More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part I

Trying to keep up with my children's growing appetites is like trying to run up the down escalator. I may get two steps ahead and fall back three! They are hungry all the time, and with food costs rising, my $40/day food budget, and buying as much organic foods as I can afford, makes me work even harder in the kitchen to stay on track. Then to top it all off, I am competing with commercial food products that my kids ask for all the time, like Hot Pockets, Pizza Bites, and Hostess Cupcakes. No. So I keep cooking as much from scratch as I can to avoid preservatives, additives, MSG, excess sugar, and other unpronounceable ingredients on food labels.

Here are some more MJM Ideas...

1. Steel Cut Oatmeal- Make according to package directions and place in 8 ounce mason jars. I added a bit of brown sugar and milk to each jar. You can add nuts, fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, maple syrup, etc. To reheat, remove from jar to a microwave safe bowl, mush up oatmeal, and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir and eat.

2. Homemade SpaghettiOs- I can get ten 8 ounce wide mouth jars from this recipe. I have made this twice now and Manischewitz has the cutest teeny tiny eggs bow pasta in a 12 ounce bag. So now we call them SpaghettiBows.

3. Homemade Marinara Sauce for Mason Jar Stromboli.

4. Mason Jar Stromboli




For the dough...
2 T. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup very warm
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. Kosher salt

about 12 Provolone Cheese slices
about 18 slices Genoa Salami
Italian Seasoning for sprinkling
Garlic Salt for sprinkling
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling


In a large bowl place yeast and sugar. Pour warm water over yeast and let set for 2 minutes, then stir in flour and salt. Kneed until a soft dough ball forms. You may have to add pinches of flour if the dough is still sticky. Roll out on a large floured surface into a big rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Lay out 2 rows of cheese, you can use provolone or a blend, I used provolone and Munster because that is what I had. Then lay out three rows of salami. Sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian Seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. Starting at the end farthest from you, start rolling the dough toward you being sure you are making a tight roll. Pinch the seam closed. Using a sharp knife, cut the stromboli into 12 rolls. Place in greased 8 ounce wide mouth mason jars. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool completely before lidding. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Serve with a small jar of Marinara Sauce. Reheat unlidded in the microwave for 30 second increments until desired temperature. Jar will be hot, use caution. Makes 12.

Note- You may use your favorite pizza dough for this recipe being sure to cut the slices no wider than 1.5 inches so not to over flow the jars. For more on how to make stromboli, check out my tutorial here.

Don't forget to pack fresh fruits and veggies with your Mason Jar Meals!


Ma asked me once, "what is your desire for Big Red Kitchen?" My answer, "to share my ideas and shortcuts in the kitchen in hopes that I have made someone else's life a little easier when it comes to feeding their family." I AM wearing my fat dreams everyday in the BRK. Are you wearing your fat dreams today?





Tomorrow in BRK- More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part II, the bottom shelf- numbers 5 and 6.

Robin Sue

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