Salad in a Jar – Easy Healthy Lunch Recipe

Salad in a Jar – A Quick and Healthy Lunch Solution

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding the time to prepare a nutritious and satisfying lunch can often feel like an insurmountable challenge. Yet, with a little Sunday prep, you can revolutionize your lunch routine with the ingenious concept of “Salad in a Jar.” In just 30-45 minutes, you can assemble six jars filled with a colorful array of fresh ingredients, creating a delicious and convenient lunch option that stays fresh for up to five days. Whether you’re a seasoned meal prepper or a busy professional seeking a healthier alternative, Salad in a Jar offers a solution that is both easy and adaptable to your preferences.

Crafting Your Salad Jar – A Symphony of Flavors and Textures

The beauty of Salad in a Jar lies in its flexibility. The canvas for your culinary creation is vast, ranging from crisp leaves and crunchy vegetables to hearty grains and proteins. The process begins with the careful layering of ingredients, ensuring that each element retains its freshness until the moment of consumption. The assembly process is not only practical but also an opportunity to personalize your salad according to your taste and dietary preferences.

1. Salad Dressing Foundation: Start with a solid foundation by adding 1 to 4 tablespoons of your preferred dressing at the jar’s bottom. This creates a barrier, keeping the delicate salad greens away from the dressing until you’re ready to enjoy your meal.
2. Hard Vegetables Ensemble: The next layer involves robust vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and raw beetroot. Grate carrots and cabbage cut cucumbers and beetroot into pieces, and chop red peppers into small cubes, establishing a satisfying crunch at the heart of your salad.
3. Beans, Grains, and Pasta Harmony: Introduce beans, grains, and/or pasta, such as chickpeas, black-eyed beans, rice, or pasta. This layer adds substance and complexity to your meal, ensuring it’s both filling and nutritious.
4. Cheese and Proteins (optional): For those seeking added protein, include cheese and proteins like tuna, diced chicken, hard-boiled eggs, or tofu. If planning to consume your salad later in the week, store these elements separately until the day of consumption.
5. Softer Vegetables and Fruits Elegance (optional): If you desire softer textures, add avocados, tomatoes, strawberries, or dried apricots. Again, if prepping in advance, keep these components in a separate container until you’re ready to savor your salad.
6. Nuts, Seeds, and Light Grains Flourish: Elevate your salad with a layer of nuts or seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds. If your salad features lighter grains like quinoa or couscous, integrate them at this stage.
7. Salad Greens Culmination: The final touch involves tearing up fresh green leaves, washing them thoroughly, and filling the remaining jar space. Use your hands to pack them tightly, creating a vibrant and wholesome Salad in a Jar masterpiece.

Now all in all it took me about 30-45 minutes of my Sunday to prep everything and stuff my jars to the brim! I think that is pretty good considering I have 6 jars of salad ready to go. It’s so easy and if you wish to add meat, you can just take it in a separate container and add the day of your lunch. For example, if you have leftover chicken fajitas (which I do!!)

Salad in a Jar – Easy Healthy Lunch Recipe

You will need:

• Any salad you want
• Leaves, beans, pasta, cucumber, carrots, sweetcorn, beetroot… literally… ANYTHING! (except any veg/food that gets soggy or smelly i.e. tomatoes, garlic, onions, etc. If you want these in your salad, put them in a separate box and add them on the day)
• Chopping Board
• Knife
• A sink full of cold water
• Salad Spinner
• Jars that can be sealed airtightly shut. Do not use plastic jars, make sure they are glass.

How to assemble your jar:

1. Salad Dressing: Put 1 to 4 tablespoons of your chosen dressing at the very bottom of the jar. You want to keep the leaves as far away from the dressing as possible. (I personally am not a salad dressing kind of person, the only thing I ever put on my salad is olive oil, but choose your own yummy dressing)
2. Hard Vegetables: Next, add your hard-chopped vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, red and green peppers, and raw beetroot. I like my carrots and cabbage grated, cucumber and beetroot cut into pieces and red pepper chopped into small cubes. Start with Hard Vegetables
3. Beans, Grains, and Pasta: Then, put any beans, grains, and/or pasta, like chickpeas, black-eyed beans, cooked rice, and pasta.
4. Cheese and Proteins (optional): Only if you are going to be eating your salad within the day, add cheese and protein. Such as tuna fish, diced (cooked) chicken, hardboiled eggs, or cubed tofu. If prepping your salads ahead to eat later in the week, put these bad boys in a separate container and just add them to the top of your salad when having lunch.
5. Softer vegetables and Fruits (optional): Next, add any soft vegetables or fruits, like avocados, tomatoes, diced strawberries, or dried apricots. If prepping your salads ahead to eat later in the week, put these bad boys in a separate container and just add them to the top of your salad when having lunch.
6. Nuts, Seeds, and Lighter Grains: Add any nuts or seeds, like almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. If you’re making a salad with lighter, more absorbent grains like quinoa or cous cous, add them in this layer instead of with the beans.
7. Salad Greens: Last but not least, tear up your green leaves, chuck them in a sink filled with cold water to wash, fill the salad spinner, and get all the water out then fill the rest of the jar with salad greens. Use your hands to really stuff them in the jar. Finished Salad in a Jar
8. Storing the salad: Screw the lid on the jar and refrigerate for up to 5 days. If you’re including any cheese, proteins, or soft fruits and vegetables, add these to the top of the jar the morning you plan to eat your salad. Ready in the Fridge for the week
9. Tossing and eating the salad: When you can’t wait any longer to stuff your face with this goodness, take off the lid and shake the salad into the bowl.  This should mix up the salad with the dressing, if not mix around with folk, not forgetting to add the rest of the ingredients like tomatoes, chicken, or cheese.

A Week of Wholesome Delight Awaits in Your Fridge

As you screw the airtight lid onto your jar and place it in the refrigerator, you’ve not only crafted a meal but a week’s worth of healthy and delicious lunches. The convenience of Salad in a Jar extends beyond its assembly; it’s about enjoying a fresh, well-balanced meal without the hassle of daily preparation.

When the time comes to indulge in your culinary creation, simply shake the jar into a bowl, and voila – a symphony of flavors and textures awaits. Salad in a Jar isn’t just a time-saver; it’s a lifestyle upgrade, making healthy eating a seamless part of your routine. So, whether you’re tackling a busy workweek or relishing a lazy Sunday, let Salad in a Jar be your go-to solution for a week of wholesome delight.