Salad in a Jaris an easy way to bring your salad on the go – dressing, greens, and toppings all in one place! Bring it with you on a picnic, to work, or anywhere else! Two salad recipes included.

Salad greens, dressings, and other fixings on a wooden cutting board.

Salad In a Jar Recipes

What is the appeal of having a salad in a jar you might ask? Well, let me tell you, friends! Not only does it last forever, but the prep work is done and you have healthy eating right at your fingertips. Prepping a bunch of these one day and eating on them all week long is the help you might need to eat well. Life gets busy and taking time to eat something beyond quick and easy can get pushed aside. BUT, if all you have to do is unscrew a lid, find a fork, and give a little stir, then there’s no reason to not be eating more salad. Plus, in the jar, it’s perfectly portable. Throw it in a lunch box along with a boiled egg and an apple and you have a delicious healthy lunch to go. Done.

My fellow Hoosier and blogging buddyCassie over at Wholefullyis who you have to thanks for the inspiration. I’m eating 100% clean for the next eight weeks as part of a little challenge I’m doing and Cassie has given me all kinds of great ideas on how to enjoy the challenge and not just live through it. I really feel like I’m making lifestyle changes and these salads in a jar are here for the long run.

What are the basic components of a Salad in a Jar?

The four groups for building a salad in a jar is dressing, proteins/complex carbs, fixings, and greens. Proteins are foods like quinoa, cooked brown rice, black beans, kidney beans, grilled chicken, tuna, tofu, etc. Fixings are things like shredded carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, sprouts, sunflower seeds, nuts, olives, fruit, dried fruit, and strong cheeses (blue/feta). There are endless ways to pair different combinations so mix and match until you find your favorites!

Which salad dressings are healthier?

If you want this to be a healthy salad, you are better off avoiding any bottled dressing and making your own. This post has 2 dressings to try! If making dressing is keeping you from trying these then by all means, use what you like, but I really recommend making a dressing from scratch. It’s SO easy! Most storebought dressings can have a lot more sugar than you think, so shop wisely.

How long does Salad in a Jar last?

If you create your salad as outlined with the greens on top, away from the dressing, the lettuce stays nice and crisp for well over a week!

A closeup shot of a salad in a jar showing its colorful layers of beans, peppers, and lettuce

a closeup shot of a salad showing its layers of red cabbage, orange carrots, and green spinach

Other Salad Recipes

Other Healthy Lunch Ideas

This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated in July 2019.

Make yourself a Salad in a Jar or five and make your lunch for the week! It’s a great way to feed yourself more vegetables and proteins without much effort.