I was scanning the archives for meal ideas when I stumbled upon these mason jar salads and knew they were just what I needed. I know this isn’t a brand new idea, but it works just as well more than two years later and is worth revisiting. I haven’t been eating as many vegetables as I’d like, and I’m feeling so spent I just grab whatever is front-and-center in the fridge. When I made these veggie- and protein-filled jars, I went from, “Well, I guess I’ll just eat this leftover mac n cheese” to “Well, I guess I’ll just eat this salad.” Much better.
I followed all the tips in the original post, including using quart-size jars and keeping heartier add-ins toward the bottom of the jar and greens on top. Like Mrs. Deer, I skip packing the dressing because I’m eating from home and making the dressing a la minute. However, I did experiment with adding the dressing on the bottom just to check the method, and I can assure you it works beautifully, making these perfect for on-the-go or desk lunches.
I’ve included three salad combination ideas I’ve been loving, but take this more as a starting point and customize based on the ingredients and proportions that work for you. The ones I’ve been making most include my classic salad with citrus, red onion, and avocado, an edamame and peanut salad, and a spinach salad with chicken and vegetables. I link to a suggested dressing pairing too – I tend to use the same ingredients but usually eyeball the amounts.
What are you eating for lunch these days? I always appreciate new ideas and links!
My Classic Salad
Add to the jar in this order:
- 1/2 cup cleaned chopped button mushrooms
- 1/2 avocado, chopped
- 1 tangerine, peeled and segmented
- handful thinly sliced red onion
- handful toasted almonds
- top off with mixed lettuce
Pair with hemp seed dressing for extra protein.
Edamame Salad
Add to the jar in this order:
- 1/2 cup frozen and thawed edamame
- 1/2 cup sliced raw carrots
- handful peanuts
- top off with butterhead lettuce
Pair with peanut sauce thinned with a little water to reach dressing consistency.
Chicken and Veggie Salad
Add to the jar in this order:
- 1 layer cheddar cheese cubes
- 1/2 – 1 cup mixed bell pepper slices
- 1/2 cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 – 1 poached chicken breast (depending on how big), cooled and chopped
- top off with baby spinach
Pair with a classic vinaigrette, adding 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning if you’d like.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
I LOVE salads in a jar! Domestic Geek on YouTube has some great videos for salads in a jar (she also has great videos on meal prepping, overnight oatmeal and other healthy foods).
I have tried her Protein Packed and Greeks salads in a jar and they are both phenomenal!!!
Here is a link for her stuff:
http://thedomesticgeek.com/archives/422
cherry / 158 posts
@Mrs D: All of those sound great, especially the berry balsamic one. I want to try adding chickpeas, too.
pear / 1547 posts
So this is a stupid question, but do you just dump the salad into a bowl to eat? Or eat from the jar? If the latter – how do you mix it all? Just thinking how I would pack for lunch…
blogger / persimmon / 1231 posts
Love these! We still do these though sometimes I’ll just put all the veggies in one large container, meat in another, and pre-washed lettuce in a thirds.
going to try some of these combos!
cherry / 158 posts
@MenagerieMama: Oh I meant to include something about that in the post – I’ll go back and add it. If your jar is packed tightly, you cannot shake it to disperse the dressing and have to pour it into a bowl/large plate to stir in the dressing. If there’s a little extra room in the jar, you can shake it to dress the salad.
cantaloupe / 6751 posts
@MenagerieMama: lol I was JUST about to ask that same question and start with the same, “this may be stupid but…”
Such a cool idea! will definitely have to try!