“I can’t figure out what to eat for lunch,” say many of my busy working clients – especially the parents. Life can be so chaotic…feeding yourself an affordable, nourishing lunch just isn’t happening regularly.
Enter: easy mason jar salads.
Full disclosure: once you start this lunch idea, you might not want to stop. 😀
As a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) with a career in corporate wellness and a mom of two, I’ve experimented with countless quick, enjoyable, and healthy lunch options for both myself and my clients.
In this blog, I’ll share some of my favorite nutritious, delicious, and easy mason jar salad recipes with my 7-layer system, all made with ingredients and leftovers you likely already have on hand.
What is a mason jar salad?
A mason jar salad is a convenient, portable, and visually appealing way to layer your favorite salad ingredients in a jar!
By stacking ingredients in a specific order, you keep everything fresh and crisp until you’re ready to eat lunch.
When hungry, grab, shake, or dump your mason jar into a bowl, and enjoy – no soggy greens over here!
Why are mason jar salads perfect for your weekday?
Mason jar salads will be your new best friend for busy weekdays:
- They stay fresh for 3-7 days (depending on the ingredients), so you can prepare all your lunches at once over the weekend.
- The container is compact, making them easy to keep at home or in the office fridge.
- Ingredients are versatile—you can use leftovers or buy ingredients specifically for these salads.
- With the prep done in advance, you can grab a satisfying, nutritious meal instead of winging it with another unsatisfying bar or piecemeal snack.
- Whether you make a big batch of the same recipe or mix and match each week, the prep is done, and you’re ready to enjoy a fresh, satisfying meal anytime.
If you want to simplify your weekday lunch meals with easy mason jar salads, I have you covered!
Here’s what you need
Before diving into these delicious recipes, take a look at some tools that will make preparing your easy mason jar salads a breeze:
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Ideal to have:
- 32 oz wide mouth mason jar: holds all your ingredients and makes mixing easy.
- Canning funnel: great for filling smaller-mouth mason jars without spills (BTW – this is dishwasher safe for easy clean up).
- Salad scissors: great for quickly chopping greens and produce to shove more in there!
- Food scale: this is my favorite compact food scale for those who want to make sure they are getting enough protein for lunch! (I will share more about how to do this below.)
Nice to have:
- Salad spinner: useful for washing and drying your veggies thoroughly.
- Favorite paring knife: for chopping your ingredients to the perfect size.
- Cutting board: I love this dishwasher-safe, reversible, light, easy-to-store cutting board.
- Measuring cups: to ensure you’re getting enough of each of your ingredients.
- Chalk markers: for labeling/dating the jar lids (they wipe away in the dishwasher!)
Here’s how it works
Let’s break down how easy mason jar salads work and some ingredients you might want to include.
The key ingredients
To create a balanced, satisfying salad, you’ll want to include all macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrate):
- Fat (dressing, nuts, seeds, oils, olives): adds flavor and helps you stay fuller longer by slowing digestion. It also aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, ensuring you get the most out of your meal.
- Protein (meat or plant-based): keeps you energized throughout the day, promotes satiety, curbs hunger, and stabilizes blood sugar levels.
- Carbohydrate (starchy and non-starchy produce, beans, legumes, grains): provides essential fuel your body needs, especially for brain function. Including complex carbs in your salad helps maintain steady energy levels, reducing the likelihood of that afternoon slump.
When combined, these three macronutrients work together to keep you fuller for longer, enhance the flavor of your meal, and help you avoid all those dreaded “hangry” feelings.
Layering your ingredients
To ensure your salad stays fresh and delicious, layer your ingredients using my 7-layer system from heaviest to lightest as you assemble your 32 oz wide-mouth mason jar:
- Base: start with the dressing at the very bottom so that the rest of your ingredients don’t get soggy.
- Marinated crudité: add ingredients that can benefit from soaking in the dressing, such as chickpeas, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
- Heavy veggies: next, layer heavier veggies like diced peppers, carrots, or leftover roasted veggies.
- Carbohydrates: add your carbs on top of the protein, like a starchy veggie (sweet potatoes, corn), rice, or grains.
- Protein: follow with your choice of protein. My clients tend not to put enough, which is why I recommend using a food scale to ensure you’re getting at least 3-5 oz of protein in each mason jar. 3 to 5 ounces of protein translates to 21-35 grams of protein, an amount that will keep you satisfied and fueled for longer.
- Leafy greens: your delicate greens go next, like spinach, romaine, or mixed greens! Don’t forget to chop using my favorite salad scissors (see the “ideal to have” list above).
- Flavor boosters: add toppings, which should stay dry and crunchy at the top, like nuts and/or cheese.
Here’s a convenient, downloadable table to mix and match your ingredients of choice:
What to do when ready to eat?
The best part!
- With the lid on, flip the whole jar over and let it sit for 2 minutes. This gives the dressing a chance to coat the whole salad.
- Pour your salad into a bowl or plate.
- Enjoy your easy mason jar salad.
5 easy mason, jar salad recipes created by dietitians
Each recipe has been created by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and is designed to serve one person, but you can easily double, triple, or quadruple the portions to prepare salads for the entire week.
1. Marissa Beck’s Chicka-Chicka Mason Jar Salad
This easy mason jar salad is one of my go-to’s since it contains filling protein from both chicken and chickpeas, hence, chicka-chicka! I love how versatile this one is, since you can mix and match my 7-layer system with what you have on hand and flavor your chicken and chickpeas in whatever way you want!
Marissa Beck’s Chicka-Chicka Mason Jar Salad
Ingredients
Base layer: dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic clove, minced
- 1 pinch Salt and black pepper to taste
Layer 1: Marinated crudité
- ½ cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Layer 2: Heavy veggies
- ¼ cup cucumber, sliced
- ¼ cup pepper, diced
Layer 3: Carbs
- ¼ cup cooked quinoa and/or corn
Layer 4: Protein
- 3 oz shredded or grilled chicken, cubed
Layer 6: Leafy greens
- ½ cup fresh spinach or mixed greens, chopped
Layer 7: Flavor boosters
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives or slivered almonds
Instructions
Prepare the Dressing:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Assemble the Salad:
- Start by adding the chickpeas and/or tomatoes to the bottom of a 32 oz wide-mouth mason jar.
- Next, layer the cucumbers and pepper over the chickpeas/tomatoes.
- Add the chicken on top of the cucumbers/peppers.
- Layer in the quinoa and/or corn.
- Finish with the chopped spinach or mixed greens.
- Top with crumbled feta and/or olives.
Seal and Store:
- Close the jar tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
When Ready to Eat:
- Flip the jar on its head to let the dressing drip through the container, or shake the jar to mix the dressing and ingredients.
- Then, pour everything into a bowl and toss before serving.
2. Laura M. Ali’s Mediterranean-Style Ancient Grains Bowl
Laura M. Ali, Registered Dietitian and Culinary Nutritionist, created this delicious, nutritious and easy recipe that combines many Mediterranean powerhouse ingredients, like beets, sweet potatoes and ancient grains.
3. Maria Lucey’s Mason Jar Salad Meal Prep Guide & Easy Recipe
Maria Lucey, RD, puts together a lovely mix of layers with her tangy dressing, crunchy veggies and lots of other yummy ingredients. Loads of texture in each bite!
4. Jennifer McDaniel’s Mason Jar Salad with Tahini Yogurt Dressing
Colors in a jar! Jennifer McDaniel, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, created a standout recipe with a creamy tahini dressing, and the farro is a nice plant-based option for those looking to eat less animal products.
5. Jessica Levinson’s Farro Bowl with Crispy Baked Tofu
I cannot tell you how many times I have personally made this recipe by Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN. It is so good, from the homemade dressing to the tofu pressing. It’s a satisfying and delicious salad, and one of my faves.
While this recipe is not in the form of a mason jar salad, use my 7-layer system to put together Jessica’s wonderful recipe.
Seal it up: delicious, nutritious, and ready to go
Now that you’ve learned how to create balanced, delicious, easy mason jar salads, you can make healthy eating during the week a breeze.
By incorporating all macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates), you’ll not only enjoy better-tasting meals but also stay fuller longer, with sustained energy throughout your day.
Moving forward, try experimenting with your favorite ingredients to keep things fresh and exciting. Meal prep your salads in bulk, store them in your fridge, and grab them on the go whenever hunger strikes.
Ready to get started? Tag me on Insta the next time you have a mason jar salad to share: @RevvHealth
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