Meal prepping with mason jars helps save time, money, and food waste.

It seems like a daunting task, but meal prepping for one person can be intimidating, but for an entire family of six can be overwhelming.  Not only did I decide to meal prep for my whole family, but I wanted to do it sustainably.

Sustainable Meal Prep

I’ve always tried to live sustainably, but for our family, we have had to ease into the process. From changing our skincare, household cleaners, and now I am trying to be a “Less Waste” family, which I don’t think that’s a term but my goal is to be a “Zero Waste” family.  I probably should run this by my family, but like most things, my influence will help guide my family to different choices. 

Mason Jar Meal Prep helps to reduce waste.

Reducing our plastic and waste is much more challenging than I expected. Just when I think I am doing good, I see a bright plastic container, and I purchase it.  But for the most part, our kitchen is glass and stainless steel. I  try to buy pollution-free plastic and BPA free plastic, but sometimes I shop on impulse and realize my mistake afterward.  So, I would not say I am a Zero Waste Blogger, but I aspire to be, and meal prepping without plastic is one way I feel I can make an impact.  

Meal prepping with Mason Jars Investment

Mason Jars seemed like an inexpensive, simple way to meal prep for a family of six.  The initial prep took some thought, but very quickly, I think I have created a straightforward system to have meals prepared for everyone.  I figured even if my crazy idea isn’t sustainable my investment in Mason Jars will be they are great for storage, we use them as drinking glasses and last until you break. Whether I continue this meal prep, which so far I have or not, the investment wouldn’t go to waste. 

Meal prepping with mason jars has many benefits:

1. 1. Sustainable
      Using glass containers unless we break will have for years to come.  There is nothing to throw away.
   2. Less Food Waste
      With pre-portioned food that is custom to each family member, we are throwing away very little food these days—getting the most out of our groceries.
   3.  Make better food choices.
      We live by convenience.  The more natural something is better and once you figure out your system. Meal prepping with mason jars becomes super easy, almost methodical. It also has excellent fresh options available on hand, which makes it easy for my family.  Most of my family members loved the meal prep with mason jars, except for one.  They loved the convenience and appreciated having the option to customize their meals while having healthy food choices. Most of our food choices were because we weren’t getting the nutrients we needed, so we ate mindlessly.  When you have healthy choices at your convenience, its easier to make a better decision. It also creates ownership of how your family members nourish their bodies.  They get options to choose from, but they are all excellent options. It’s quite empowering for my six years old to make her lunch.Check out my Instagram Highlights. I share several meals Mimi “made by herself,” she felt like a big girl and gave this mom so reprieve from meal assembling which has been a part-time job since the pandemic. I swear these kids eat all day. Now they have jars to grab and go.
   4. Budget-friendly
      There is an initial investment of Mason jars, but Mason Jars are inexpensive storage compared to plastic disposable.  Once you purchase your jars, you pretty much have them for life.  Your grocery budget will also decrease, which may allow you to buy more organic options over conventional.

Meal Prepping with mason jars can help maximize your budget.

Some ways I suggest to make the most of your food budget:

• I recommend buying in bulk in both protein and produce.
• Consider frozen organic vegetables over fresh. I always recommend fresh vegetables, but sometimes frozen are more affordable.  For your salad jars, FRESH IS BEST; nothing is worse than a soggy salad.  I also sometimes buy fresh produce and freeze it myself, which is another idea. Meal Prep in Mason jars will save you time and money and afford you to have organic options for your family.

Ways to successfully Meal Prep with Mason Jars

1. Start small.
   I started prepping for three days. I made three options for every meal; breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
2. Make food your family will always eat and keep it simple.
   I gave my family three options for meal jars: Rice & Broccoli, Pasta & Mixed Vegetable, Salad Jars.  I substituted my pasta and mixed vegetables for cauliflower rice and mixed vegetables. Gluten-free pasta doesn’t hold up as nice the second day, so I was concerned and made the switch.
3. Make all your food first.
   The initial meal prep took me three hours because I had to make all the protein, chop all the vegetables, make the rice, and pasta.  I made enough for an entire week but only prepped for three days because that is all the space I had for our jars. My second meal prep of the week took forty-five minutes. All I had to do was measure and pour down the line each item like an assembly line. I felt like a rockstar!
4. Better convenient food options.
   I think our problem is that we want food quickly. Prepping, planning and preparing is too much work, so we go out to eat, the order in, pop it in the microwave.  The three-hour time investment has saved me so much time throughout my week.
   Some days I make dinner, but on the days when I don’t want to, there is no guilt.  I have perfect portioned meals ready for my family to eat at will.  We only sit together for one meal throughout the day is “free for all.” Meal prepping with mason jars has made better food options available to my children.

Meal Prep with Mason Jars Menu and Recipes

I tried to keep my menu simple but with variety.

Breakfast

No Sugar Protein Mug Cakes: Chocolate Chip, Blueberry, and Strawberry 

Super Simple to make these mug cakes.

 

Lunch or Dinner

Salad Jars

Base:

• Kale, Spinach, Lettuce Mix or Spring Mix or Romaine
• Shredded Carrots
• Cucumbers (in Jar Divider)
• Sliced Rainbow Peppers

Salad Toppings Ideas:

• Roasted Sunflower Seeds
• Sliced Roasted Almonds
• Cranberries & Glazed Pecans
• Tortilla Strips
• Dates, Apples and Pecan Blend
• Bacon Bites

Sauces Ideas:

• Tomato Sauce
• Chimichurri
• Pesto
• Teriyaki
• Orange Ginger Sauce
• Garlic Parmesan
• Cilantro Lime

Others considerations for Meal Prepping with Mason Jars

1. Sterilize and Sanitize-  If you have a dishwasher that gets hot enough to sterilize, that is probably the easiest way. If not, making sure after you clean your jars that you boil and sanitize them is essential to avoid growing bacteria in your Mason Jar Prep Jars.
2. Airtight- Make sure that you properly seal the jars by removing as much air as possible. This helps keep the food fresh.
3. Refrigerator space- This was my problem because we have a small standard refrigerator. Make sure you have enough room for all the jars you prepare.

 

Meal Prepping with Mason Jars is a lifestyle change.

The Mason Jar Meal Prep has been great for my family to get on track. Make better decisions and give me comfort in knowing they are conveniently eating healthy without the additives of processed food.  

Our pallet has changed as well, and eating out does not have the same appeal as it once did.  This little experiment seems to be an excellent solution for my family.  I will continue the Meal prep with mason jars four days a week.  That way, we can fit them all. I plan on making family meals, but if I am too tired, my family can have a nourishing meal ready for them. It’s a great solution. 

I share the entire experience on my INSTAGRAM Story Highlight! Check out how we ate for a week with the Mason Jar Meal Prep.

Have you ever tried to meal prep with mason jars before? Or meal prep for the family?

Full Disclosure

There are detoxes, fast, nutritional plans, and programs out there to help remedy a common ailment in American culture, and that is gut health but not as much emphasis on the healing foods that already exist. No one talks about the healing food that God gave us.  Daily there is more and more information shared about how to heal your gut. I often have written about my own gut health journey. Four years on this journey, and I am finally at a point where I can say I have good gut health, and I want to help others.  

As a certified personal trainer and certified fitness nutrition specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, it is out of my scope of practice to diagnose or offer treatment for any gut ailments.  I also out of good conscious would recommend you see a professional doctor, nutritionist, and registered dietician.  

This post is to inform you of factual information on foods that can help improve your gut health.  Adding these foods to your diet in proper portions have been proven to help.  

My Journey to Healing

When I began my weight loss journey. I often suffered from upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, constant bloating, gas. I also had severe seasonal allergy symptoms like itchy watery eyes, postnasal drip, relentless cough.  When I ate food, I would get severe stomach cramps, headaches, and lethargic. It came to a point where I didn’t want to eat for fear of the reaction.  

All the Test

I also was eating healthy foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, cream of wheat, and whole wheat grains.  Finally, I sought a doctor for help. We started with blood tests for multiple gastrointestinal issues.  We tried an elimination diet of dairy products, which subsided some symptoms; I had allergy testing for foods and pollens.  All to conclude that I didn’t have Celiacs, I was lactose intolerant, I had an allergy to wheat and a couple of pollens that were found in fruits like pineapples.  Who knew?

Becoming my Advocate

Then I went on my advocacy.  I attended IDEA World Blog Fest 2016, and Melissa Hartwig of Whole 30  spoke and autographed her new Whole 30 book.  I began the successful September start she does every year. After ten restarts of the restrictive diet plan. I was amazed at my results.  Not physical but the way my body felt. I was no longer in pain after eating. Food gave me energy instead of making me extremely tired. My mood and clarity had improved, and it felt so good. Until recently, I never realized the power of food until undergoing the almost 50-day journey.  (I can be a slow adopter sometimes).

I also saw changes in my complexion, hair, and nails, and I was hooked.  After the Whole 30 Program, I was aware of food effects on my body. As I added grains back in, I realized that not all foods served my body well.  Other people, it’s okay, but for my digestive symptoms, it was a trigger.  Here I am four years later, and I am fully aware of what I can eat and shouldn’t eat. 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;

or about your body, what you will wear. Is life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”

Matthew 6:25

You can’t live life on a diet. 

There is so much to concern yourself with than what you are going to eat.  Adding foods that are going to nourish your body and reducing or eliminating the food that is sustaining your body are two different things.  Quick heat and eat processed foods are maintaining your body, meaning they are giving you calories that are needed. Food that is nutrient-dense fuels your body and gives it the nutrients it needs to be at optimal performance. Rather than keeping it fed so you can continue to go.

What I eat

I eat a lot of food but its mostly good food.  The foods that I do eat include chips, donuts, french fries, and other C.R.A.P food from time to time, but I mostly eat foods that nourish my body, and that’s what I usually crave good food.   I am still exploring and trying because I am just curious, but when it’s all said and done, God gave us everything we need to survive.  If we eat the healing foods God gave us in the amount that we should can not only heal you, but it can help you reach your goals.  

 

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“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it consecrated by the Word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:4

We all know what to eat when to eat and how much, but what about the why?  

Food has a purpose, and if you use it for fuel, you wouldn’t have to be on a diet.  You wouldn’t crave the things that didn’t serve you because, ultimately, your cravings are your body’s way of alerting you of what it needs.  Eating a nutritious diet or what I call a biblically-based diet will help you overcome your cravings, burn fat, resolve gut ailments, and honor your temple.

So, I put together six categories of foods that can help improve your adding theses F.O.O.D.S and removing C.R.A.P will help heal your gut, body, and mind.  Making a lifestyle change and adding these 100 Healing foods will help you honor your temple and serve your body well. 

Healing foods to add to your diet

Gut Health

Digestive disorders are prevalent but often not spoken about because we learn to keep potty talk in the potty in kindergarten.  The gut is known as the second brain regulating your mental and physical health by cells found in the gut microbiome. Keeping a balance of “good” bacteria and “bad’ bacteria.  

People with an imbalance of too much “bad” bacteria often are diagnosed with diseases like; Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which my blood test had ruled out Praise God.  There is a link between gut bacteria and high cholesterol, which can cause heart disease. It has also been linked to kidney disease. 

Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome has also been linked to affecting the way you feel, the way your brain process information you gather from your five senses.  There are currently studies being done to see the effect your gut microbiome has on diseases like autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression.  It’s also being studied to see if there is an association between the gut microbiome and chronic pain. It is so important to keep your gut healthy.  

An Unhealthy balance in your gut has been associated with heart disease, obesity or weight gain, kidney disorders, depression, and anxiety.  So feeding your gut healthy foods can help your overall wellness. Reducing and eliminating processed food that has artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, and adding gut-healthy foods can begin the journey to improve gut health.  

Anti-Inflammatory

Inflammation is the way our bodies’ immune system defends itself. Without inflammation, our organization would not fight off diseases and treat wounds.  The problem is not the initial inflammation. It’s the prolonged inflammation or if there is inflammation in the body that is not needed. Chronic inflammation can lead to severe diseases like stroke, heart diseases, autoimmune disorders like lupus.  So reducing the unwanted inflammation is ideal. Many of the processed foods that we consume cause unnecessary inflammation-reducing these healing foods, and adding an anti-inflammatory diet can help.

Prebiotics

I am all about Prebiotics this year since learning of the necessity for optimal gut health. Prebiotics are fibers that the body cannot digest, but they are food for probiotics that help support gut bacteria. Think of prebiotics as probiotics food. Adding these healing foods to your diet can be beneficial to feed the probiotics in your body. 

Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria that serve your gut to help it digest well; they are considered helpful in the digestive process. 

Hormonal Balancing

Did you know that we have over 100 hormones in the body that are constantly checking and balancing each other?  The American lifestyle is wreaking havoc on our hormones. It is so involved, and you have to consider what you eat, the chemicals you put on your body, or use to clean your surroundings, your stress level, and contraception methods.  All are factors in a balanced hormone. Hormone imbalance can affect you in so many ways. Your sleep, skin, energy level, digestion, brain clarity, mood, weight, appetite, headaches, mental health, aging process, and so much more.  Hormonal balancing takes multiple steps and has so many contributing factors, but one unanimous suggestion is diet change helps balance hormones.  Removing sugar and adding these foods into your diet can help you to better hormonal balance. 

Thermogenic

There are foods that you can eat that can naturally increase your metabolism and burn fat.  “Diet-induced” thermogenesis is, which is the process of the body utilizing the food that it has eating and converting those calories to heat.  It’s a tiny percentage, but it’s an additional boost to your physical activity calorie burn by eating the right food.  Post or pre-workout is also another consideration for the timing to eat these foods.  

 

Healing Foods

Foods can be your friend or foe, but ultimately, what you put in your body affects how you feel.  I would encourage you to add a few, some, or all of these foods to your diet.  They will ultimately help your body operate at its best.  I wouldn’t try to do all 100 foods at once but check off the ones you do eat and eat more of that and then add a new food every week.  Some you will love, and some you will detest, but at least your making an effort to be well.

What is the most shocking food that you see on this list? Do you think you could add some of these foods to your diet?

Finally attending Shift Con 2019

When I started as a blogger I never thought I would be attending events like Shift Con 2019. I began this blog as a Christian Mom blog.  Sharing the struggles of my faith journey. Then four years ago, I embarked on a Weight loss journey that literally changed my life and lifestyle.  With the conviction to honor my temple inside and out, I have discovered that is so much more than just exercise and nutrition. I have attended many expos and conferences in regards to Gluten-Free, Fitness, and Wellness, but nothing like Shift Con from what I hear! 

Exploring the Pillars of Wellness 

There are so many aspects to honoring your temple, but it all falls under wellness.  I like to look at wellness in seven categories:

1. Nutrition
2. Activity
3. Rest
4. Stress Management
5. Toxic Relationships
6. Restorative Self Care
7. Spiritual Devotion

Shift-Con

A few years ago, I was sharing my perspective with a friend on the new Wellness journey I was embarking once I met my weight loss goal.  She had suggested I attend Shift Con. Ever since I have wanted to go but never had an opportunity because of timing, finances, or one year, I just waited too late.  Not this year, I am going, and I wanted to share why I am so excited to attend Shift Con this year.

1. Location

Shift Con is being held Oct. 3- 8th in Atlanta, GA.  This will be my first time visiting  Atlanta, Georgia. I have driven through, maybe even made a pit stop but I have never checked out the ATL. I am excited to visit a new place. 

2.Meet up with other like-minded people

It is very validating to meet other people who share the same views as you. As an African American women who care about wellness in my immediate location. I am one of the few, but when you go to conferences that are focused on Wellness. I know I am not alone. It is encouraging and an excellent opportunity to meet new people to connect. 

3. Discover new products in the wellness

The problem with products that are good for you they come at a premium. Not all do what they say.  When you go to Expos, you have the experience to try before you buy as well as learn about the new offerings in the market. I have been told that Shift Con is the best place to explore these products. 

4. Education on wellness

I am a life long learner.  Always investing in education. I am excited to attend some of the workshops and hear various speakers on Wellness. 

5.Getaway with my girlfriends for a weekend

I get to see some of my Virtual and now real-life besties!  My absolute heart JQue of JQue Now will be rooming. My very dear friend Christina of Growing Up Gorgeous is coming and my Soul Sister Sandrell of NaturalFlyDiva. The Ultimate Slumber Party with some amazing women and I just can’t wait!

6. Finally, get to attend something I have watched others grow

I have been watching via Online Shift Con; it always looks like so much fun. I always see so many bloggers and Influencer that I follow and have watched some cool collaborations manifest through Shift Con networking. And I want in on that! Sometimes you have to leave the comforts of your home office to connect, and I am ready to make connections in the Wellness Industry. 

7. Post Back to School Vacation

I don’t know about you, but by the beginning of October, my family is just recovering from the madness of Back to School with three kids. It will be a welcomed treat to get away and learn, shift, and grow at Shift Con, and I can’t wait. 

Excited to attend Shift Con 2019

I have no idea what to expect other than what I see through Social Media, but I am excited to attend.  I would love for you to join me. If you’re like me curious about the even then you should come and let’s meetup.  Even though I have never attended, I know that the investment in my education about wellness and holistic products would be worth it; everything else is a bonus.

Are you going to Shift Con? Do you go to Expos or Conferences like Shift Con?