We love packing our own healthy lunches (and, occasionally, breakfasts) to bring to work, especially these easy grab-and-go options that you can make in advance in a simple mason jar.
Build-Your-Own Salad in a Jar
Leafy greens of choice (spinach, butter, lettuce, romaine, arugula, etc) OR for a hearty option, use grains like cooked rice, quinoa or whole grain pasta as your base
Protein of choice (chicken, turkey, hardboiled eggs, chickpeas, black beans or other legumes)
Vegetables of choice (raw or cooked carrots, beets, cucumber, tomato, radishes, etc)
Healthy fats of choice (avocado, nuts, seeds like pumpkin or sunflower)
Fresh herbs like cilantro, dill, basil, etc. (optional)
Salad dressing of choice
Mason jar
Directions: Add your salad dressing to the bottom of the mason jar (usually 1-2 T depending on how big your salad is). Next, layer in whatever vegetables you are using, like carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, etc. Then, layer grains and/or legumes (if using), followed by any meat or eggs. Top it off with the leafy greens, healthy fats, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Screw the lid on the jar, and you're ready to go. Simply shake the jar to mix all ingredients when you're ready to eat!
Hummus Cup with Veggies
1 can cooked chickpeas (get a can that is BPA free)
Juice of 1 ½ lemons
3 T tahini
1 ½ T extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic (optional)
½ tsp sea salt
To prepare hummus: Mince garlic or give a quick whiz on its own in the food processor to chop. Add all remaining ingredients to food processor and blend until smooth. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to hummus until you reach desired consistency. You can add in more salt, to taste, or a dash of black pepper and/or cayenne if you want to spice things up a bit. If you want to get fancy, you can add spinach, artichoke hearts, fresh herbs, or even beets into the hummus to give it different flavors.
To pack: Spoon 1/2 cup of hummus into mason jar, then add in slices of whatever veggies you'd like to use for dipping, like carrots, cucumbers, and red bell peppers.
Simple Chia Seed Pudding
3 T chia seeds
1 c milk of choice (we prefer non-dairy milks like almond or coconut)
Sweetener, to taste (we prefer maple syrup or raw honey)
Add chia seeds to mason jar, then add in milk and sweetener and stir well with a fork to make sure all seeds are coated and not clumping. Screw lid on and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set (it should have a tapioca pudding-like consistency when it's done). We prefer to mix our chia pudding up the night before and let it soak in the fridge all night. When you're ready to eat it, top with fresh fruit, nuts or other toppings of your choice.
Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
Favorite Brand of Yogurt (unsweetened is best, and you can also choose a dairy-free option like coconut or almond yogurt)
Favorite Brand of Granola (we're currently obsessed with Simply Elizabeth's incredible line of gluten-free, low sugar options) or, if you are grain-free, use your favorite chopped nuts or seeds instead, like walnuts, pecans and almonds.
Fresh fruit of choice
Place yogurt in bottom of mason jar. Next, layer on fruit of choice. Finally, layer on granola and/or nuts.
