Breakfast, the most important meal of the day, right? Yet, how often are you running around, scrambling to get everything together and out the door on time and end up eating something sad—if anything at all? Yeah, me too. I’m lucky most days if I can grab a string cheese or handful of nuts as I’m rushing around the house like a maniac.
That’s why I love the idea of packing breakfast in a mason jar. You can throw a concoction of yogurt, fruit, cereal, nuts—even oatmeal or eggs!—together the night before, or even on a Sunday afternoon, and you’ll have an easy, delicious breakfast every day of the week.
Here’s one easy, healthy recipe to try, plus six more ideas for creating a grab-and-go breakfast-in-a-jar you’ll actually want to eat. Mason jars for the win!
Orange and Mixed Berry Chia Seed Pudding
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup almond milk (flavored or plain)
- 1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed if you’re feeling fancy!)
- 1 tsp honey, agave, maple syrup, or sweetener of your choice
- 1 small handful raspberries
- 1 small handful blueberries
- 4-5 strawberries, chopped
- 1 small handful almond slivers
Mix together the chia seeds, almond milk, and sweetener, and give everything a good shake in the mason jar. Add the raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, give the mason jar a little swirl, and then pop it in the fridge with the lid on to sit overnight.
The chia seeds will set up nicely and thicken slightly, creating a somewhat curious texture that I happen to love. These are even better when you sprinkle some extra fruit and slivered almonds on top!
More Breakfast Ideas
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In the mood for oatmeal? Overnight oats are seriously simple, and you can make a few days’ worth at a time. If you want to give them a bit of a boost, add some almond butter and flax or chia seeds.
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Or, how about a strawberry peach smoothie? Just blitz this up the night before, pop the lid on it, and you can grab it on your way out the door. Don’t forget a straw!
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Feeling like bacon and eggs? You can mix up some scrambled eggs and cooked bacon and microwave the mason jar the next day at work—easy peasy!
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Need some crunch? This homemade granola would be perfect on top of creamy Greek yogurt. If you’re going to make it the night before, just be sure to layer the yogurt on the bottom, add a layer of dried fruit to create a barrier, and finish with the granola on top.
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Mason jar pancakes? Yup, it can be done! Whip up some pancake mix, fill 1/3 of the mason jar, and let the microwave do the rest of the work.
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Want to knock out all five mornings at once? These make-ahead breakfast bowls can be assembled on Sunday night, so all you have to do each morning is grab one and heat it up at the office.