. If you're looking to prep for more than a few days, you might want to try a base such as quinoa or couscous. You can also forgo the rice entirely if you please, and add a double helping of beans instead.

Chia pudding is one of those meals that just seems destined for the thick glass walls of a Mason jar. Similar to overnight oats, chia pudding is made from milk (or milk alternatives) mixed with chia seeds and sweeteners. When combined with these ingredients and left to sit in a fridge overnight, the chia seeds absorb liquid and come together to form a delicious, thick, gel-like pudding that's full of fiber. 

To prepare, simply make chia pudding as usual and let sit in the fridge overnight, then add layers of toppings such as fruit, nuts, granola, or jam to your Mason jar. It makes for a great mid-day pick me up or a perfect lunch when made into a parfait. Your pudding parfait can be enjoyed straight from the jar; just grab a spoon and start scooping.

This may seem obvious and may even deserve a bit of an asterisk. We promised Mason jar lunches beyond salad, and technically this is a salad, but hear us out. Like their lettuce-based counterparts, pasta salads work beautifully when assembled in a Mason jar, and the basics work just the same. 

Add your dressing at the bottom (think pesto or ranch), then layer in water-rich veggies (such as tomatoes and cucumbers), cooked pasta, and other toppings, such as mozzarella pearls or shredded parmesan, cilantro, corn, beans, and olives; pour into a bowl and enjoy. If you're feeling energetic, you can shake your pasta salad in the jar until the ingredients are well combined before serving. This works for any number of pasta salad recipes, but works particularly well for pasta salads that you want to remain crisp and fresh, such as caprese pasta salad. Sounds delicious, right?