In the USA they call them Mason jars and give ‘Mason’ a capital M to remember John Landis Mason whose invention they are. Kiwis have their own versions of this screw top glass jar which we generically refer to as a ‘jam’ or ‘preserving’ jar. Whatever you want to call them, they’re your start to creating a memorable, waste-free Christmas gift that can be enjoyed for breakfast on Boxing Day. What’s even better, the jars are made from clear glass so you won’t want to hide the colourful contents with wrapping paper. And with their sealing screw-top lids, everything inside the containers stays moisture-free, so if Boxing Day Breakfast is already sorted, the treat can be delayed until desired.
Boxing Day Breakfast Muesli
This is a decadent-take on the popular, and very healthy, Swiss-German cereal mix developed way back in 1900. But for a festive-treat version that tastes as good as it looks, we’ve included a few added items!
You will need:
A clean, shiny, screw-top glass jar (check out the op-shops)
Enamel paint (test pots of paint are ideal for this, and are inexpensive)
Small paint brush
Colourful Trade Aid twine to match your paint
A sustainably-sourced bamboo or wooden spoon
A home-made tie-on tag
A fine-tip white-out correction pen
A writing pen
Muesli ingredients (source these from a bulk-supplier so you don’t have to buy in plastic):
Un-toasted rolled oats
Dried cranberries
Chopped dried apricots
Chopped dates
Chopped pawpaw
Raisins
Toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Mixed toasted, unsalted nuts (chopped coarsely)
Coarse-shredded coconut
Yoghurt drops and/or chocolate drops
3 Tbsp dried milk powder (or soy-milk powder if you are creating a non-dairy gift).
Instructions
A day or two before making the muesli, prepare your jar by painting the outer surface of its lid with enamel paint. Leave the lid to dry according to the instructions on the paint container. Note: you may need two coats of paint to cover the lid completely.
Once the paint is dry, use a spoon to layer the muesli ingredients into the jar. Begin and end with a layer of rolled oats and a sprinkle of milk powder. This rolled oat/milk powder combo should be also be used to separate each layer of the other ingredients. IMPORTANT: ensure the ingredients occupy no more than 2/3 of the space in the jar. This is because liquid will be added to the jar prior to consuming, and the ingredients will swell. Once you’ve finished loading your jar, stand back and admire the colourful stripes and textures you’ve created. Screw the lid firmly the jar and take care the container doesn’t tip or the layers may become disturbed.
On one side of the tie-on tag, write: Boxing Day Muesli. On the other side, write these instructions: Top up this jar with warm water 12 hours before eating. Screw on lid & place jar in fridge. Enjoy in the morning! Tie the tag around the neck of the jar.
Tie the spoon onto the side of the jar with your coloured twine. Use the white-out pen to write Boxing Day Muesli on the front of the jar. Congratulations! You’ve created a stunning, delicious, plastic-free gift in a reusable jar!