{"id":33056,"date":"2022-12-29T01:01:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-29T01:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=33056"},"modified":"2023-09-19T19:33:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T19:33:41","slug":"mason-jar-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/mason-jar-salad\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Mason Jar Salad Recipes for Healthy Lunches All Week Long"},"content":{"rendered":"

Save money and calories by packing a lunch you\u2019ll love. Beloved by meal preppers, busy parents, dietitians, and chefs alike, these <\/em>mason jar salad recipes<\/em> can add more color, flavor, and nutrition to your mid-day menu. Get our favorite <\/em>salad in a jar<\/em> recipes below, including greek salad, pasta salad, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

When was the last time you worked through lunch? If you\u2019re like the average American, fairly recently. According to recent surveys<\/a>, experts estimate that about 7 in 10 employees skip their lunch break in lieu of multitasking<\/a> through another sad desk lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n

Rather than resorting to fast food<\/a> delivery or deeming a vending machine purchase \u201clunch,\u201d why not build a fresher, healthier, and easy to prep lunch that you\u2019ll actually look forward to eating? Mason jar salads check all those boxes, not to mention they\u2019re easy on the eyes! Whether you enjoy it during some actual time away from your screen (psst\u2026these 15 pro tips for how to achieve work-life balance<\/a> might help!) or tuck in while you type, these easy salad in a jar meals will satisfy.<\/p>\n\n\n

Why Make Salad in a Jar?<\/h2>\n\n\n

With a stock of mason jar salads assembled and ready in the refrigerator, you\u2019ll have pre-made, portable meals that are ready for you when you\u2019re ready for them, explains Kristin Porter, the Des Moines, Iowa-based founder of Iowa Girl Eats<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cIf you make eating healthy easy, it will be easier to eat healthy,\u201d she explains, who in addition to her full-time job as a recipe developer is a busy mom of three, so knows a thing or two about speedy, simple meals.<\/p>\n\n\n

By creating a batch for the week, you\u2019ll not only save time but you\u2019ll also save money by potentially cutting down on food waste<\/a>. (Translation: You can finally use up that whole container of fresh greens if you dole it out among five mason jar lunches.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cJarred salads are also a more economical, and usually healthier, option than grabbing lunch from a deli or restaurant,\u201d Porter says, where you might expect to invest about $15 per entree. We don\u2019t know about you, but we\u2019re certainly watching our budgets more than we have in the recent past. ICYMI, food prices have jumped about 10.6 percent from November 2021 to November 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>. Cutting down on food waste\u2014and cooking more at home\u2014are two of our go-to tricks to spend less so we can save more.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Health-wise, mason jar salads are a win, too, says Roxana Ehsani<\/a>, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., LDN, a Miami-based registered dietitian nutritionist.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re sticking to a certain number of calories or a particular diet, these work well as \u2018portion-controlled\u2019 lunches or dinners,\u201d Ehsani explains. And compared to a pre-made meal you might buy at the supermarket or order from a restaurant, \u201cthey\u2019re customizable. If you are planning to make salad jars for the entire household, everyone can pick their favorite ingredients and add them to their own jar,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n

Tips to Make the Best Mason Jar Salads<\/h2>\n\n\n

Hands down the best part of mason jar salads? The cylindrical structure and near air-tight seal means your food will stay fresh and flavorful for up to five days. Just follow the tips below from Ehsani and Porter for supreme salads all week long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n