ADORE this idea from The Kitchn (thanks to reader Advah for the heads-up!): meals-to-go served in canning jars (like the Ball Mason jars that I posted about yesterday). Such a quick, easy, charming way to pass out portions at a picnic.
The Kitchn article suggests using canning jars to transport and serve up things like mac ‘n’ cheese, salads, puddings, and cobblers. I love the idea of creating savory trifle-type dishes by layering different, complimentary ingredients (such as sesame noodles on the bottom, topped with a layer of steamed vegetables, topped with another layer of noodles and another layer of veggies, and then finished off with a dollop of sauce). This also might be a fun way to get kids who are wary of the whole “mixing ingredients” thing (as I was when I was little; nothing on my plate was allowed to touch) to warm to the idea.