April Meal in a Jar Recipes! Beef Veggie Skillet and Peach Crisp!

Here are our April Meal in a Jar Recipes!

BEEF VEGGIE SKILLET and PEACH CRISP IN A JAR!

I love what's on sale this month! The asparagus is one of my favorite Thrive vegetables and I think you will love it in this skillet meal! Try it and let me know how you like it! (I also love to use the asparagus when I make veggie omelets and frittatas! YUM!) 

And the single serve Peach Crisp is AMAZING! So good when you are wanting a quick treat! But make sure you have some ice cream to go with it! AMAZINGLY GOOD!

Thrive is going to have their Big Spring Sale April 24 - 29, but these April Specials are already at the sale prices and won't be reduced further. So go ahead and get what you want while it's available! Free shipping on all delivery orders over $100!

BEEF VEGGIE SKILLET-Meal in a Jar Portion- Layer all of these ingredients in a quart jar. I like to put the meat and vegetables in first, and then sprinkle the seasonings and sauce mixes over the food.

• 1 tsp dehydrated minced garlic (or 1/2 tsp of garlic powder)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1/8 tsp dry ground mustard

• 1/2 tsp Thrive FD Oregano

• 1/4 cup Thrive Tomato Sauce

• 1/4 cup Thrive FD Chopped Onions

• 1/2 cup Thrive FD Red Bell Peppers

• 1/2 cup Thrive FD Zucchini

• 1/2 cup Thrive FD Asparagus

• 1 cup Thrive FD Ground Beef

  Optional - put in a separate baggie at top of jar:

• 2 TBSP Thrive FD Parmesan Cheese

Directions:In a large skillet heat up 2 TBSP olive oil. Pour contents of the jar into the pan and stir. Add 2 cups of water and stir. Cook for about 7-8 minutes until sauce is thickened. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top if desired. Serve over rice, with mashed potatoes, or enjoy as is.

Notes:

• You can half this recipe and put it in a pint jar for smaller portions.

• If you are wanting less salt, add a little to start with, and then add more if needed.

• If you already have other freeze dried beef slices, dices, or shredded beef, you can substitute those in this recipe!

Shopping List:Here’s what you need to add to your Delivery Service to make 10 -11 Meals in a Jar (and a LOT of single serve recipes!) Sometimes the product settles a bit, or certain foods have a few less servings per can, and sometimes people over-scoop or under-scoop their ingredients when making these. But this should get you close to 10 - 11 meals in a quart jar. You will have extra of some products, but you can use in other recipes. Of course, you can adjust your delivery order if you already have some of these items in your pantry that you want to use.

• Thrive Oregano (1 spice jar)

• Thrive Tomato Sauce (1 pantry can)

• Thrive Chopped Onions (1 pantry can)

• Thrive Red Bell Peppers (2 pantry cans*)

• Thrive Zucchini (2 pantry cans*)

• Thrive Asparagus (2 pantry cans*)

• Thrive Ground Beef (1 #10 family can)

• Thrive Parmesan Cheese (1 #10 pantry can)

*You might want to add a #10 family can instead of 2 pantry cans because it's more cost effective, and then you will have some leftover ingredients to try in other recipes!

PEACH CRISP IN A JAR
-Single Serve Portion- Layer in a pint jar or half pint jar. The pint jar gives you a little room to top it with ice cream!
Fruit Layer

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup peaches (broken into bite size pieces)

• 2 tsp brown sugar 

Topping

• 2 TBSP quick oats

• 1 TBSP flour (white or wheat both work well)

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp brown sugar

• a pinch of salt (less than 1/8 tsp)

Directions:Add fruit later ingredients (peaches and brown sugar) to jar and shake it up. In a small bowl, combine topping layer and mix together, and then pour it over top of fruit.
When ready to eat: add 7 TBSP of water to jar. Shake or stir thoroughly. Let sit 2-3 minutes so water can absorb. Heat up in microwave for 1 minute. Enjoy! You will definitely want some ice cream to go with it!

Shopping List: Buy some Thrive FD Peach slices while they are on sale! A #10 can will make about 15 - 22 servings, depending on how many peaches you add. And a Pantry Can will make about 4-6 servings. You can also buy the peaches in the Snackies pouch, and that will make 2-3 servings.

ORDER THROUGH THE DELIVERY SERVICE

Don't forget that in order to get the best prices, perks, and free shipping, you will want to make sure you are signed up for Thrive's Delivery Service.

• You will get 20% off your first delivery order when you check out! (unless it's already on sale for more than that!)

• Free shipping on all orders $100 or more in the US and Canada (except Hawaii and Alaska - they have discounted shipping).

• Setting up a delivery will generate a delivery order for next month, but you always have control of what you order and when. Just log in and put what you want in your order. You can change the date, pause it, or cancel it anytime you want. It's worth a few extra clicks to get free shipping! 

HOW TO GET STARTED:

1. Click this link: Delivery Service
2. Shop the categories and add food that you want.
3. Check out with your contact and payment info.

OR just call me and I will do it for you! :)

NOW IS THE TIME!

If you've ever thought of becoming a consultant, this is a fabulous time before the Big Spring Sale (and you will get to shop the sale a day early!) You can earn commission back on your own orders and there's no monthly sales quotas. It's the BEST way to buy Thrive even if you don't plan to sell it and you only want to benefit from your own orders. But if you happen to have a few people order from you, you will earn commission and free and discounted food! FREE FOOD IS AWESOME! So is commission, but it's like Christmas when you can order a bunch of free food! I will do your first Facebook part for you (during the sale would be amazing!), and you get to reap all of the benefits! You will love being a consultant!Check out the Starter Kits


If you just want to host a Facebook party during the sale, let me know! You invite people and enjoy the party with them, and I do the rest! You will earn free and half off food when your friends order. It's a lot of fun, and you get to stock up your pantry with the benefits! :)


I have more recipes to share! Sign up for my email list here: GET RECIPES
Also, see my Facebook Group called Simple With Thrive Life where we share how we use Thrive in our everyday cooking! No sales links, just great ideas and recipes!

Please let me know if you need any help! I am always happy to answer questions or give you more information. I do Thrive because I really love it and I want to be self reliant and have healthy food to eat! I know you will love it too! Have a happy week! Melissa : )

Melissa Coombs
Thrive Life Gold Executive
mythrivefavorites.thrivelife.com
803-818-1569 (call or text)

Philly Cheesesteak Meal in a Jar Recipe!

These March Specials made me think of an awesome Meal in a Jar Recipe! PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS! I'm going to start sharing a monthly Meal in a Jar recipe that utilizes some of the monthly sale items! You can buy these ingredients to make Meal in a Jar or Single Serve recipes, or just stock up and have this awesome food in your pantry to cook with or as long term storage. But these recipes are so good that I promise you will want to make them and not just store this food away! Perfect for a busy night, a LAZY night, when you are sick, camping trips, hiking, RV traveling, or even when you stay in hotels! Dinner is ready in about 5 - 10 mins from start to finish! SHOP ALL MARCH SPECIALS Photo by Shelli Rasmussen PHILLY CHEESESTEAK RECIPE -Single Size Portion- ·    1/4 cup Thrive FD Shredded Beef ·    1/4 cup Thrive FD Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese OR Mozzarella Cheese ·    1 Tbsp Thrive FD Mushrooms ·    2 Tbsp Thrive FD Green Bell Peppers ·    2 Tbsp Thrive FD Onion Slices OR Chopped Onions ·    1/2 tsp THRIVE Chef's Choice (reduce if you are wanting lower sodium) ·    1/2 tsp THRIVE Italian Season (optional but tastes so good!) Add the ingredients to a quart size freezer bag or small jar. Bring 1/3 cup of water to a boil, add the contents of the baggie or jar and let simmer on low for 5-10 mins. Serve on a hoagie roll, lettuce wrap, or eat with a fork. Enjoy! And go make more so you have them ready to go! -Meal in a Jar Portion- Makes about 4 sandwiches - depends on how big you make them! ·    1 cup Thrive FD Shredded Beef ·    1 cup Thrive FD Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese OR Mozzarella Cheese ·    1/3 cup Thrive FD Mushrooms ·    3/4 cup Thrive FD Green Bell Peppers ·    3/4 cup Thrive FD Onion Slices OR Chopped Onions ·    2 1/4 tsp Thrive Chef's Choice Seasoning ·    2 tsp Thrive Italian Seasoning Layer all ingredients in a quart jar until you are ready to use. Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil, add the contents of the jar, and let simmer on low for 5-10 mins. Serve on a hoagie roll, lettuce wrap, or eat with a fork. Enjoy! And make more jar meals so you have them ready to go! NOTES: ·    I also made these with the Seasoned Grilled Chicken that is on sale and we LOVED them! ·    If you like lower salt, go easy on the Chef's Choice seasoning. You can always add a little more if you want it, but you can't take it away. ·    Some people like it a little saucy, so they add a tablespoon of the Espagnole Sauce (Savory Beef Gravy). But that adds salt too, so be mindful of that. ·    If there's too much water, let it simmer a little longer until the water has absorbed. If it's too dry, add a little more water. ·    You don't have to cook this over the stove. You could put it in a bowl and add hot or boiling water to it and let it sit for a few minutes. Then it's ready to eat! SHOPPING LIST Here’s what you need to add to your Delivery Service to make 10 -12 Meals in a Jar (and a LOT of single serve recipes!) Sometimes the product settles a bit, or certain foods have a few less servings per can, and sometimes people over-scoop or under-scoop their ingredients when making these. But this should get you close to 10 - 12 meals in a quart jar. You will have leftover peppers, onions, and spices that you can use in other recipes. Of course, you can adjust your delivery order if you already have some of these items in your pantry or storage that you want to use. ·    Thrive FD Shredded Beef - 1 #10 family can ·    Thrive FD Monterey Jack Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese - 1 #10 family can ·    Thrive FD Mushrooms - 1 pantry can ·    Thrive FD Green Peppers - 1 #10 family can ·    Thrive FD Onion Slices or Chopped Onions - 1 #10 family can ·    Thrive Chef’s Choice Seasoning - 1 spice can ·    Thrive Italian Seasoning Blend - 1 spice can ORDER THROUGH THE DELIVERY SERVICE Don't forget that in order to get the best prices, perks, and free shipping, you will want to make sure you are signed up for Thrive's Delivery Service. You will get 20% off your first delivery order when you check out! (unless it's already on sale for more than that!) Free shipping on all orders $100 or more in the US and Canada (except Hawaii and Alaska - they have discounted shipping). Setting up a delivery will generate a delivery order for next month, but you always have control of what you order and when. Just log in and put what you want in your order. You can change the date, pause it, or cancel it anytime you want. It's worth a few extra clicks to get free shipping!  HOW TO GET STARTED: 1. Click this link: Delivery Service 2. Shop the categories and add food that you want. 3. Check out with your contact and payment info. OR just call me and I will do it for you! :) Earn Commission and Free Food Did you know if you sign up as a consultant you can earn commission back on your own orders with no monthly sales quotas? It's the BEST way to buy Thrive even if you don't plan to do it as a business and you just want to benefit from your own orders. But if you happen to have a few people order from you, you will earn commission and free and discounted food! FREE FOOD IS AWESOME! So is commission, but it's like Christmas when you can order a bunch of free food! : ) Check out the Starter Kits Please let me know if you have any questions or need any help! I am always happy to answer questions or give you more information. I do Thrive because I really love it and I want to be self reliant and have healthy food to eat! I know you will love it too! Have a happy week! Melissa : ) Melissa Coombs Thrive Life Gold Executive mythrivefavorites.thrivelife.com 803-818-1569 (call or text)

Recipes for Meals in a Jar!

Here are the Recipes for the Meal in a Jar Packs!
(CLICK HERE to see the Meal in a Jar Packs - it will list the products you need to make 11-15 of each recipe.)

*FD means Freeze Dried

Feel free to half the recipe and put in a smaller jar or a quart size baggie. I make half batches in baggies for my college kids! They love them! Tastes amazing, and cheaper and healthier than fast food! My husband loves these on the pantry shelf because he is not a great cook (sorry honey, it's the truth) :) and he can make a yummy meal when I am not at home! 

CLICK HERE to purchase the items to make these recipes, or contact me and I will be happy to place the order for you. : ) 

Taco Soup
This is my family's favorite soup!

Put in quart jar in this order: 

3 TBSP Taco Seasoning

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

3 TBSP Tomato Powder

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

¾ cup Freeze Dried Hamburger

¾ cup Instant Pinto Beans

¾ cup Instant Black Beans

¾ cup Freeze Dried Corn

2 TBSP Freeze Dried Green Chilis (optional)

Dump all ingredients from this jar into a pot. Add 8 cups water (you might like more or less water). Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until beans are cooked. Add more salt or seasonings if you like. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips. (Makes about 10 cups of soup.)
This is my recipe that I created.

Beef Stroganoff
This is so yummy and kid friendly!

Put in a quart jar in this order:

1 cup FD Beef Dices or Ground Beef
2 cups Egg Noodles (you can also buy curly egg noodles at your grocery store)
1/3 cup Espagnole (Savory Beef Gravy)
1/4 cup FD Chopped Onions
1/4 cup Sour Cream Powder
1 tsp Chef's Choice Seasoning Blend
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 1/4 TBSP Salad Seasoning Blend

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Pour contents of jar in the water. Let return to full boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until noodles are done. You may need to add in a little more water as it is cooking- it will depend on what kind of noodles you used and how many you crammed in to your 2 cups! : ) Cover and let sit for 8-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Shelli Rasmussen.


Chicken Fajitas
Oh my goodness! You will be surprised at how good these are! DELICIOUS!!! Gluten free and low carb too!

Put in a quart jar in this order:

1 1/4 cups FD Seasoned Chicken Slices
3/4 cup FD Onion Slices
1/3 cup FD Green Chili Peppers
1/2 cup FD Green Bell Peppers
1/2 cup FD Red Green Peppers
1/2 tsp Chicken Bouillon
1 tsp FD Cilantro
1/2 tsp Chef's Choice Seasoning
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt (or less if you prefer)
A Pinch of Thrive Limeade Powder (or squeeze some fresh lime over chicken fajitas before serving.)

In a bowl, add contents of jar to 2 cups of hot water and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to make sure the chicken peices have absorbed the water. There may be a little water in the bottom of the bowl after the 10 minutes and that's ok. Add 1 TBSP of olive oil to a skillet and get it hot. Pour in chicken mixture and stir to lightly brown the chicken and heat completely. Serve on flour tortillas (or in romaine lettuce leaves) with your favorite toppings, like cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc.

Francesca’s Unstuffed Pepper Soup

I think this is my personal favorite! You need to try it!

Put in quart jar in this order:

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

½ cup Tomato Powder

1 tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (can use ½ tsp garlic powder instead)

1 TBSP Italian Seasoning

1 ½ TBSP Beef Bouillon

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

1 cup Instant White Rice or Instant Brown Rice

1 cup Freeze Dried Ground Beef

½ cup Freeze Dried Red Peppers

½ cup Freeze Dried Green Peppers

Dump all ingredients from this jar into a pot. Add 8 cups water (you might like more or less water). Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and let simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add more salt or seasonings if you like. Serve topped with your favorite cheese.

This is also amazing as a casserole. Francesca's original recipe said to dump contents of jar into a bowl and add 3 cups of water. Let sit for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Pour into a casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

Note: When I make it as a casserole, I just put the jar contents in a pot with 3-4 cups of water, 

bring it to a boil and let simmer until rice is done. It will be thick. Put into a casserole

dish, top with cheese and bake for about 15-20 minutes.

I have also used regular white rice (instead of instant rice) and it works great. You

will need a little more water and it will take a good 20-25 minutes of simmering.

Just play around with it and add a little extra water if needed. It will be wonderful!

Sausage Zuppa Toscana

This was a new recipe to me, and it blew me away! I love this soup!

It's spicy and hearty and a new favorite in my house!

Put in quart jar in this order:

½ cup Sour Cream Powder

1 TBSP Chicken Bouillon

½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper

½ tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (or use some garlic powder instead)

½ cup FD Chopped Spinach

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

1 cup Instant Pinto Beans

1 cup Freeze Dried Sausage Crumbles

1 ½ cups Potato Chunks (dehydrated)

To prepare in a crock pot, add soup to 8 cups of water and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and bread sticks.

To cook in a pot, dump all ingredients of this jar into a pot. Add 8-9 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes and beans are tender.
I am not sure yet where this recipe came from...still searching. It was in my stack of recipes I printed off one day to try out. If you know, please tell me!

Lasagna Soup

You can use other noodles in this, but I like these bowtie noodles!

Put in quart jar in this order:

¼ cupTomato Powder

¼ cup Tomato Sauce Powder

1 TBSP Chicken Bouillon
¼ cup Bechamel Sauce

½ - 1 tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (or garlic powder)

1 tsp Chef's Choice Seasoning

½ tsp Freeze Dried Italian Seasoning Blend
½ tsp Freeze Dried Basil

2 TBSP Mixed Bell Peppers

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

¾ cups Freeze Dried Sausage
2 cups Rainbow Farfalle (Bowtie) Noodles

Bring 8 cups of water to boil. Add contents of jar and stir well. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the noodles are done. Top with Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese.
Original Recipe comes from Shelli Rasmussen

CLICK HERE to purchase the items to make these recipes, or contact me and I will be happy to place the order for you. : ) 

Happy Cooking!
Melissa : ) 

Melissa Coombs
Thrive Life Independent Consultant
www.mythrivefavorites.thrivelife.com
macoombs5@comporium.net
803-818-1569

Easy and Delicious Meals in a Jar!

Have I ever told you how much I LOVE THRIVE? :) 

I just made these Meals in a Jar, and they are amazing! Now I have 40 quick and delicious meals that even my kids and husband can make in a few minutes. Just dump into a pot, add water and simmer! They were so excited when they came home from an activity and saw these! I thought I would share the recipes for these in case you are interested!

Almost all of these ingredients come from Thrive, except for a few spices, like taco seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. The happiest part for me, is I got most of my ingredients FREE from being a consultant and hosting my own classes! If you are interested in hosting a class to earn free and half off product, or becoming a consultant, please contact me and I can send you some info to consider and help you get started! (macoombs5@comporium.net, 803-818-1569)

A few quick notes: You can substitute products from other companies, but be careful with the bouillon. I tried one recipe with another company's chicken bouillon, and it was waaaaaay too salty. You may need to make some adjustments if substituting.

You can make double batches of soup mix in half gallon jars, and half batches in pint jars (they hold 2 cups). I love how these can be customized so easily!

***Make sure you start with clean, COMPLETELY DRY jars and measuring cups! Personally, I wash my jars and then put them in the oven at 200 degrees until they are completely dry. Then I take them out of the oven and let them cool, and let the filling begin! 

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT FOOD YOU NEED TO BUY TO MAKE A "BATCH" OF EACH RECIPE!

Taco Soup
This is my family's favorite soup!

Put in quart jar in this order: 

3 TBSP Taco Seasoning

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

3 TBSP Tomato Powder

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

¾ cup Freeze Dried Hamburger

¾ cup Instant Pinto Beans

¾ cup Instant Black Beans

¾ cup Freeze Dried Corn

2 TBSP Freeze Dried Green Chilis (optional)

Dump all ingredients from this jar into a pot. Add 8 cups water (you might like more or less water). Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until beans are cooked. Add more salt or seasonings if you like. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips. (Makes about 10 cups of soup.)
This is my recipe that I created.

Francesca’s Unstuffed Pepper Soup

I think this is my personal favorite! You need to try it!

Put in quart jar in this order:

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

½ cup Tomato Powder

1 tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (can use ½ tsp garlic powder instead)

1 TBSP Italian Seasoning

1 ½ TBSP Beef Bouillon

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

1 cup Instant White Rice or Instant Brown Rice

1 cup Freeze Dried Ground Beef

½ cup Freeze Dried Red Peppers

½ cup Freeze Dried Green Peppers

Dump all ingredients from this jar into a pot. Add 8 cups water (you might like more or less water). Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and let simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add more salt or seasonings if you like. Serve topped with your favorite cheese.

This is also amazing as a casserole. Francesca's original recipe said to dump contents of jar into a bowl and add 3 cups of water. Let sit for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Pour into a casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

Note: When I make it as a casserole, I just put the jar contents in a pot with 3-4 cups of water, 

bring it to a boil and let simmer until rice is done. It will be thick. Put into a casserole

dish, top with cheese and bake for about 15-20 minutes.

I have also used regular white rice (instead of instant rice) and it works great. You

will need a little more water and it will take a good 20-25 minutes of simmering.

Just play around with it and add a little extra water if needed. It will be wonderful!

Sausage Zuppa Toscana

This was a new recipe to me, and it blew me away! I love this soup!

It's spicy and hearty and a new favorite in my house!

Put in quart jar in this order:

½ cup Sour Cream Powder

1 TBSP Chicken Bouillon

½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper

½ tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (or use some garlic powder instead)

½ cup FD Chopped Spinach

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

1 cup Instant Pinto Beans

1 cup Freeze Dried Sausage Crumbles

1 ½ cups Potato Chunks (dehydrated)

To prepare in a crock pot, add soup to 8 cups of water and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and bread sticks.

To cook in a pot, dump all ingredients of this jar into a pot. Add 8-9 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes and beans are tender.
I am not sure yet where this recipe came from...still searching. It was in my stack of recipes I printed off one day to try out. If you know, please tell me!

Lasagna Soup

You can use other noodles in this, but I like these bowtie noodles!

Put in quart jar in this order:

¼ cupTomato Powder

¼ cup Tomato Sauce Powder

1 TBSP Chicken Bouillon
¼ cup Bechamel Sauce

½ - 1 tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (or garlic powder)

1 tsp Chef's Choice Seasoning

½ tsp Freeze Dried Italian Seasoning Blend
½ tsp Freeze Dried Basil

2 TBSP Mixed Bell Peppers

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

¾ cups Freeze Dried Sausage
2 cups Rainbow Farfalle (Bowtie) Noodles

Bring 8 cups of water to boil. Add contents of jar and stir well. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the noodles are done. Top with Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese.

Original Recipe comes from Shelli Rasmussen

Chicken NOODLE Soup

This came in handy when we got sick with the flu! This tastes SOOO much better than canned soup from the store...and healthier too! 

Put in quart jar in this order:

2 TBSP Chicken Bouillon

¼ tsp Pepper

1 tsp Chef’s Choice Seasoning

½ tsp Salad Seasoning Blend
1/2 tsp Freeze Dried Garlic (or garlic powder)

¼ cup Freeze Dried Celery

¼ cup Carrots (dehydrated)

¼ cup Freeze Dried Onions

1 cup Freeze Dried Chicken (you can use large slices or chopped chicken)

 2 cups Egg Noodles

*Season your jar meal of Chicken Noodle Soup they way you like chicken soup! You might want to put in a little poultry seasoning, marjoram, some parsley or a bay leaf!

Add contents of this jar to 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 mins or until noodles are done. (remove bay leaf before eating if you added one of those in there!)
Not sure where this recipe came from either. Still looking!

Here is the website to see/purchase all of the products:

My Thrive Favorites

Click HERE to see a few more Meal in a Jar Recipes (like Chicken Fajitas and Beef Stroganoff!)

Shelf Life and sealing the Jars

What is the shelf life of the jar meal? (Short answer below in bold!)
This is not a simple answer. There are a lot of factors here, but let's break it down to some info we need to consider. Most companies say that their freeze dried foods last 25-30 years unopened, but once opened, you have about 1 year to use the product in the can. This will vary according to the exact product. You will need to know the approximate shelf life of the products you put into the jar. 

Here is an awesome document from Thrive that shows optimum shelf life while sealed, approximate shelf life once opened, allergens, if the product is non GMO, country of origin, etc.
Thrive Product Detail List

With this in mind, you would need to consider the shelf life of each product in the jar, AND YOU NEED TO SEAL THE JAR! If the sealed shelf life of sausage is 25 years, but you also have Pasta in the jar which only has a shelf life of 8 years, then your jar meal technically has a shelf life of 8 years. 

HOWEVER, you need to consider that a jar lets in light, and light can reduce the shelf life of your food. I personally think you should use your jar meals within a year or so for optimum freshness. I just made 40 jar meals, and there's no way they will last more than a year on my shelf because my family will eat them up sooner than that!

How can you seal the jar? 
You can vacuum seal it with a Pump n Seal or with a Vacuum Sealer machine (like a Food Saver or Seal a Meal.) You can also put an oxygen absorber in the jar. That seems like a waste of money to me, so I use my Pump N Seal or Food Saver.  

But if you consider that once you open a can of freeze dried food, that you have about a year to use it (with just the plastic lid on the can), then technically you don't need to seal it. You just need to use it within a year (or whatever the lowest opened shelf life is for all of the products in your jar.) 

Can I store them in Zip Lock Freezer bags?
Sure. You can make the meals and put them in zip lock freezer bags, but your food will not be as protected as in jars. I would say to use them within a few months if stored in baggies. But it's a great option for temporary storage...like when camping or hiking or backpacking. 

SHORT ANSWER: Everyone seems to have their own opinion...I have read a lot about this online and found opposite extremes in opinions and information. Here is my advice: be smart, make sure your jars are completely dry before you fill them, use quality fresh products, store in a dark cabinet or pantry, seal them if you can for added protection, and use within a reasonable amount of time. Just eat them! They are delicious!

Labels

I have seen people do really fancy labels and give them as Christmas presents, but I just made plain labels and taped them onto the jars. Worked great for my family, and it was simple and fast! 

Here is the website to see all of the products:

My Thrive Favorites

You can get cheaper prices than are listed on the website by ordering through a consultant (ME!), hosting or attending a Thrive party, or by joining the "Q" which is their monthly shipping program. You can get lots of free and half of products too when you host a class or "party" or become a consultant.

When you get on the "Q", you will have access to the monthly specials and the lowest prices offered by Thrive. You set your own budget, choose the products you want each month, and decide which day your order will process. It’s a great way to gradually build your food supply and stock up on your favorite items that are on sale. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thrive has fabulous products, and the Q is a great way to get healthy and delicious “groceries” delivered to your door. And it helps you stock up on your food storage gradually on a comfortable budget. 

I will be running a special on the consultant kits in January ($40 off). Please contact me if you are interested. 

Happy New Year! Melissa : )

Melissa Coombs

Independent Thrive Life Consultant

Silver Executive

803-818-1569

macoombs5@comporium.net

mythrivefavorites.thrivelife.com