Recently, Jack started a big commercial painting job that requires him to leave at 5am and not get back home until 5pm. The first week he came home STARVING saying he didn’t have time to go get something to eat. He usually has time to grab something in the middle of the day so I’ve never had to worry about feeding the man until dinner. But he’s in entirely new territory with this job. He’s painting controlled-temperature rooms for storing fruit and has to be on a lift the entire day on concrete in high summer temperatures (and now smoke!). But after seeing how hard he was struggling, it was clear it was time to step up my wifey duties. But what can you make the night before that doesn’t require being heated back up besides sandwiches? Those would get real old, real fast. I had no idea but once again, Pinterest came through in solid fashion. Not only does Jack love them but I love them because they are so ridiculously easy and healthy, too! So allow a girl to help you out if you’re looking for something new.
Mason Jar Lunch Directions
I use the big, blue 32 oz mason jars. Next, put the ingredients in the jar in the following order:
- Dressing – I put in about a half inch of dressing.
- Veggies – cherry tomatoes, avocados, peppers,
- Protein – meat, quinoa, or you can even put pasta for a heartier feel
- Cheese – optional
- Salad – kale, spinach, lettuce
- Toppings – nuts, cranberries, or croutons
SHAKE & SERVE! Jack eats his straight out of the jar but you can also shake and then pour onto a plate or into a bowl. Play with the ingredients and get creative. It’s actually kind of fun to see what combinations I can come up with and me describing kitchen work as “fun” is not an everyday occurrence. I make Jack’s the night before with leftovers from dinner. For instance, if we have tacos, I set some cooked hamburger aside to make a taco salad type jar. If we have chicken, I do chicken caesar. You can also make a big weekly batch which sounds great in theory but I usually don’t ever get that far ahead. I have a feeling these will also become an ‘on the road’ staple as soon as we start hitting the road again.
I also bought this really great lunchbox from Amazon that was relatively cheap and works great. Plenty of room to put the jar, a coconut water, and additional snacks in it. Occasionally, I mix it up with a sandwich and smaller jar of salad.
It’s a great feeling taking care of my man and knowing he’s fed. Even better because it’s simple enough for me to feel confident doing it. He’s been really appreciative about it too. If you really want to score wifey brownie points, you can put a nice little note in his lunch box too, to help him keep his head up. The grind seems to be especially tough this year for business owners, trying to make up for being shutdown. A little love goes a long way!
I hope this helps make your life and lunches a little simpler.
Until next time,
Wholeness & Balanced Vibrations!