When you’re trying to achieve your health goals, a delicious salad is often a great way to go as part of your healthy eating plan.
The problem is that once you get the salad out of its comfort zone (ie from the kitchen to work) you can end up with an old mess. The reason for this is that salad tends to get mushy from dressing earlier in the day, or it can be crushed into plastic containers.
So today we have a step-by-step guide to making a portable salad using the humble mason jar.
Why a mason jar is great for a packed lunch
- It has a very sturdy cap (so bandages do not leak).
- Glass is strong, so unlike plastic it won’t flatten or crush in your bag.
- You can add the sauce to the bottom of the jar away from the lettuce, which means no wet lunches.
- The sturdy seal and glaze keep things fresh so you can make salads to eat for the next three or four days and they’ll still be good.
If you can’t get your hands on one of them, any large glass container will do – such as a jar of pasta sauce.
Follow our step-by-step plan for a quick and easy lunch in minutes:
Make a simple bandage
This is placed at the bottom of the jar so you can just shake the salad and toss it in your bowl at lunchtime.
You can use any salad dressing you like, but if you are using a canned dressing, always read the label as it can contain a lot of sugar/salt/oil.
Keep it simple with 2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar + salt + pepper.
Get 5 delicious (and healthy) salad dressings here
add crunchy
An important part of a good salad is texture. Add some crunch to give your salad some pizzazz.
This will stay in the sauce so it should be strong enough to handle some slight pickling, especially if the salad will be storing for several days.
Some ideas for crunchy: diced red or green bell peppers, chopped tomatoes, corn, chopped leeks, chopped cucumbers, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and asparagus.
package in color
The whole point of a healthy salad is to pack as much goodness as possible, and now’s your chance to fill the jar with color and flavor.
It could be: roasted onions, shredded carrots, roasted pumpkin or sweet potatoes, mushrooms, cress, beans, chickpeas, chopped zucchini, peas, chopped peaches or pears, pesto, red onions, brown rice, whole pasta, or whole couscous.
Eat some protein
To keep you feeling full for longer, add some protein now. This will prevent you from reaching the cookie jar at 3 p.m.
We love: a chopped boiled egg, some boiled chicken, some roast beef steaks, leftover chicken thighs or thighs, 2 tablespoons crumbled feta, grilled halloumi, shredded cheddar cheese, tuna chunks, leftover roasted lamb.
Add greens, nuts and seeds
Top your salad and add more crunch by adding your favorite salad leaves at the end, along with any nuts and seeds you enjoy.
Stored apart from the sauce, it will remain crisp and fresh until you’re ready to dip it in.
Think: baby spinach, watercress, lettuce, radicchio, and any combination of salad leaves, cashews, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, or chia seeds.
Then just shake it
When you’re ready to serve, simply remove the lid, turn the jar upside down and shake out onto a plate. Or you can save on washing and eat it straight from the jar.
Ready to make one? Try one of these three great salads from a mason jar!
Chicken and feta pasta salad
sauce
- 2 teaspoons pesto
- 2 tablespoons natural or Greek yogurt
crush
color
- Ravioli or cooked pasta
- shallot slices
- Red onion, sliced thin
protein
- crumbled feta cheese
- Grilled chicken slices
Vegetables, nuts and seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- ground walnut
- fresh basil
- Rocket
mexican vegetable salad
sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
crush
- Option cut into small portions
- Red pepper cut into cubes
color
- kidney pills
- Fresh or canned corn
- shallot slices
- chopped tomato
protein
- Cooked brown rice or quinoa
- grated parmesan cheese
Vegetables, nuts and seeds
- chopped coriander
- baby spinach
Pumpkin and chickpea salad
sauce
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 tablespoon lemon peel
crush
color
- roasted pumpkin
- Red onion, sliced thin
protein
- Canned and drained chickpeas
Vegetables, nuts and seeds
Want more food in jars? Try:
Hazelnut Chocolate Coconut Yogurt Bowls
Cleanse chia pudding
Healthy Berry Parfait
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