Happy midsummer, dear readers! In this issue:

• Mason jar meals and a history lesson

• Lunches that put more time on your plate

• Tips on using Mason jars

• Dessert to the rescue

Preserving history, and then some

A kitchen staple since the mid-1800s, the Mason jar is true Americana. Beloved for its water- and air-tight seal, it’s preserved our bumper crops so we can enjoy them it the cold, dark days of winter, and have given us homemade preserves, pickles, jams, and jellies for generations. 

The genius behind this useful jar was John Landis Mason, a 26-year-old tinsmith from New York. He patented his revolutionary idea for threaded screw-top jars that transformed American kitchens and food preservation. 

While Mason was responsible for the lid, the Ball Corporation became synonymous with the jars. They began manufacturing the familiar glass home-canning jars in the 1880s, eventually making "Ball Mason jars" a household name that has lasted for decades.

Mason jar meals are great timesavers, and are ideal for transporting food to work, on picnics, and for eating healthfully.

Brunch anyone?

Whether you’re at home, at the beach, or planning an early picnic, Mason jars can ensure you’ll have everything ready to go. Our recent breakfast newsletter is full of breakfast recipes that work well with Mason jars, but we found some others that we though we’d share:

One-minute microwave omelettes

Turkey burrito jars

Savory breakfast grits (pictured above)

Mason jar breakfast (video)

The lunch bunch

A Mason jar puts a pleasant twist on an ordinary lunch. Planned right, this trick can provide up to five fresh meals during a busy week, putting more time on your plate (sorry!). Start off with a quart-sized mason jar (32 ounces) for the perfectly portioned, satisfying meal.

Beautiful layered salads

The secret to successful mason jar salads is how you layer your ingredients. 

1.  Start at the bottom with your dressing and any wet ingredients. Keeping the liquid at the bottom keeps the rest of your ingredients fresh for the week.

Whether you prefer thick ranch, light vinaigrette, or creamy tahini, any dressing works as long as it stays at the bottom. Just give your jar a good shake before eating to dress your ingredients.

2.  Next, put your heaviest ingredients in the jar. This includes one or several of these ingredients:

• Grilled chicken

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Chickpeas

• Cooked grains, like quinoa, farro, rice, or couscous

• Cooked pasta

• Sturdy vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, etc.

3.  Crown your creation with delicate leafy greens, fresh herbs, nuts, and/or soft fruits. These ingredients stay perfectly fresh at the top, away from the moisture at the bottom.

4.  Add any desired nuts or cheese, crumbled, cubed, or grated.

For more more inspiration

In a Pickle

Jennifer Anniston’s Salad (video)

15 Satisfying Make-ahead Mason Jar Lunches

BBQ Chicken Salad

Veggie Loaded Asian Salad

Eight Great Meals in a Jar

Mason Jar Charcuterie

Blueberry Basil Farro Salad 

14 mason jar meals you can eat almost …

Couscous salad in a jar with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese

Tips & safety advice

If you have a favorite dish, salad, or soup, chances are it can become a Mason jar meal. Just remember to leave enough room at the top to give everything a good shake before eating or emptying into a bowl.

• NEVER PUT A MASON JAR IN AN OVEN. There are many tempting recipes out there that give these instructions, but Mason jars are not meant for a regular oven. Only tempered glass is safe for oven use, such as Pyrex®. Mason jars can be safely used in the microwave as long as the food inside is NOT frozen.

• Avoid putting Mason jars in an Instant Pot if you want to use pressure cooking.

• If you’re going to freeze food in a Mason jar, use their plastic lids (available separately) and let the food defrost overnight in the fridge - especially if planning to heat in the microwave.

• Don’t own Mason jars? Here’s the recommended size, available on Amazon. 

There are also fantastic Mason jar accessories; consider plastic tops if you’re planning to freeze

Dessert to the rescue

What’s life without dessert every now and then (emphasis on “now”). Mason jars are great for portioning out sweet treats, and keeps them fresh. End your meal with one of these delectable goodies:

24 Delectable Mason Jar Desserts (love the key lime pie)

No-Bake S'mores in a Jar 

Berry Meringue Trifle

No-Bake French Silk Pie

Cake in a Jar

25 Amazing No Bake Desserts In Jars

We look forward to building this tapestry of experiences with you.