Meals In A Jar – Oatmeal Recipes

Oatmeal Health Benefits

1. Oatmeal lowers cholesterol because it is rich in soluble fiber

2. Oatmeal can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure

3. Oatmeal is full of antioxidants, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease

4. Oatmeal prevents the arteries from hardening. When oatmeal is paired with vitamin C, the cardiovascular benefits of oatmeal are enhanced, so drink a glass of orange juice or eat some citrus with your oatmeal

5. Oatmeal can prevent the development of breast cancer

6. Oatmeal stabilizes blood sugar

7. Oatmeal will also prevent the development of diabetes

8. Oatmeal gives the immune system a boost

9. Eating oatmeal can prevent weight gain

10. Those who cannot eat gluten can eat oatmeal

You can make several meals and put them in a ziplock storage bag and the meal will have a 1 year shelf life. Usually you can’t store a meal in a ziplock bag but these oatmeal recipes do not contain any egg or meat products. If you put the oatmeal recipe in a canning jar with an oxygen absorber the shelf life will be 5-15 years.

When looking for oatmeal recipes that are suitable to store in a jar  beware of recipes that use a lot of powdered butter, pudding or powdered smoothie ingredients because they add a lot of calories and reduce the shelf life of the jars to 3-5 years. The recipes on this website are healthy and have a long shelf life. Meal in a jar recipes are wonderful to make because you can change the recipe to fit your dietary needs. I use Stevia instead of sugar to sweeten my oatmeal and add chia seed to my jars. Adding Chia Seed and/or nuts to the Oatmeal in a Jar will shorten the shelf life of the jar.  Learn about shelf life of meals and how to make them by clicking this link  Introduction to Meals in a Jar

Carrot Cake Breakfast Oatmeal with Regular Oats

	3-4 servings	6-7 servings
Place ingredients in the Jar	PINT	QUART
Regular Rolled Oats	1 cup	2 cups
Carrots, Dehydrated shredded	1/4 cup	1/2 cup
Apples, Dehydrated, chopped	1/4 cup	1/2 cup
Chicken broth powder	1/2 tsp	1 tsp
Sugar	3 TBS	1/3 cup
Vanilla Flavoring Powder	1/2 tsp	1 tsp
Pumpkin Pie Spice	1/2 tsp	1 tsp
Non Fat Dry Milk	1/4 cup	1/2 cup
oxygen packets	1	1
Tag for the Jar

1/8 cup chopped walnuts can be added to the jar, but it changes the shelf life of the jar from 15 years to 5 years.

Cooking Directions

Place the ingredients in a sauce pan. Add 2 1/2 cups water to the pint size recipe or 5 cups water to the quart recipe. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes. Stir occasional. Add additional water if necessary

The secret to this recipe is the shredded dehydrated carrots. The only place I have found them to buy is at Honeyville Foods (weblink below) Do not substitute dehydrated diced carrots for the shredded carrots because it changes the recipe to much.

This meal can be made in a regular mouth canning jar. Wash the jar in the dish washer and then let it air dry overnight to make sure it is dry. Also wash the measuring cups and measuring spoons and let them air dry for hours. Its very important to keep moisture away from the ingredients. Layer the ingredients in the jar in the order given. Shake the spices and powdered milk down into the apples to help keep them separated. Place an Oxygen Absorber in the top of the jar or use a Foodsaver to remove the air and seal the jar. Click this link on the Introduction lesson on making meals in a jar.

I first found this recipe on Chef Tess’s website Chef Tess Carrot Cake Breakfast Pudding I made a few jars and I have to give Chef Tess credit because liked the recipe.  I was spending about $5.50 to make a pint sized jar and then I decided to cut out the fat, pudding and excessive spices and flavorings. The first change I made to the recipe was when I chopped some dehydrated apple slices instead of using Freeze Dried apples. The second change I made was to cut out the butter. I’ve been replacing butter with chicken broth for years, it give a very buttery taste without all the fat. (Click here to see an example of this practice in the creamed peas and potato recipe) Because I put chicken broth powder in the recipe I took out the salt. I cut back on the shredded carrots and added a little bit more oatmeal because I am not a big fan of carrots. The next change I made was to decrease the unnecessary spices because they were making the oatmeal bitter and that’s why more sugar was needed. I love the powdered flavorings but 3-5 teaspoons of flavoring plus vanilla pudding in one meal is seriously way to much!

I love making meals in a jar because I can adjust the recipes. I make a few meals and adjust the recipe until I get it the way I like it and then I make a whole batch of jars for my food storage.

I’m giving all of you a challenge to try both recipes and then come back to my website and write a review. I admit the Chef Tess version tastes wonderful, it’s creamy and who doesn’t love butter? Her recipe $5.50 for one pint has 427 calories per serving. This recipe costs $1.25 for a pint and has 313 calories per serving. YAHOO! Not only did I save on calories but The cost savings is huge! If I made this recipe once a week for a year, which is 52 pint jars, that would be a savings of $195.00.

I teach these classes to groups of people and I have built a spreadsheet with all the costs of the ingredients. When you get ready to make some jars, contact me and I will tell you where I purchased my ingredients and how much you need to buy for the number of jars you want to make.

Almond Peach Quick Oatmeal with Quick Oats

	3-4 servings	6-7 servings
Put Ingredients in the Jar	PINT	QUART
Quick Oats	1 1/4 cup	2 1/2 cup
Freeze Dried Peaches	1/4 cup	1/2 cup
Non Fat Dry Milk	1/4 cup	1/2 cup
Chicken broth powder	1/2 tsp	1 tsp
Sugar	3 TBS	1/3 cup
Powdered Almond Flavoring	1 tsp	2 tsp
Cinnamon	1/8 tsp	1/4 tsp
Slivered Almonds, chopped (optional)	1/8 cup	1/4 cup
Oxygen Packet	1	1

 

Adding chopped almonds to the jar changes the shelf life of the jar from 15 years to 5 years.

This meal can be made in a regular mouth canning jar. Wash the jar in the dish washer and then let it air dry overnight to make sure it is dry. Layer the ingredients in the jar in the order given, topping the jar with an Oxygen Absorber or use a Foodsaver to remove the air and seal the jar. See detailed instructions in the Introduction lesson on making meals in a jar. Click Here

Cooking Directions

Place the ingredients in a sauce pan. Add 2 cups water to the pint size recipe or 4 cups water to the quart recipe. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally.  Add additional water if necessary

Sometimes I take a pint size quick oatmeal and mix the ingredients in a bowl. Divide the ingredients between 3 – 3/4 pint jars. (Put about 2/3 cup of the mixture in each of the 3 jars) This size of canning jar is between the pint size jar and the half pint jar – 12 ounce jar. These individual meals can be stored in these jars until ready to cook. Add 1/2 cup of water to a jar, stir and cook in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir again and then cook an additional 20-30 seconds. Watch the oatmeal to make sure it doesn’t boil out of the jar. Add additional water to reach the desired consistence. Let the Oatmeal stand for 1 minute.

Almond Joy Oatmeal with Steel Cut Oats

Steel Cut Oats take about 25 minute to cook on the stove top or this meal can be cooked in a slow cooker overnight.

Shelf life of the jar 5 years

Cooking Instructions 
Line a 3-4 quart slow cooker with a cooking bag or spray the cooker with Pam nonstick spray.   Place jar of oatmeal in the slow cooker.  (do not put the chocolate chips and almonds in the slow cooker).  Stir in 7 cups of water.  Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 6-7 hours.

Put cooked oatmeal in the bowls, add additional milk if desired and stir.  Sprinkle with 1 TBS mini chocolate chips and 1 TBS chopped slivered almonds

Calories per serving – 283 without chocolate chips, 353 with chocolate chips.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies In A Jar

Printable Recipe with cooking instructions and Jar Tag for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in a Jar

I decided to be brave and enter some baked items in the 2014 Utah State Fair. I wanted to see how 4 of my dessert in a jar recipes would compete with recipes that have fresh ingredients. I didn’t have enough self confidence to think I would ever place first, but I thought if I could just get a ribbon on anything I entered I could at least have enough bragging rights to say the jar recipes are just as good as using fresh ingredients. To much of my surprise.. I got a ribbon on everything I entered.
The first place ribbon I received was on the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I also won the C & H Sugar award on this recipe.. so there you have it, I have proof this recipe is an award winning recipe and can be stored on the shelf in a jar for 3 years. The cookies I entered in the fair had been stored in a jar for 1 year. The raisins weren’t as soft as when I placed them in the jar so I put the baggie of raisins in a little bit of hot water and let them soak for about 5 minutes. I then drained off the water and poured the raisins on a paper towel and blotted them dry before adding them to the cookie dough.

Purchase 17 page printable file $3.00

The Oatmeal in a Jar printable file teaches about the Oatmeal Health Benefits and the 3 different kinds of oatmeal that can be used in meals in a jar recipes.  Included is a page that teaches how to store shortening in food storage and a recipe for the cream of mushroom soup that is used in the meat and potato pie meal.  The file highlights products such as powdered milk, chicken broth powder, powdered flavorings, freeze dried and dehydrated fruits that are used in the oatmeal in a jar recipes
The file has 17 pages and includes the 21 recipes with instructions.
Almond Joy Oatmeal
Apple Crisp Breakfast Oatmeal
Apricot Caramel Pecan Oatmeal
Banana Nut Oatmeal
Blueberry Oatmeal
Carrot Cake Breakfast Oatmeal
Cranberry Orange Oatmeal
Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal
Pina Colada Oatmeal
Raisin Walnut Oatmeal
Strawberry Cheesecake Oatmeal
Apple Spice Quick Oatmeal
Peach Almond Quick Oatmeal
Raspberry lemonade Quick Oatmeal
Tropical Paradise Quick Oatmeal
Almond Joy Slow Cooker Oatmeal
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Glazed Apple Oatmeal Muffins
Meat and Potato Pie, Cream Soup Mix
Apple Crisp

Understanding some of the Ingredients

When making oatmeal in a jar recipes you need to understand the ingredients. There are 3 different kinds of oatmeal products that can be used in Meal in the Jar recipes.  You can use any brand of Oatmeal but I like using Quaker Oats because it’s a superior brand.

• Steel-cut oats (also known as Irish oats), are Oats that have been chopped up with steel blades. “This allows for a chewier oatmeal,” and they take about 30 minutes to cook. Steel Cut Oatmeal is the only kind of Oatmeal that can be used in the long cooking process when using a crockpot. Use dehydrated fruit with steel cut oats.

• Rolled Oats (also known as old-fashioned oats) take less time to cook. When the kernels were processed they were softened by steaming, then run through metal rollers to flatten. It takes about 10-12 minutes to cook rolled oats. Dehydrated fruits or Freeze Dried fruits can be used in recipes with rolled oats. Also multigrain cereal containing rolled oats can be substituted.

• Quick-cooking oats are rolled even thinner when processed so they will cook in under five minutes. Freeze dried fruits work very well with quick oats. Notice what kind of fruit is used with each different kind of oatmeal. When changing a recipe you can substitute other fruits and flavorings but if the recipe calls for freeze dried fruit, like the quick oatmeal does, then you need to choose a fruit that is freeze dried.

The PDF file below goes into greater depth about the products and the cost difference. Most of the different brands of dehydrated and freeze dried products on the market are similar and measure the same. However, I have found a difference in powdered milk and chicken broth powder products. When comparing milk products look to see how much powder it takes to make one cup of milk. In these recipes I use powdered milk from Augson and it takes 3 Tablespoons to make 1 cups of milk. When comparing prices look to see how much of the product is used per serving. I am going it use chicken broth powder as an example.

As you can see there is a big difference in the cost and measurements between the brands of chicken broth powder. In these recipes when I use 1/2 teaspoon of chicken broth powder I am using a brand that takes 1/2 tsp of powder to make 1 cup of liquid. If you can’t find a chicken broth powder in your area you can substitute another brand (as long is it’s a dry product) If the product calls for 1 teaspoon of granule or powder to make 1 cup of broth then you need to make an adjustment in the recipe and put 1 teaspoon in these recipes instead of 1/2 teaspoon. Some brands are also stronger in flavor than other brands so make one recipe and then make a note if you need to increase or decrease the measurement next time you try the recipe. I use Augason Farms brand Chicken Bouillon in my recipes because it doesn’t have MSG

Powder Egg Products

Egg products are different among the different brands. Each brand takes a different amount of water to hydrate the eggs. Each brand has a different shelf life. Each brand reacts differently after the can is opened… for example: Some brands tell you to store the eggs in the refrigerator after the can is opened and to use the product within 30 days. Other brands tell you it’s safe to keep the opened can on the shelf (unrefrigerated) for 1 year. It is VERY important to understand the powder egg product that you purchase so that you don’t get sick. In my recipes that take whole egg I use Augason brand because it doesn’t have to be refrigerated after the can is open and when the egg is sealed in a Jar it has a 10 year shelf life. I am not a sales representative for any products but I put the link to the Augason website so that you can find the produces I use in my recipes. I have found Augason brand eggs at Windco, Walmart and Macey’s Grocery stores. I watch for the product to go on sale and usually buy it at Macey’s when they have case lot sales.

Powder Milk Products
Another product that I like to buy from Augason is the Morning Moo Low fat powdered Milk. In January 2015 I pulled a year old jar of the Almond Joy Oatmeal to make it in the slow cooker and the moisture in the coconut made the powder milk kind of clump in the jar. When I was trying to chop the clump out of the jar I decided I better stir the ingredients in the jars before sealing then next time I make them so that the powdered milk will be evenly spaced in the jar.
I had used the powdered milk from Home Storage Center in that jar and I also had problems with this milk in my bread recipes I’m putting in the jars. I have changed my milk to Augason Morning Moo brand of low fat milk and I am having much better luck with this brand. Also when I made this change I noticed my bread has a better taste.

When you start planning your meal project, send me an email and I will help you plan it. One product I was having a hard time finding was the powdered flavorings. You can do a search on Amazon and Emergency Essentials has Powdered Vanilla flavoring

The first place I buy products is the LDS cannery, now called “Home Storage Center”. You can find the location closet to you by clicking on this link Home Storage Center If you don’t live close to a Home Storage Center you can now order products online by clicking on this link Home Storage Center Online Ordering The online ordering is new an going through a lot of changes as they add products so keep checking back. I believe the prices include shipping but I’m still not sure. the products I purchased from the Home Storage Center for these recipes are the quick and regular oats, powdered milk, sugar and apple slices. My favorite place to buy Freeze Dried and Dehydrated products is at Honeyville. The shipping is such a good price that sometimes I order the products online and have it shipped to my house for the same amount it would cost me to drive from my house to the salt lake store. The shipping is one flat rate so it costs the same amount to ship one can or 20 cans. Their sale prices are very fair too, unlike Emergency Essentials. I stopped shopping at Emergency Essentials because they raise the price of their products so they can say their sales price is 30-50% off.

Introduction to Meals in a Jar

The class teaches how to prepare the meals for long term storage and also when its ok to use a zip lock freezer bag for 1 year storage for some recipes. The class teaches how to calculate the shelf life of the recipe. This class teaches the difference between Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Ingredients, and how to customize a recipe for dietary needs.

Click here for the Introduction to Meals in a Jar webpage

Oxygen Absorbers and using the Foodsaver

The class teaches how to prepare the meals for long term storage with Oxygen Absorbers and the FoodSaver

Click here for the FoodSaver webpage

Desserts in a Jar

Dessert recipes are great to have in food storage because they are quick and easy to fix. I love pulling a jar off the shelf knowing I have all of the ingredients and I don’t have to run to the store. In 2014 decided to enter a couple of the recipes in the state fair to see how they would compare to recipes with fresh ingredients and was excited to bring home a first and second place ribbon. Now I can say they are award winning recipes

Click here for dessert recipes In a Jar

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