I’m a huge fan of salad, but salads aren’t exactly portable…or they didn’t use to be. In the past few years, salad in a jar has become a huge hit. Basically, you build a salad in a mason jar (with dressing!) and then you can just dump it into a bowl and dig in when you’re ready for lunch.

I’ll admit that I thought jarred salads were kind of weird at first. I mean, I work from home. So what’s to keep me from making a salad for lunch? Time, that’s what.

Chopping your veggies, making your dressing, and assembling a salad takes time, and if you’re like me, you just don’t have that kind of time every single day. Thankfully, salad in a jar is a thing.

It’s actually one of my favorite things because you get all the amazing benefits of salad without the figurative migraine that comes from making them from scratch each day (jarred salad can last up to 7 days, y’all!).

Most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet (I’ve talked about this before. It’s a very real problem.). I get it. We’re so super busy with all the things. You work, your kids have sports, the dishes that need to be done (and don’t get me started on adding more of them to the sink!), laundry, plus you’ve got your side hustle and you’re barely sleeping.

Who has time to make a salad?! Not me. And certainly not you. You’re busy. But what if we could take the time you spend and make enough salads for the week in just a few minutes on the weekend?

Remember, salads are really good for you.

[content-upgrade id=”12458″ type=”embedded”]

Fiber

Eating enough fiber lowers your risk of developing heart disease, according to researchers at Northwestern University.

The vegetables in salads are awesome sources of insoluble fiber. Insoluble means that your body can’t digest it, so it sweeps out your digestive tract kind of like a broom. This is good because you need to keep your gut healthy.

If you choose to add nuts, seeds or even beans to the salad, you’ll also add soluble fiber. That’s the kind of fiber that helps lower cholesterol and keeps your blood sugar from dropping out.

Antioxidants

A colorful salad means lots of vitamins like A and C.

Did you know that 1 cup of spinach has 7 milligrams of vitamin C and 88 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A?

That’s huge, y’all!

VRed peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli are also great sources of A and C vitamins.

Protein

Getting enough protein is essential because your body can’t store it. It’s a “use it or lose it” scenario.

You can count on about 20 grams of protein for each 3-ounce serving of meat or poultry. If you’re vegetarian, 1/2 a cup of beans amounts to between 5 and 10 grams of protein.

Now that you know why you need to be eating more salads (because let’s face it…don’t we all need to eat more veggies?), let’s talk about building your salad in a jar.

Salad in a Jar 101

Start with a clean mason jar that has a tight-fitting lid.

First, you want to add your dressing, either homemade or storebought. My current favorite dressing is super easy to make, and you can whip it up then make your salads

Salad Dressing

1 1/2 tablespoons almond butter
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoons sesame oil

Add all of you dressing ingredients to the bottom of your mason jar and mix until incorporated using a small silicone whisk until smooth.

Next, add any ingredients that may brown (apples, avocado, etc).

Then add any nuts, seeds, or protein that you’d like to add, then your veggies, and finally finish up with your greens. It’s okay to tear them (never cut them) and smush them in there. Remember you don’t want air in your jar.

Add the lid and you’re done! Store your salads in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. I have found that these hold up best when I pack them in my lunch bag with a cold pack.

For example, you could combine

1/4 granny smith apple (diced)
3 ounces of chopped grilled chicken
2 tablespoons of your favorite nuts or seeds (walnuts, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
2 radishes (sliced)
1 celery stalks (diced)
2-3 cups of your favorite greens (spinach, kale, mixed greens, etc.)

And you’ve got a killer salad that is sure to fill you up while delivering quality nutrients to your body.

When you are ready for lunch just shake up the jar, open and enjoy. If you like more room, simply pour your salad into a large bowl and mix things up.

I have found that wide-mouthed jars work best for jarred salads.