Getting started is easy

Here is how it all works. I went through a long process involving new awareness after being inspired to create these meals. The experience forced me to really look closely at food ingredients and quality, along with portions. Many salad combinations that I was used to turned out not to be very health-conscious or reasonably calorie friendly.

Many of the same core ingredients are used in multiple Healthy Mason Jars© recipes. This makes meal planning and grocery shopping easy to manage. Multiple versions of the same meal can be prepared during the same prep session and then enjoyed on different days. In each Healthy Mason Jars© meal, two cups of food are prepared as layers of delicious ingredients. This can satisfy one’s taste buds in just the right portions.

My goal was to create a set of flavorful recipes that could be prepared in advance in a convenient grab-and-go-style. The recipes use as many natural ingredients as possible. They also provide the added value of pre-calculated nutrients as you would otherwise find on many pre-packaged convenience foods. Each recipe uses 10 ingredients or less and is less than 450 calories.

Inspiration | A new way of thinking

When my oldest son was in elementary school, he received an assignment to investigate the answer to a science question of his choice and prepare his findings for class. He selected trying to find out how much snow his little brother could eat before he exploded! We modified his question, of course. Instead, we wanted to figure out how much snow his brother could eat just until he felt full.

It was during our research together that we stumbled upon the information that an average adult should consume no more than two cups of food at any one mealtime. It turns out that is the approximate volume that the stomach holds comfortably.

With the portion distortion that we have often become accustomed to when food is prepared for us (like in a restaurant), two cups – 16 ounces – at first mention might not seem like a lot of food for one meal. But that same amount layered onto a plate actually presents a generous amount of food and can display a wide variety of appetizing colors, textures, and flavors that appeal to the senses.

How to begin

When you order your copy of the book, you will be eligible to receive a free meal planning tool and shopping list delivered by email. The tools will help you plan what recipes you will try first and itemize what you will need to buy at the grocery store.

If you are new to meal planning, Healthy Mason Jars© meals can make meal planning and prep easier for you:

• Start small. Start out selecting recipes that use the most ingredients you have on hand. Or start with what you are most comfortable using first.
• Carve out some time for choosing recipes, coming up with an ingredient and shopping list, and preparing foods in advance. Have a plan and avoid shopping when you are hungry.
• Try to select menus that use some of the same ingredients. This saves money on groceries and time in putting together meals. Meal prep once, eat two or even three times from that one session.
• Keep track of your favorite recipes or recipes that worked well for you.
• It helps to learn more about ingredients, quality of foods, and portions.
• Keep your flavors interesting! Many Healthy Mason Jars© meals use flavorful blends of spices or simplified versions of your favorite sauces.

How to start simply

You make the meals yourself using fresh ingredients, so the typical chemicals and food additives that are found in pre-packaged dressings and sauces will not enter your meal plan.

Just choosing two Healthy Mason Jars© meals per weekday equals 10 recipes per week. If you can tolerate making some of those meals the same for each or every other day, that’s only a few different recipes to plan and shop for during the week. Healthy Mason Jars© meals are easily scalable to make multiple meals during one prep session. 

If you need to track calories and nutritional information, those numbers are all provided for you. If you don’t need to track anything, then you’ll hopefully just be adding some new and tasty meal combinations into your week.