Packing a salad in a canning jar is an easy way to plan lunches for the week without a lot of work, or worrying about soggy salad and drippy dressing. Wide mouthed pint and quart sized canning jars work best.
Here’s how to layer your salad:
Step 1:
Add 1-4 tablespoons of dressing to the bottom of your jar (depending on jar size and personal preference). Creamy dressings like Ranch and Blue Cheese work best.
Step 2:
Add your hard vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers, carrots, cooked beets, etc.
Step 3:
Add any pastas, beans or grains such as chickpeas.
Step 4:
Cheese and proteins come next, but this is best only if you plan to consume the salad within 24 hours. Chicken, hardboiled eggs, tunafish, and tofu all work well.
Step 5:
Softer fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes or strawberries come next, though you’ll want to skip these if you’re packing ahead of a whole week, and just add them the day you plan to eat.
Step 6:
Add any nuts or seeds next. Pecans, almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds all work great.
Step 7:
Finally, fill the rest of the jar with chopped greens and screw the lid on.
