Learn to make the perfect mason jar salad with this “how-to” tutorial. Mason jar salads, or often called salad in a jar, are the ultimate meal prep recipe! You can prepare 5 mason jar salads on Sunday to enjoy a healthy lunch all week. I even included some of my favorite salad recipes at the bottom of this post!
Over the last 10 years, I’ve been a mason jar salad making queen. I absolutely love making these salads and really can’t imagine life without them.
There are now hundreds of mason jar ideas floating around Pinterest so I’m not sure who the original mason jar salad brainchild was but they are my hero. Seriously, I love you!
Through trial and error, I feel I have become quite the expert on making mason jar salad recipes so I put together this tutorial with my best advice and tips.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mason Jar Salads
Before I get to the step by step instructions and share all of my recipes, I want to first go over some common questions I get every time I post a new mason jar salad recipe. Hopefully, I get them all but if you have a question you don’t see answered here leave a comment below and I will respond with an answer!
What is the best size mason jar for salads?
I use wide mouth quart size (32-ounce) mason jars for my mason jar salad recipes. These make for a lot of salad; so, if you wanted to use a smaller size (16-ounce), you certainly could but the 32-ounce is the size I most often use.
Whatever size you use, I recommend getting the wide mouth mason jars. This makes it much easier to fill up and dump out the mason jar salad ingredients.
No matter what size you use, always follow the same steps for layering the ingredients.
Where can I buy mason jars?
You can purchase mason jars from any grocery store! I’ve seen them at Target, Walmart, Wegmans, and even at Rite-aid. However, all size mason jars can be purchased on Amazon for great prices.
Also, I recommend picking up a package of plastic mason jar lids. Again, you can purchase these on Amazon. Mason jars come with metal lids but those will eventually rust and the plastic lids work great!
Why do you use mason jars and not plastic containers?
I’ve used both plastic and glass jars to store salads in and I prefer mason jars for a few different reasons.
- First, in my experience, I feel the mason jars keep my salad fresh for much longer. I ate a mason jar salad 7 days after making it and it was just as fresh as the first day. Can’t say the same for plastic containers. You get a better seal with a mason jar than with a plastic container so that helps to keep food fresh longer.
- Also, the whole appeal (at least to me) behind a mason jar salad is that you can store the salad dressing in the same container. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about remembering to bring dressing with you. Or, bringing dressing to work only to have other people use it and when you need it the dressing is gone.
Just sayin…if you work in an office, you know that happens.
Bringing salad dressing with you might not be an issue for some, but for me it was. I can’t tell you the number of times I would bring a salad with me and forget the salad dressing. Mason jars are the perfect shape that lets you put the salad dressing on the bottom and layer the rest of the ingredients on top so you never have to worry about forgetting dressing.
I was never able to successfully do this with plastic containers. This brings me to the next common question…
Doesn’t the lettuce get soggy?
I can honestly say that in the decade I’ve been making mason jar salads, I never had soggy lettuce – not one time. Even the times my jar tips over in my bag, and the dressing sneaks up to the lettuce, everything is still fine.
The key to non-soggy lettuce is to layer ingredients correctly and keep the dressing and lettuce away from each other.
No worries though- I will go over all that below.
Do the ingredients layered in the dressing get soggy?
In order for a mason jar salad to work, you need to have hearty vegetables acting as a barricade between the dressing and lettuce. I typically use:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Peppers
- Onions
Basically, these vegetables end up pickling in the dressing so any vegetable that you think would taste good pickled would be fine in the barricade layer. By the end of the week, these are delicious!
The tomatoes pickle the best and are definitely my favorite part of the salad.
I don’t like tomatoes. What other vegetables can I use?
Like I said above, any hearty vegetables that you think would taste yummy pickled would do fine in the dressing. I’m sharing more examples of hearty vegetables to use in the “how-to” instructions below 😉
How long do mason jar salads last?
I make these salads for work so I always eat them within 5 days. So at a minimum, they will last at least 5 days.
However, I have had one 6-7 days after I made them and they were still fresh. So depending on the ingredients, mason jar salads can last 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
Doesn’t the avocado turn brown?
I use avocado in my mason jar salads sometimes, especially when I make a cobb salad.
Whenever I do, I always squirt lime or lemon juice on it before I layer it into the mason jar salad. That combined with being in the mason jar seems to do the trick with keeping the avocado green.
I think the mason jar does a great job of keeping air out so this helps to keep the avocado fresh as well.
Do you vacuum seal your mason jars?
No, I do not. I just fill them with ingredients, put the top on, and twist it closed. I have never had an issue with freshness doing it this way so I personally do not see a need to use a vacuum seal.
How do you eat the mason jar salads? Do you eat them straight from the jar?
What I usually do is shake the salads in the jar and then dump it into another bowl I bring with me.
When I first started to eat these, I tried eating them from the jar but it was awkward for me. I prefer putting the mason jar salad into a bowl.
Now, some people think that is too much work or too many bowls to bring to work but honestly, it doesn’t bother me at all. I just grab a medium or large Glad plastic container or use a glass bowl at work.
I find the benefits of eating a fresh healthy delicious salad every day outweigh the annoyance of bringing an extra bowl with me.
Do you have to use a mason jar or can you use any glass jar?
I have personally only used mason jars. But, as long as the jar has a tight-fitting lid, I am sure any glass container would do!
Are these salads difficult to transport? They seem heavy.
Glass is certainly heavier than plastic but I would not consider these so heavy that they become a burden to transport. Again, it is a small price to pay for eating a healthy homemade lunch every day.
Which are the best salad dressings to use?
I think it completely depends on your taste. I have used both vinaigrettes and creamy dressings for my salad in a jar recipes.
My personal favorites are the vinaigrettes because I love the way the tomatoes and other vegetables taste after they have been marinating all week. But, the creamy dressings are good too!
The thing to keep in mind with the creamier dressing is you have to shake the jar a bit more to get it all out. Not a biggie but just one difference between the creamy and vinaigrette dressings.
Again, if I missed any of your questions let me know if the comments and I will update the post as needed.
Video Tutorial On How To Make A Salad In A Jar
If you don’t have time right now to read through the tutorial, or maybe you’re a video person, then check out my quick (less than 2 minutes) video I put together on making a Greek Chicken Mason Jar Salad!
How To Make The Perfect Mason Jar Salad
Okay, now let’s get to the “how-to” part of this mason jar salad tutorial. I have divided this section into salad jar layers, starting at the very bottom.
Layer 1: The Salad Dressing
The first layer of the mason jar salad is always the dressing. You can use any type of dressing you like!
As I previously mentioned, I prefer a vinaigrette dressing but I do like a creamy ranch and blue cheese too. It completely depends on your preference. But also, keep in mind, the vinaigrette dressing will come out of the mason jar easier. If you use a thicker dressing, you will have to give it a good shake and probably use your fork to scrape it out.
I use about 2-3 tablespoons of dressing. Currently, I use bottled salad dressings like Newman’s Own but you can certainly use homemade dressing if you want.
Layer 2: Hearty Vegetables
This layer is very important because it’s used to shield the dressing from the lettuce and other vulnerable ingredients. In this layer, you’d use vegetables that can hold up to being in dressing for a week or so.
Like I said, think vegetables that would do well in a marinade or pickled. Vegetables I have used are:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Red onion
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Carrots
- Peppers
Pretty much any other hearty vegetable you like! Add whatever you like.
Layer 3: Beans And Other Less Hearty Vegetables
This layer is where you’ll put beans and other less hearty vegetables like:
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Sprouts
- Green beans
- Corn
Essentially, any veggies you think would get soggy fast. If you are using an avocado, then that would be in this layer too.
Basically, this layer acts as a second defense between the dressing and lettuce. You don’t want this layer marinating in the dressing but it will be fine should some of the ingredients get exposed.
Layer 4: Pasta And Grains
This salad layer is where you add your pasta, quinoa, and other grains if using. At this point, the other 1-2 layers should keep the dressing away from this layer. However, if by some chance dressing does make its way to this layer, no worries! Everything should be fine.
For the pasta and grains, you can use any type of pasta, rice, couscous, and/or quinoa. Really anything would work, so get creative.
Layer 5: Protein And Cheese
In this layer, I put meat, eggs, and cheese. I like to keep these ingredients away from the dressing because I do not feel they do well if sitting in dressing for a couple days or more.
If you are using shrimp or other seafood, I would add those ingredients to this layer.
For cheese, I have used:
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Feta cheese
- Goat cheese
- Shredded cheese
- Cubed cheese
Each of them has worked fine in all of my salads in a jar!
Layer 6: Lettuce, Nuts, And Seeds
In this last salad layer, you want to put ingredients that would wilt or become too soft and soggy if exposed to the salad dressing too soon. This definitely includes any type of lettuce or green. I also included nuts in this layer because I have found that the nuts, at times, lose their crunch if too close to the first layer.
My favorite greens to use are:
- Arugula
- Baby spinach
- Kale
- Field greens
But, of course, you can use whatever you prefer.
Final Step: Seal Tightly And Store
After you fill the mason jar with the different salad layers, you just put the top on and close them tightly.
Also, there is really no rule with the number of ingredients to put in each layer or that you must include all layers. The most important layer is layer 2 with the hearty veggies. You just want to make sure to have enough ingredients to keep the dressing and lettuce away from each other.
If you are concerned with calories or the nutritional information in the mason jar salads, you can always calculate that information ahead of time using My Fitness Pal.
All-Time Favorite Salad In A Jar Recipes
Now that I have answered all of your questions and have my tutorial on how to layer a salad in a jar, here are some of my favorite mason jar salad recipes for you to try!
- Greens And Ancient Grains Mason Jar Salad
- Fresh Mozzarella and Spinach Mason Jar Salad
- Chicken Caesar Mason Jar Salad With Kale and Quinoa
- Chopped Cobb Salad in a Jar
- Bell Peppers, Veggies, and Goat Cheese Mason Jar Salad Recipe
- Protein Power Mason Jar Salad Recipe
- Southwest Ranch Chicken Mason Jar Salad
- Antipasto Salad In A Jar
- Beef And Cheddar Salad In A Jar
- Turkey, Sundried Tomatoes, and Chickpea Salad
I love mason jar salad recipe and I hope you found the information in this tutorial helpful so you can also start to enjoy them as much as I do. Share a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you decide to try any of these salad recipes!
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Great post – awesome tips! Thanks for including me!
Hi,
I would like to eat this at lunch time in school, but how long will they last in my bag instead of a fridge?
I’m not sure, but, I bought a lunchbox at wal-mart that had the freezer pouches build in. I use that so i can keep it at my desk because i work with thieves!
The glass jar itself keeps the salad cooler and crisper. I use a couple lunch box ice packs (flexible) type and mine stays refrigerator cold until 1:30 when I eat.
Made my first jars (Cobb salad with goat cheese dressing) yesterday and had my first one for lunch today. Although my avocado did turn brown despite adding lime juice prior to putting in the jar- it still tasted amazing! Looking forward to trying out a different recipe from here each week!!!
Do you have a goat cheese dressing recipe?
Never had my avocado turn and I never did anything other than cut and then immediately pack the jars. I do push lettuce in until it is packed very tight, seal them and immediately refrigerate. No issues.
try to mix the avocado into the dressing… may save it
My chicken lost it’s rotisserie flavoring and became “mushy” after only 4 days. It was not soaking in the dressing. It lost it’s texture. I layered it last before layering my spinach. Just wondering what I could have done wrong. Didn’t mind it losing the flavoring but was disappointed in the mushy texture. Thanks for all you do!
Rotissere chicken has a good amount of fat and juices in it. I would roll it in paper towels and squeeze some of that out before packing. Just a suggestion.
great advice thank you for this tip!
Is this all that you eat for lunch or do you usually pack other items to eat as well?
This all you need for lunch. I usually have a fruit a couple hours after lunch.
Tammy, does it matter what jar lid you use as far as freshness goes? We have the plastic lids that fit the mason jars and i would think buying the regular jar lids would become costly. Do you know if the plastic lids work just as good as the metal lids?(I’m new here and haven’t tried making the salads yet)
the plastic lids should work fine. Also the seals and rings that come with the mason jars are re-usable in this application. The only time they are not re-usable is when you use them to actual can (water bath or under pressure) you can not re-use the lids can with again (water bath or pressure) but, you can use the seals for dry storage or for your salads.
Hello, I love this idea! im new to this site, but i am wondering is this possible with fruits and parfaits as well?
I am have not tried it with parfaits yet but I know my writer Paula has and she loves them. I will have to give it a try.
It’s not quite a parfait but every Sunday when I make my salads I also make five little jars of fridge oats – 1/2 cup rolled (not quick) oats, teaspoon of chia seeds, 1/2 cup skim milt (plus a dash if like me you like your oats to have a bit of fluid) and then top with berries or fruit. You could use nuts and seeds as well. Best.breakfast.ever.
Parfaits are awesome!! I use a 4 oz jelly jar place 1/3 c yogurt in bottom top with a couple of ounces of favorite fruit or fruit combo and sprinkle on some homemade granola. I’ve made enough for one a day for a week.
Do you have problems with hard-boiled eggs staying fresh, if you make them 4-5 days ahead??
We make boiled eggs all the time and keep them in a bowl on the counter until they’re gone. We’ve never had one go bad. l They are usually there at least a week. 🙂
I too have fallen in love with this little piece of lunch magic. The only thing that I would add to your fantastic post is that I often used canned beans and lentils and put them on the bottom layer. Also, while I agree re other cheeses, feta is great marinated in dressing so I also put it in the bottom layer.
I hadn’t thought that chicken/eggs/avocado would last so haven’t used those but will give it a go on your advice.
I’ve never had an issue with lettuce either though that’s more because I have not yet had room left in the jar!!
Thanks for all the info! I have one more question for you: is it important to fill the jar to the brim and pack the ingredients tightly? Or some air space at the top ok? Thanks!
Hi Tammy!
This question was asked before but I didn’t see an answer – sorry if you already posted it. But what kind of lid do you use for your Mason jars? The two piece pickling kind? Or the one piece? Thanks!
I use the 2 piece kind that comes with the mason jar. Either would work fine.
Thanks! Going to make a few for this week!
Hi there,
thanks for these helpful hints.
wondering what size jar do you normally use, 12 oz or 32 oz. does a 12 oz size keep you full? just concerned I might still get hungry.
Silly question. Do you then refrigerate the mason jars? I’m assuming you refrigerate them.
Yes they are refrigerated.
Thank you so much for posting such a thorough explanation of all things involved with Mason Jar Salads. I have been wanting to try it, but I thought I was going to have to invest in a vacuum sealer or something. If you don’t have to seal it, you don’t have to keep buying new seals! I’m excited to give it a try! Time to organize myself skinny! 😀
I do have a question. You said your husband takes it in a paper bag. I’m thinking about letting my son take these to school because he loves salad so much. I think he would have a blast designing different jars as well! My question is: Does he need to keep it cold at school? I figured if your husband brown bags it that he doesn’t keep it cold between leaving and lunch.
My husband has a fridge at work. I would get your son a insulated cooler bag to take this in. That would work great.
You stated you did not know where Mason jar salads originated. Possibly from Paula Rhodes of saladinajar.com. You’ve added lots of innovative ideas to it!
I love this idea…salad in a jar! You have listed loads of options that I could make a different salad for each day for a long long time! I love salads; having a variety to choose from i dont think i would ever get bored/sick of eating salad each day. Thanks for this tutorial it was well done and full of wonderfully tasty ideas. =)’
I won’t tell my whole story. But I am a 73-year-old great grandmother with lots of life left if I can get this blubbery fat gone from my body. Certainly, I have not decided it is time to die. So, I’m giving this weight thing another try…my millionth! Thanks to your Mason Jar Salads.
Thanks for your inspiration. I hope you’ll follow me some, as I am following you. I look forward to the adventure. And of course, I am organizing to be organized to allow SOME pleasure with family on the 4th!
Thanks for the inspiration! I hope you’ll visit my blog soon.
I am excited to start making these salads! I think since I am always obsessive about freshness, I will put my chicken, eggs etc… In the salads I will eat first and as the week goes by, I will be eating the salads with ham, bacon, and such. I know this will be so much fun and good for you. Thanks!
I typically don’t use dressing, but I love a little fruit in my salads, typically apples & berries. In which layer do I put fruit?
I love these salads. Dried fruit, like cranberries are a good add in. Also, I add a folded papertowel on top of the lettuce then close it with the lid. It absorbs any moisture, keeping thinks crispy.
I have the same question about fruit. I have an asian salad I like that uses mandarin oranges. And a couple that use berries or apples.
I never used fruit in my salad but if I did I would put them after the hearty veggie part.
Happy am I and who says I can’t cook, my fridge is my happy oven! TY
Do you have to pack the jar tight to keep it fresh?
No I just pack almost to the top but I would not say it is packed tight.
Hi, I hope this is not a stupid question, do the jars need to be heated and then cooled before adding the salad ingredients? I’ve been reading a lot about how to use the Mason jars for preserving other than salads and it mentioned heating the mason jars.
no they do not.
Can hardly wait to try this out.
Hi 🙂
I really wanna try these. Will sliced hard boiled eggs and meats be ok in the jar by Friday if you make them for the whole week?
This is genius. I am enjoying my first salad al desko from a jar and it is fabulous. Thanks so much for the tutorial. No more expensive takeout salads for me!
It seems and makes sense that the cherry tomatoes is the best thing to use after the dressing, BUT what would you say is the very next best thing to use? I cannot eat raw tomatoes.
It seems and is understandable that the cherry tomato is the best thing to use after the dressing, BUT what is the very next best thing to use? I cannot eat raw tomatoes.
Thank You, Jackie
Why not try, thick slices of the mini-seedless cucumbers like she has in the photo in place of the tomatoes? They are pretty crispy / hard and would keep the other stuff out of your dressing.
If you can’t eat tomatoes, olives make a great substitute and “pickle” really well.
Do you wash the lettuce first?
Just found your post after a little “salad in a jar” search on Google — so comprehensive! I love it! I keep hearing about mason jar salads and I love that you put together this guide with links for recipe inspiration. Thank you! I’m sharing it for sure…
I wanted to thank you for introducing me to the mason salad jars. I pack mine on Sunday nights and have lunch all week. I’ve even shared the idea with several friends.
How do you wash the jars and lids and seals? Can you put them ALL in a dishwasher? Also… I would love it if you provided some sort of printable step-by-step instruction I could print out to refer to while making my jars for the first few times. 😉
Thanks for the tutorial…is there a way I can print this off ??? I would love to have this in a concise sheet so that I could pass it along to others …thanks
Fantastic web site. Lots of useful information here. I am
sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious.
And obviously, thank you to your effort!
Tammy,
Thank you so much for linking to my Glowing Green Mason Jar Salad. Your tutorial is fantastic and I linked it to my “Featured On… page” and I will definitely be sharing it with my readers on FB. I love all the healthy and sensible tips that you share on your site. Thank you!
You are welcome! And thank you!
I apparently love grape tomatoes as much as you do. Slicing them was slowing me down though. I tried putting them between two container lids but had trouble getting my knife all the way through. I found Good Grips Grape and Tomato slicing guide on Amazon. Love it! Really made slicing the tomatoes fast. Though I’d share.
Many people have asked about adding eggs and meat to the salads. I have been eating salads in a jar for about 5 months. I make enough for the week on Sunday. When I add meat or eggs I put them between my pasta/grains and lettuce layer ( I don’t add cheese if I did that would go on top of my eggs). I have never had an issue with my Friday salad. Everything has been very fresh. One note to that is that I don’t use canned meat or anything too juicy. If I added anything from a can (tuna/chicken) I would make sure to drain and pat it dry. I like to use the pre cooked and seasoned chicken like Tyson or Kraft carving board.
Have you had any problems with cruciferous vegetables? I’ve made my first batch of mason jar salads today using your principles. When I posted on FB several friends said I shouldn’t have used broccoli and cauliflower because the gasses will build up in the mason jars. Have you found this to be true? Thanks 🙂
I am wondering about beets, I love to add them to my salads but I am a little bit confused on which layer to add them. I am thinking the 3rd layer, after the hearty vegetables?
I have never used beets in a salad but I agree I think after the hearty vegetables would work.
I put beets in my salad — I put them right after the hearty vegetables. Sometimes they’ve made their way down to the bottom with the tomatoes, but that was okay by me. I found them delicious, even on Friday!
God bless you
This is such a great detailed post. I hope you don’t mind I shared a link to your tutorial on my blog.
My third day in trying out mason jar salads and it’s already made such a difference! The salads taste fresh and it is so easy to just grab a jar and go! I even tried avocado, which is risky, it hasn’t browned yet. Thanks so much! 🙂
My daughters did this and gave me 4 salads – what a great idea. Question, as I attempt this on my own: I noticed that the lids actually did seal down tightly – they could no longer be depressed in the center (as with canning – that’s how you know you have a good seal). Can those lids be reused? Hoping the answer is yes – makes it more economical.
Hi, you can buy white plastic reusable lids for the mason jars.
I was so impressed with this idea and I am glad I found your recipes to try. I’ve followed the black bean, cobb and greek/veggie salad recipes so far – exactly as written. All three salads are absolutely delicious, from the first jar to the last. Thank you for what is one of the best pages on the internet! I can’t wait to try your other recipes!!!
Have you ever premade smoothies in a mason jar for the week?
Not for the week but I have made them the night before. texture is different but still good.
Blender blade assemblies are sized to fit regular-mouth Mason jars. You could store your ingredients in the jar, then blend when you’re ready to leave the house. There are lots of sipping/straw-ready lid replacements available
Thank you so much for sharing this great information! As a single person, wanting variety, I am curious if you have any suggestions on managing ingrediants so they don’t go bad or picking recipes with a lot of overlap in ingrediants? If I make a different salad for each day of the week I am concerned that the specific ingrediants will go bad before I can use them all up . I have considered developing a salad club, where people can swap salads, but the commitment and organization required is too overwhelming for most people.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I love tuna on my salads. Canned, solid white, in water, drained, obviously. How would this work in the jars?
Great ideas, thank you.
Question: Does the mason jar have to be packed to the top to keep everything fresh?
Also I was thinking of maybe putting the dressing in a small container instead of in the jar.
No they don’t have to be packed all the way to the top. Sure if that works better for you then great.
Hi girls. I made 4 of these today…ate one tonight, it was delicious. I use a spinner so everything was pretty dry. A problem I am noticing is that a few hours after being in fridge, condensation is appearing in the jars. Lids were sealed tight.. Anyone have this happen?
Thanks for the tutorial…is there a way I can print this off ??? I would love to have this in a concise sheet so that I could pass it along to others …thanks
Besides printing right from my site I am not sure how else you would print it.
Hi I make MJ salads typically every week. I have some thawed cooked shrimp I would love to use in this week’s salads…any thoughts? Layer 1st? Think they’ll stay the week? Thanks for your input 🙂
Its hard to say with shrimp because I need used it. I would put it in the same layer as you would the chicken. Let me know how that works out for you.
Love it!! I made 6 today!!
Great idea. I got rid of all of my plastic and started to use glass for food storage, and I was trying to figure out how to do meals. This is perfect, thank you for sharing! = )
I have a salad I love and would like to convert it to a Mason Jar Salad but have a couple of questions. The ingredients are:
Goat cheese crumbles
Cooked chicken breast
Sliced pears
Candied walnuts
Craisins
Spinach or mixed greens
And Trader Joes Champagne Pear Vinaigrette
My questions are 1) what order would you suggest I layer the ingredients and 2) do you think the pears would turn brown after 5 days?
Thanks so much
Would it be possible to stick these in the freezer after preparing?
No I would not freeze these
I just made four of the Buffalo chicken salads for lunch this week. This is my first time trying this out and I wanted to share something I discovered: using one of those wide-mouth canning funnels makes it super easy to stuff the ingredients down into the jars, even if they are wide-mouth ones.
Oooh thanks for the tip. I didn’t even know those existed. I will need to look into that.
You have saved me from bad lunches! Thank you for your inspiration and recipes! Really, I would be lost without your recipe guide. My coworkers have been commenting on the mason jar salads I have been bringing to work and I have sent your website out to countless coworkers and friends. Keep up the awesome work!!
Thanks so much for this article! My goal is to eat salad for lunch at least 4 days a week to help me stay on track with my calories. This post came up in my search for some new recipe ideas… I have done a taco salad with avocado dressing that was great, I did a Cobb salad last week and this week I did an Asian sesame salad… But I want to keep changing it up so I don’t get too bored. My bf has lost 7 pounds and I have lost 5 in the last 3 weeks! Yay. I bought some collapsible silicone bowls on Amazon that I thought you might like… Just because they fold up flat and I can fit the bowl in my lunch pail so it is super compact. Those bowls plus the mason jar salads are like the perfect combo haha
Thanks for the tutorial…is there a way I can print this off ??? I would love to have this in a concise sheet so that I could pass it along to others …and do you wash the lettuce first? thanks!
I was so impressed with this idea and I am glad I found your recipes to try. You have saved me from bad lunches!
a friend told me about these salads and I liked the idea. Was very happy to find your post! I made my first batch last week. I made three and they held up fantastically. I ate one two days after making it, one three days after making it and the last one 4.5 days after making it. They all stayed fresh. The last jar was starting to get condensation on the inside, so I’m guessing 5 days is the absolute max.
It’s my new favorite thing. Worth the time it takes to get them made. I’m thrilled not to be wasting produce.
From what I’ve read of mason jar salads, tomatoes should not be in contact with the dressing…
I love my tomatoes marinating in the dressing. I guess it depends on your preference.
Hi!
This is great, all of us (even my 4 and 2 y/o) love salads but they takeme a long time to make, I love the idea of 2 big for my husband and me and 2 little jar for my girls.
I do have a question:
Have you tried adding croutons? If so, would they be after the lettuce?
Thank you so much for this post!
Do you ever bring anything extra, like an apple, for a snack? Or do you stick with only this?
Yes I do have apples and other fruits for a snack.
What about fruit? Sometimes I add grapes, apples or orange in my salads? Would I add before eating or where in the jar could it go?
When making the salad jar salads can you sue bag salad in place of fresh lettuces?
yes I’ve used bagged lettuce plenty of times
I didn’t want lemon on my avocado, and I saw a YouTube video about onions preserving cut avocado so they don’t turn brown. I made a southwestern salad for hubby, layered it dressing, black beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado, onions, lettuce cheese. It was only 24 hours until he dug into it, but not a hint of brown at all. Idk if it usually takes longer than that to brown because it was first try at this. But Google the onion thing and watch it if you’re interested
I used this site to make my salads in a mason jar yesterday. I put lemon juice on my avacodos. Today my avacodos are brown.
i am wondering is this possible with fruits and parfaits as well?
You said that only use glass jars, what about the plastic jars on Amazon with the salad dressing container included? I thinking its unbreakable!
Hi, I often use canned, diced tomatoes in salads. Would these go best on the “hearty vegetable layer” or further up the jar? thanks
Do you drain them? If so I’d put them above the cumbers. If you don’t drain then keep it close the dressing so it doesn’t make the greens soggy.
Thank you! I always drain them. I am starting to get some fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden now. Hopefully the current heat wave won’t do them in.
Good luck! I just planted cherry tomatoes this weekend!
Do these work well for camping?
I don’t see why not. As long as you have a cooler or refrigerator to store them in.
This is my favorite dressing. I use it most of the time.
Marie Stewart you didn’t list the dressing. Which one is your favorite that you use all of the time lol
Personally I love Newmans Own Light Raspberry Vinaigrette and his balsamic.