Using mason jars to store your salads is a brilliant idea. I noticed the first time I tried this that my vegetables were preserved much longer than when I store them loosely in the refrigerator drawer. Also, I love having “Grab ‘N Go” lunches that are already prepared. It takes all the guess work out of figuring out what’s for lunch and it allows you to save money as opposed to eating out everyday. I used the quart size (32 oz) mason jars, but the pint size (16 oz) can be used easily.
INSTRUCTIONS
The basic idea when packing the salad jars is to start with the . . .
- Salad dressing. Choose your favorite dressing. Homemade is preferred.
- Hard Chopped Vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and onions.
- Beans, Grains, and Pasta such as black beans, garbanzo beans, brown rice, barley.
- Cheese and proteins (optional) such as crumbled or shredded cheese, and boiled eggs, meat, or tofu.
- Softer vegetables and fruits (optional)
- Nuts, seeds, and lighter grains such as pecans, walnuts, almonds, quinoa, millet.
- Salad green such as lettuce or spinach.
Screw the lid on the jar and refrigerate up to 5 days. When ready to eat, simply unscrew the lid and shake the salad into the bowl. You may need to use a spoon to scoop out the ingredients at the bottom.
Jar On the Left
- Salad dressing – Homemade French and Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Red onion, cucumbers, shredded broccoli coleslaw and shredded carrots
- Diced smoked turkey pieces and 1 diced egg
- Romaine Lettuce
Jar In the Middle
- Salad dressing – Homemade French and Italian Dressing
- Red onion & cucumbers
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded broccoli coleslaw
Jar On the Right
- Salad dressing – Ranch Dressing and Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes
- Diced grilled chicken pieces
- Shredded carrots
- Feta Cheese
- Baby Spinach
