Winter jar meals: Quick, cozy dinners for snowy escapes
Going on a winter break trip is now one of the few opportunities to experience snow. While most of the country can already see signs of spring, in the mountains, ski slopes are operating at full speed. Those craving more snow are heading to Austria and Italy for their vacations. After an intense day on the slopes, nothing tastes as good as a warm homemade dinner. To save time and money on vacation, you can prepare delicious, ready-made meals in jars.
When preparing for a summer vacation, few consider packing dinners in jars. The abundance of seasonal vegetables and fruits and the desire to try local culinary specialties encourage dining in restaurants. It's different during winter breaks. After many hours on the slopes, relaxing in a cabin or apartment is nice. Having a meal ready in 5 minutes is a relief.
What to take on a winter break in jars?
To prepare a quick warming dinner in winter, the best options are sauces made with vegetables, legumes, or meat. A quart-sized jar can hold portions for 3-4 people. All you need to do for such a dish is cook rice, pasta, or grains. Soups in jars, like chicken broth, tomato, or cucumber soup, also work well. A hot and nourishing broth has the added benefit of taking it in a thermos to the slopes.
How to prepare broth in a jar?
For the slopes, a vegetable broth without meat works best. It's tasty, aromatic, and ideal for drinking. Cook the broth with fresh vegetables and then pour it into clean, sterilized jars. Seal and pasteurize for 20 minutes in a pot of boiling water or in the oven at 250°F.
If you want to take chicken broth with you, pasteurize the jar twice. This rule applies to all meat preserves.
During winter trips, stews and one-pot meals work well, such as Breton beans. It is a hearty meal in vegetarian and meat versions that quickly replenishes calories lost on the slopes. You can serve beans during a break between outdoor activities or for an English-style breakfast before heading out to ski, snowboard, or sled.
Bolognese sauce - a jar meal the whole family loves
Another idea for a quick jarred meal during winter break is the classic bolognese pasta sauce. Onion, ground meat, tomato sauce—this is a dish that you can not only serve quickly on a trip but also prepare efficiently at home. It's perfect for those who want to save on meals during travel but don't have time for tedious home preparations. For Bolognese sauce, remember the process of tyndallization (triple pasteurization at 24-hour intervals).
Leczo, a hearty vegetarian meal
For travel, all sorts of vegetable dishes and stews work great, like leczo. To prepare a jarred dish, sauté chopped onion, bell pepper, and zucchini in a pan. Add canned tomatoes and simmer under cover with spices. To make the dish more filling, add red beans. Reheat the jarred meal in a pot or microwave. Serve with bread or rice.
A warming Indian-style dinner
The last suggestion is Indian cuisine dishes in delicious, aromatic sauces. In one pot, you can pack an entire hearty meal. Prepare curry with vegetables or chicken tikka masala. Serve the dish in a creamy sauce with Indian naan bread or tortilla. To have everything ready in 5 minutes, use packaged products from the store.
