The Ultimate salad In A Jar Recipes

Is what to eat for lunch ever a dilemma for you? It was for me. Even working at home, I am often so busy that taking time to make a sandwich or a big salad is just too time-consuming! I solved my lunch quandary by making a salad in a jar! I think a salad in a jar is the best lunch idea! I make 4 or 5 delicious salads at one time and they are ready to eat when I am.

Let’s talk about a super easy way to eat a yummy and healthy lunch. I’m making a salad in a jar! Make a few up ahead and keep them in your refrigerator until you are ready to eat them.

Salad ingredients can be pricy and they don’t last long! So let’s use them so we don’t waste good food and $$!

Because I make them in bulk when I make a salad at dinner I can wash, dry, and assemble all the salads all at one time.

I’ve found I can make about 4-5 salads in a jar. They will stay fresh if I eat one every day.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SALAD IN A JAR

Here are a few tips for making the tastiest salads for lunch or even dinner!

It’s important to wash and dry the ingredients. Especially the salad greens. If too much moisture is left on the salad leaves the salad will not last long in the jars.

I often wash and use a salad spinner to spin off most of the excess water. Then I use bar towels to dry them off even more.

I fold a bar towel (or paper towel or dishtowel) in half lengthwise and spread out my just washed lettuce greens on it. Then I cover the lettuce with another bar towel folded the same way and roll the towels up. I find this does a nice job drying off the lettuce.

I also let the salad greens dry on bar towels on my kitchen counter for a couple of hours if they are still too wet.

I don’t wash lettuce that has been triple washed.

WHAT KIND OF JARS WORK BEST

I use a 32oz. wide mouth Ball brand Mason jar with a lid for my salads. You can see them HERE. I also have Weck jars that I use too. You can see them HERE. You can use any type of glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

THE BEST WAY TO FILL THE JARS

It’s important to start with the heaviest and most dense salad ingredients first. They go in the bottom of the jars.

Layer all the ingredients from the heaviest on the bottom to the lightest (most salad greens) on the top. Food like broccoli, carrots, beans, and asparagus are heavy items. They go in first.

Add the lightest items (usually the greens) go in last. It’s as easy as that!

WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR SALAD

There are so many wonderful things you can put in a salad in a jar.

I like to add different lettuces. My favorites are arugula, bibb, and romaine. For me, this is the perfect combination of greens.

Here are other salad goodies I like to add to my salad in a jar…

• shredded carrots
• broccoli
• zucchini
• asparagus
• peppers
• peas
• celery
• mushrooms
• herbs
• raddishes
• olives
• corn
• pickles
• beans (kidney, black, chickpeas…)
• any vegetable or other food that will not be too soggy or be affected by moisture in the jar

WHAT TO PUT ON YOUR SALAD JUST BEFORE EATING

Here are some things to put on your salad just before you eat it…

• any protien
• cut up tomatoes
• seeds
• dried fruit
• avacados
• hard boiled eggs
• onions
• anything marinaded
• salad dressing
• anything soggy or anything that creates excess liquid

Put any protein like hard-boiled eggs or chicken on your salad just before serving. And do the same for any marinaded veggies like artichokes or giardiniera.

Add the salad dressing to the salad in a jar just before serving. I put the salad dressing in the jar, screw on the lid and give the jar a good shake to distribute the dressing.

HOW TO SERVE THE SALAD

I like to dump the salad out onto a dinner plate or into a large shallow bowl. Then I top it with any extra yummies like roasted chicken or sunflower seeds, marinated vegetables, croutons, and more.

PERSONALIZE YOUR SALAD

I like to think of my salad in a jar as the base for all the delicious salads I like to eat.

All the washing, drying, and chopping the veggies take up so much time. So they are already done and waiting for you!

USE YOUR SENSES

The fresher the ingredients you put in your salad in a jar the better your salad will be. Make only enough salads for a few days.

Once the salads are made keep them in the refrigerator.

Like all perishable food, these items do have a shelf life. So use your senses to make sure they are fresh.

ABOUT THE DRESSING

My salad mantra is MAKE YOUR OWN SALAD DRESSING. This is where to spend a little extra time. Why put something in a bottle from a store on your wonderfully fresh salad?

The only bottled dressing I use is Gazebo Room Greek Dressing. It is that good! And get the regular and not the low-fat kind. I can’t make a Greek Dressing that is as good as Garden Gazebo.

FAVORITE SALADS

Once you make your salads in a jar you have a wonderful and personalized base for all kinds of salads! You can certainly eat them just the way they are but these versatile salads can be transformed into so many different salad meals with just a few add-ins!

ITALIAN SALAD

This is a salad that eats like a meal. Here are my favorite Italian Salad add-ins.

• sliced pepperoni or salami
• pepperoncini or marinaded vegetables
• shredded mozzarella or Parmesan Reggiano cheese
• tomatoes
• seasoned croutons

Italian Salad Dressing

Put all the ingredients into a Mason jar and shake. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator.

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning or dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• salt
• pepper

ORANGE AND NUT SALAD

This is just a beautiful salad and it tastes heavenly too!

Add these add-in to the salad in a jar…

• Mandrian oranges, segmented and cut in two
• blueberries, fresh or dried
• your favorite nuts- I love candied pecans in this salad
• Feta cheese, goat cheese or bleu cheese

Orange and Champagne Vinaigrette

Put all the ingredients into a Mason jar and shake. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator.

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar or honeybell orange vinegar
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• salt
• pepper

GREEK SALAD

I probably eat a Greek salad more than any other. Here are the add-ins…

• Feta Cheese
• sunflower seeds
• chopped tomatoes (I don’t eat them, but they would work nicely in this salad)
• marinaded olives
• any kind of couscous, or quinoa, cooked (use leftovers)
• cucumbers if they are not in your base salad in a jar

GREEK SALAD DRESSING

This is the only salad dressing I buy. Get Gazebo Room Greek Salad Dressing.

COBB SALAD

This is a hearty salad with lots of protein! Here are the add-ins…

• chopped hardboiled eggs
• chopped bacon
• shredded cheddar cheese
• diced avacado
• diced tomatoes

BLEU CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 1/3 cup crumbly bleu cheese
• salt
• pepper

Put all the ingredients in a Mason jar and shake. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Think about adding the ingredients to your favorite salad to a salad in a jar! Or it really is delicious on its own too!

Please visit my blogging friends and see what budget-friendly recipes they are making too…

CitrineLiving Our Southern Home

 

11 Magnolia Lane StoneGable

 

Everyday Edits Blue Sky at Home

 

The Stonybrook House A Stroll Thru Life