​Summer ideas for Mason jars

It's the time of year to enjoy lazy al fresco dining, BBQs and picnics, so make the most of your glassware and enjoy delicious dishes on the go! Let's take a look at some of the creative ways you can make use of glass Mason jars at this time of year, especially with so many seasonal fruit and vegetable gluts in progress.

Summer salad ideas

Here are some of our favourite summer salad recipes for meals on the go. Why buy expensive wilting sandwiches when you can load up your jars with fresh, nutritious and delicious ingredients for lunch? Just remember to put the dressing at the bottom, add a layer of nuts, cheese or protein to separate it from your leaves and then top everything with fresh vegetables and salad leaves. That way, when you invert the salad, the dressing will cover everything and your contents will remain as fresh and crunchy as possible!

Everyday Mason Salad

Grab your glass jar - a pint and a half size is great for a good meal - and add three tbsps of ranch dressing. This will give a heavily dressed salad so adjust according to taste. Then, divide up a cup of tomatoes and add a spoon of chopped onions. Add these, along with a cup of shredded carrots and half a cup of sweet diced red peppers.

Next, head to your protein source. Roasted chickpeas are delicious, so half of a cup of these would be wonderful, along with a chopped hardboiled egg and half a cup of grilled chicken. Top with thin slices of cucumber, and then add a handful of baby spinach leaves and chopped romaine salad.

Press down everything lightly as you go and then consider topping the finished salad with a little sauerkraut or seeds. Screw on your lid, place the jar into a chilled lunch bag and you're good to go - just remember your fork!

Basic sauerkraut

Your glass Mason jar is also perfect for making sauerkraut! And again, it couldn't be easier - but this nutritional powerhouse is more than just a tasty condiment, it's also packed with beneficial bacteria to keep you well and healthy this summer.

Simply sterilise your Mason jars using your preferred method - sterilising tablets, microwave or oven water bath for example - and then finely chop cabbage into a bowl with a spoon of salt. Massage the cabbage with your fingers until it begins to release its juice and keep going until the cabbage becomes soft and is eventually covered with its own juice. Stir in a teaspoon each of peppercorns and caraway seeds.

Place the cabbage and the brine into the sterilised jar and add some muslin cloth over the top. Weigh down the cabbage by placing something heavy over the top of the cloth to press it down - you can also put the cabbage into a bowl and weigh it down with plates before covering it over. Let the cabbage sit for around 5 days in 18-20 degree heat, check it daily to let any gas build-up disperse, and taste it to see if the flavour is to your liking. It should have a distinctive tangy, fermented taste. If you'd like it to taste stronger, you can leave it for a couple of weeks. Once it's ready, put the sauerkraut into your Mason jars and place it in the fridge. It will be fine for up to six months if it remains in the fridge.

Ultimate Mason jar ice-cream

Your glass Mason jars are also perfect for summer ice-cream dishes! This recipe only needs a handful of ingredients and it's simple enough for kids to do:

- Gather your Mason jar with a two-piece lid

- Pour a cup of cold double cream into the jar

- Add two tbsp of sugar, half a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt

- Twist the lid on, make sure it's tightly closed and then shake the jar

- The mix will eventually double in size and resemble a brownie or pancake butter. It takes around five minutes of continuous shaking so get the family involved!

- Pop the jar into the freezer and shake it every half hour or so.

- After 2-3 hours, come back to enjoy a silky, rich ice-cream that you can top with your favourite nuts, chocolate sauce, strawberries or other treats.

Stock up for summer

We've got a wide range of glass Mason jars for sale here at Wares of Knutsford, with sizes that work for food storage, lunches, cocktails, milkshakes and plenty more. You'll find great prices, fast delivery and the excellent customer service that we've become renowned for. For any queries, please contact our friendly customer services team who will be delighted to help. Why not sign up to our newsletter too and follow us on social media for all the latest from Wares of Knutsford - if you tag us in your Mason jar recipe photos, we'll share them with our community!