Salad in a Jar – Easy Healthy Lunch Recipe
Hi Guys,
it’s been a while since I have written in my blog, mainly due to the fact that I am not on the Paleo way anymore.
Now it’s not because I didn’t enjoy it or anything like that, it was mainly because that much meant every single day did not agree with me and I ended up having a lot of problems because of it. Paleo still works for my partner and he still eats Paleo, but I have opted for more vegetarian options which make things very different for the both of us!
Anyway, back to the latest post, Salad in a Jar! I had been searching around on the internet to find an easy way to be able to portion out my salad at the beginning of the week, so I can just grab and go in the morning without having to prep, chop, slice, dice, assemble, etc. I found the Salad in a Jar on many websites and decided to give it a go myself!
Salad in a Jar!
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!!)
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:
- 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)
- Hard Vegetables: Next, add your hard chopped vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, red and green peppers, 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
- Beans, Grains, and Pasta: Then, put any beans, grains, and/or pasta, like chickpeas, black-eyed beans, cooked rice, and pasta.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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.
