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Friday, January 22, 2021

One Prep- 4 Salad Jars !



Prep salad vegetables once but eat healthy salad jars for four days! 
I love salad, but I often dread having to take all the produce out of the refrigerator, wash it, clean it, and clean up the mess I make when I make a salad. 

No more excuses to skip eating salads!

Making salad jars allows me to have one messy prep hour but eat delicious salad for four or even five days! 

This fabulous kitchen time saving tip and encourages healthier eating especially when I am feeling tired (or lazy). 


In addition, my lettuce actually stays fresher and doesn't go bad  because I might not even take the time to make a salad if I'm busy.  


Vegetables, Nature, Green, Healthy
 
My Power Hour - 
I call my salad prep time my power hour, even though I'm usually done prepping 4-5 days worth of salad in 40 minutes for two of us. I call it my power hour because I am making powerful antioxidant rich power food during my power hour-

salad

Clean and chop salad fixings during your power hour-
enjoy healthy fresh salad for 4-5 days!


I make a variety of chopped vegetables and then layer the jars. I then dump the jar into a bowl when we are ready to eat it. The healthy salad is crisp and fresh like I just made it. 

I make enough for 4 or 5 dinner salads for two. We eat one large salad the same day that I make it, and then I fill 4 other Mason or regular jars with layered salad.

It's vital for good health to eat a variety of all kids of colorful vegetables everyday to consume fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. You don't have to be vegan, to appreciate a delicious salad.

thai dressing over peanut coleslaw
This delicious cabbage slaw with peanuts and edamame can be stored in salad jars as well. Click on the recipe for this salad 
Link: Asian Peanut Cabbage Slaw 

Salad jars make it easy and do-able to eat healthier no matter how busy you are. 

Plan Your Shopping List to Include All Your Salad Fixings
The important thing is to make sure you plan your shopping list and have a variety of tasty produce in your refrigerator such as lettuce, celery, cucumbers, red cabbage, scallions, snow peas, sugar snap peas, parsley, carrots, baby spinach or anything else you like in a salad. You can also layer with beans (drain well) or other proteins. 


Food, Dressing, Salad
Add salad dressing just before you eat your salad
                     Link : 7 not to miss salad dressings.                                 

Questions: 

Q:  Does salad stay fresh and crisp in the jars?
A:  Yes, as long as your jar is clean and dry. Also make sure to shake off or pat dry excess moisture from lettuce as well. 

Q: What kind of jar do you use? 
A: Mason Jars are perfect but I also save any wide mouth jar with a tight fitting lid. I use both and either type of jar works great!

Q: How long can the salad stay fresh in the jars? 
A: I leave it up to 4 days. Use one of the salad jars the first night.

Q: When do you add the salad dressing?
A: I wait until I serve the salad. Dressing may make the salad soggy.

Q: Do you have a good salad dressing?
A: Yes, as a matter of fact I have recipes for 7 homemade delicious dressings. Here is a link for 7 not to miss salad dressings.






Ingredients: 
3 cups of chopped red cabbage
2 cups of sliced celery
1 cup of chopped scallions
2 cups of sliced cucumber
2 cups of shredded carrot
6 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups of baby spinach
1 cup of chopped parsley
Optional: 2 cups of cooked and drained chick peas (or from a can)

Directions: 
Assemble all of your washed and chopped ingredients in a large bowl. Divide the ingredients between 4 or 5 large wide mouthed jars. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Shared on Weekend Cooking at The Intrepid Reader and Baker

Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational and informational purposes only. Everyone has different dietary needs. I am not a medical doctor and do not know what is best for you. Always consult your medical doctor before making changes in your diet.

19 comments:

  1. I usually make enough salads good for 2 days for my husband. He eats lots of salads, but they must include seasonal fruit. His favourite dressings are avocado dressing and other fruity dressings.

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  2. Love this post!
    Jar salads will save a lot if veggies from going bad because I'm too lazy to do the chopping prep.

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  3. What a great idea, Judee! And it can easily be shaken after adding the dressing to coat the entire salad with minimal mess!

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  4. Great idea!!....I love the colorful combination....and awesome flavor!!......Abrazotes, Marcela

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  5. I try to meal prep for main courses, but had never thought to plan ahead for salads. This is such a smart idea... and your tip for using jars makes storing the prepared salads so easy

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  6. what a great idea. so the salads stay fresh for several days in the jars? that's great!

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  7. I used to make Mason Jar salads all of the time and then got out of the habit. Thanks for the reminder. This recipe looks delicious and I'll be adding it to my meal plan for next week.

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  8. My method isn't entirely different: I wash the lettuce and spin-dry it in a lettuce spinner, then keep it in a plastic box. However, I like to use different vegetables and fruits on a rotating basis to make different salads for different meals. Your method would work for that too -- no law that the jars couldn't hold different things.

    be safe... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  9. I am going to try this. I tend to end up with soggy bits in the fridge that makes me feel bad when I throw it out. I always was afraid that it would get soggy.
    Also checking your salad dressings.

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  10. I love these salad jars. Believe it or not, there's a company in my area that sells salads in jars like this, from vending machines! It sounds weired, but they're absolutely fantastic salads! Don't know why I've never thought to make my own!

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  11. A very good idea Judee, and I really like your dressings in the pretty cruets.

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  12. I do this too!!! It really does work great. I need to check out your dressings.

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  13. Your salads look delicious! I agree with Beth F, I need to check out your dressings.

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  14. What I great idea! And your jars look so appetising. I think I need to try doing something similar! It is definitely salad weather for us right now!

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  15. I go on spurts with Mason jar salads making them up ahead for a week, and even bought special jars with little holders for dressing or toppings. My work schedule is so changed and now I don’t have a full lunch hour at work anymore, so I haven’t made any in ages. Your post made me realize I never thought of making them up and just having them handy at home! Your salad combination sounds delicious!

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  16. That is a pretty salad, so colorful and would make a nice appearance on the table or a potluck dinner.

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  17. I keep wanting to try these jar salads. I'm so moody about foods that I'm afraid mine would spoil before I used them. When it's just me again, I'll definitely give them a try. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Shirley

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