How To Make A Salad In A Jar

I used to feel like packing a good salad for lunch was time consuming in the amount of prep. I am also super lazy and hate packing a separate container for dressing because I hate washing an extra item (I am ridiculous). Something about the oil from the dressing getting on the sponge and ruining everything that gets washed after it. I also have an issue with dressing a salad hours before I eat it. The lettuce wilts and gets all soggy -kind of like seaweed *belch*. Mmmmmnothanks.

It’s all about time and convenience for me. I used to make my salad in the morning. Not sure if you guys know how chaotic my mornings are with two little ones, but trust me it’s ugly. Whatever I can do the night before to make my morning go smoothly, I’ll do it. I wash my hair at night, I pack ALL lunches at night, lay out clothes etc. All to avoid the morning rush. This used to mean I was not having a salad for lunch because of the time it would take to assemble it in the a.m.

Literally like two months ago, I have discovered the correct way to make a salad the night before. Maybe you already knew this and i’m late to the party per usual. But maybe you didn’t and we can celebrate this simple hack to make our day healthier and more efficient together (it’s all about the small celebrations right?)

Now, it’s not about the jar. The salad can be in any container really. I like the jar because it enhances my experience a little. Small moments of happiness throughout the day mean a happier day in general. I like the feel of glass better than plastic. I like the weight of the glass too. I am really a visual person so when I see the colorful layers of my salad in a jar it makes me happy (am I effing crazy or not? The jury is still out). So if you’re not crazy like me, like I said it is not about the jar. It’s really all about the order you put the ingredients into the container.

The Anatomy Of A Salad In A Jar

Bottom layer is always dressing. This keeps everything from getting soggy. This is the most important part.

Next, protein. Sometimes this means hard boiled egg whites, steak or chicken. If your a vegetarian or vegan, tofu it is! Since it’s basically marinating in the dressing, the flavor is amped up by, like, a million!

Then beans/legumes. The fiber is key to feeling full.

After the beans, I add veggies & sometimes fruit. Cucumbers tomatoes, apple slices, whatever floats your boat.

Then cheese if you’re into that kind of thing.

Pack the rest of your container with lettuce.

If you need crunch (croutons, apple chips, whatever), I like to put those into a small plastic ziplock and throw it on top to keep it crisp).

What is your favorite time saving hack?

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