It’s the new year, and a time when we all try to reset the clocks on our bad habits. I, for one, am trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet, time for 5 Salads in a Jar.
Instead of my usual–Er…um…donuts and coffee? I’m gonna be real about the fact that if I’m eating salad it better be good. REALLY, good! And easy! We love simple meals.
So here’s 5 really good recipes, and I’m going to tell you why the “jar thing” should be your new thing!
How to Eat More Salad
I find that with a little preparation on the front end, I’m poised to make better choices all week.
Here’s what that means to me:
The day after I grocery shop, I do meal prep for the week. I chop veggies, and bag everything up to make consumption as easy as possible. Ever notice how many veggies you’ll eat when there is a veggie tray on the counter? Apply that idea to your fridge. If you have peppers and broccoli chopped and ready to go, you’re likely to eat them– instead of letting them spoil in the crisper drawer, where good intentions go to die! Chopping is more fun with a friend, so I prefer to do my meal prep with a friend while sipping coffee. Everything is better with friends and coffee.
{Want to copy our meal and life planners? Â They are free – go print it}
I’m eating the salad, not giving up the lattes. Don’t judge me.
Back to the salad.
Why make your salad in a jar, you ask?
This works great for several reasons. You can easily make “salads in a jar” part of your meal prep routine. These recipes are simple to pull together, and mason jars are easy to re-use. Not to mention pretty. I like my food to be pretty.
When you are ready to eat, simply dump your salad from the jar into a bowl or shake it up a little and eat it straight from the mason jar! I make 7 salads in a jar for the week ahead and I find that I am eating way more salad that I would normally.
A couple of notes before we get into the actual recipes to ensure your salad stays delicious.
- Make sure you put the heaviest and least absorbent ingredients at the bottom of your jar and then work your way up, leaving the greens towards the top! No one likes a soggy salad.
- Wide mouthed jars seem to work the best.
- Ingredients will last up to five days in your jar depending on your ingredients. Use common sense here.
- Pint jars for side salads, quart jars for individual meal-sized salads, 2-quart jars (or larger) for multiple servings
How to Make Salad in a Jar
- 5 tablespoons Newmans Own Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing, depending on taste
- 3 cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 baby cucumber, sliced
- 3 ounces thinly sliced smoked deli turkey breast
- 1 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped raw walnuts
- Fill remaining space with spring mix and spinach
Salad Two:
- 5-6 tablespoons of Sweet Onion Dressing
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked red
- 1/2 cup Pistachios
- 1 1/2 cup opal apples
- 1 cup pickled or regular cooked beets, diced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 3 oz goat cheese
- 2 cups Baby spinach, fresh
- 1 handful Green onions or fresh herbs if you like
Salad Three:
- 1 cup salsa of your choice
- 1 avocados
- 1/2 can black beans
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 cup corn, frozen
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 cups romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Salad Four:
- 2-4 tablespoons creamy greek dressing
- ¼ cup each chopped carrots, cucumbers, celery and red onion
- 5-8 Kalamata olives, pitted
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 cups Romaine lettuce
Salad Five:
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil and vinegar dressing
- 1/4 cup of red onion, sweet bell pepper
- 3-5 cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1/4 cup of cooked spiral pasta
- 1/2 cup of cooked chicken, cubed
- 1/4 goat cheese
- fill the remaining space with arugula
Once you figure out your own winning combinations you can “eyeball” it, and just throw in whatever ingredients you like! Plan your meals ahead! You can make a week worth of salads at one time and have lunch packed and ready to go for work all week long! Enjoy!
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