Other Mason Jar Salads You Might Like
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It should only be used for estimation purposes and is not a guarantee of any kind. Nutritional information varies widely between brands and types of ingredients used. It is recommended that you calculate the nutritional information based on your own ingredients and brands used. Sweetly Splendid, LLC makes no guarantees as to the exact nutrition information.
How Do You Eat The Mason Jar Salads Do You Eat Them Straight From The Jar
No, I dont eat straight from the jar. I shake the salads in the jar and then dump the salad into another bowl or large dish I bring with me.
When I first started to eat these, I tried eating them from the jar, but it was awkward. I prefer putting the mason jar salad into a bowl.
Some people think that is too much work or too many bowls to bring to work, but it doesnt bother me.
I find the benefits of eating a fresh, healthy, delicious salad every day outweigh the annoyance of bringing an extra bowl with me.
How Does Everything Get Mixed Together
When youre ready to eat your salad, just unscrew the cap and shake it into a bowl. Everything gets pretty compacted in the jar, so some vigorous shaking may be needed! This shaking also helps to toss the salad ingredients with the dressing. Once the salad is in the bowl, you can toss it some more with your fork to make sure everything is evenly coated.
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Our Favorite Mason Jar Salad Recipes
If you’re not quite ready to wing it and create your own mason jar salad, try one of these delicious combinations instead!
- Taco Salad in a Jar Start with sour cream and salsa, then add diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, black olives, diced avocado and diced onion. Next, add in your meat of choice. Grilled chicken and taco-seasoned ground meat both work great here! Last, pack the rest of the jar full with romaine lettuce. Soooo good.
- Italian Salad in a Jar Begin with 3 tablespoons of Italian dressing. Next, add Kalamata olives, green olives, halved cherry tomatoes and diced onion. Add in fresh mozzarella if you have it. If not, any mozzarella will work! Toss in a handful of pine nuts and finish the jar with romaine lettuce.
See, easy peasy. Feeling more confident now? Try converting this strawberry salad recipe into a mason jar salad with the guidelines above. You can do this!
How Long Do Mason Jar Salad Recipes Last
Depending on the ingredients you use, these can last between three and five days in the refrigerator. If you are meal prepping, you can feel safe putting these together on Sunday for the upcoming week, and youll be good to go. Youll want to eat the salads using ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cheese, and chicken within two to three days. Salad combos with quinoa, broccoli, carrots, and legumes last longer, so feel free to put them toward the back of the line-up.
Mason Jar Salad Hack: By the way, if you love cool gadgets that make your life easier, check out these Leak Proof Salad In A Jar Containers. These come correct with a leak-proof lid with a built-in dressing container. Oh, and ladies, they are also dishwasher safe. Score.
Here are 16 fabulous recipes that make the perfect portable lunch!
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Whats The Difference Between A Regular Mouth Mason Jar And A Wide Mouth Mason Jar
The mouth of the jar, as described above, is the opening circumference of the jar.
Why is the opening or mouth size important? Because certain foods, like whole tomatoes, whole fruits, larger pickle sizes and the like need a larger opening size when filling the jars themselves.
Its the width of the mouth opening & what you can do with that width thats the important part. Its also important to note that the lid sizes fit ANY corresponding jar size.
In other words, ALL regular mouth lids will fit ANY size regular mouth mason jars, and ANY wide mouth lids will fit ANY size wide mouth mason jars.
According to Ball® and Kerr® when choosing the mouth size of your jars
Regular Mouth work best with pourable foods such as jams, jellies, salsas, sauces, pie fillings, and vegetables. Wide Mouth allows for easier filling and works best with whole fruits and vegetables.
Delicious Mason Jar Salad Recipes
Here are some Mason jar salad recipe tips:
- To make a salad in a Mason jar just grab a 32 oz quart size Mason jar and a recipe below. I have found that the larger the mason jar the easier it is to make a salad in it. The larger sizes just allow more room to stack and layer.
- Using a recipe below, follow the directions, and with all sorts of delicious flavors to choose from these Mason jar salad recipes are such a great way to allow more options to pack for lunch.
- Dont forget to seal your lid nice and tight. With a tightened lid, salads will stay fresh in the fridge for 4-6 days. This makes them a great meal prep option as well!
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Mason Jar Size: What Jar To Use For Salad
The typical mason jar salad is for one person. However, thats not the only portion available. You can also make a batch of salads, salads for two and even salads for the entire family. So how do you decide what jar to use? Theres a simple formula!
If youve been worried on exactly how to do this, let me put your mind at ease its super easy. Typically, all recipes share how much it will serve. And you can follow that, but when you start using mason jars on a regular basis, you will be able to eyeball the right amount of ingredients.
One thing to remember is mason jar salads are primarily packed with vegetables so when you pack the jars, the uneven aspect of the items comes with the territory. All you need to do is firmly push down the ingredients as you pack them
Examples Of Tasty Vegetarian Mason Jar Salads
To give you an idea of the different jar salads you can prepare, here are some examples of various combinations. You can play with the ingredients and customize them to your liking. Later, I include a more specific recipe, which you can also customize as well .
To make these salads, just have the ingredients already washed and chopped, and pack them in the jars in the order that the ingredients appear. Easy, right?
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Tips For Layering A Mason Jar Salad
Use a wide-mouthed mason jar, for easy serving of the salad. The regular mouthed jars are tricky to get the salad ingredients in and out of.
Quart sized mason jars make for a hearty single serving size portion. Pint jars dont fit quite as much once you get the lettuce in, and would serve more as a light lunch or side salad portion.
The fresher your ingredients are to start, the better the salad will keep.
Use common sense when it comes to what to put in the salad, especially if you are planning to keep the salads in the fridge for a few days. An ingredient like tuna fish, or cut avocado or apples obviously will not keep as long in the fridge as cut peppers, onions or carrots do.
You can also use the method for packing a chicken salad or tuna salad and making it heartier by serving it alongside fresh lettuce.
P.S. We love these lids!
The 5 Best Mason Jars For Salads
Jaron*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
Mason jars are experiencing a resurgence as of late. They are often used as a design component for home décor.
They seem to be everywhere, which is understandable. After all, they look great and they add a lot of character to a place.
That said, it always comes as a surprise to most that mason jars have a practical purpose in the kitchen as well. Dont forget that they are used for canning, storage, and making salads. For this guide, well be focusing on the last part.
So, what are the best mason jars for a salad? As long as they feature a well-sealing lid and sturdy glass material, the best mason jars for salads just need to be large enough to fit your needs. A larger size or set of multiple is recommended for varied uses, but not necessary.
This guide runs down 5 of the best mason jars for salads. Well be taking a look at some of the most popular mason jars around to see how well they can do their job.
That said, well also delve into the different things you need to consider when looking at mason jars. This way, you can choose which one suits your needs best.
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What Is The Point Of Mason Jar Salads
Mason jar salads are a type of salad that is prepared in a jar. The salad ingredients are placed in the jar in layers, with the dressing at the bottom. This allows the salad to be stored for up to a week without getting soggy.
Mason jar salads are a convenient option for busy people who want to eat healthy vegetarian meals on the go. They are also a great way to meal prep for the week ahead. When youre ready to enjoy your salad, simply shake it up and enjoy!
How Long Do Mason Jar Salads Last In The Fridge
What ingredients you use in your salad will impact how long it can last in the fridge, but I will say a salad made of just dressing and veggies will easily last 7-10 days in the fridge. Yes, really! Toward the end of that time, your lettuce might start to look rusty , but other than that, itll be good to go!
When animal-based products like meat and cheese are added to the mix, youre looking at closer to 3-5 days in the fridge.
When you use sliced fruit in your jar, youll get the least amount of prep-ahead time out of itI wouldnt prep a fruit-containing salad more than three days in advance.
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Mason Jar Salad Recipes With Homemade Ranch
These Mason Jar Salad Recipes with Homemade Ranch are perfect for Meal Prep! I have two different salad ideas, but you can mix and match your favorite veggies, proteins, and toppings with your favorite combinations once you learn how easy it is to build them! Arent grab and go lunches the best? This post contains affiliate links for products Im obsessed with.
Back in my Beachbody Coaching days, my teammates and I ran a really cool free challenge called Fall in Love with Superfoods and we food prepped a whole bunch of recipes using Fall produce and it was honestly one of my favorite weeks of eating ever.
I think I need to do more challenges like this through the blogwhat do you think?
Anyway, these salad recipes were a highlight of that week and the ladies in my group couldnt get enough of the homemade ranch.
So why does it take me years to get these recipes out on the blog? Two words: my kids. But better late than never and if you havent tried mason jar salads before, now is the time to jump on that train!
Are All Mason Jar Brands The Same Size Increments
Although there are many mason jar brands throughout the world, here in the States the most popular mason jar brands are Ball®, Bernardin® , and Kerr®. All these brand names come from the same manufacturer, Newell Brands, ensuring that the majority of mason jars sold remain consistent is size and options!
You may be saying at this point, arent there enough choices with just one company alone? There sure are. Thats a LOT to remember, especially when first beginning. However, fortunately both of these companies are owned by the same manufacturer and have the same sizes to offer!
Win, win for the beginner canner! Less to remember and consider
Fortunately, there are really only a few important points to remember when it comes to choosing mason jars.
- CAPACITY Mason jars are measured in ounces and are easily converted to cups and ml increments should you choose
- MOUTH The mouth of the mason jar is the opening circumference and are referred to as regular or wide.
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Yummy Pasta Of Course
We include ditalini pasta in our recipe, as it brings nutty flavor and great texture to the blend. If youre watching your weight or carb intake, youre probably already pondering ways to substitute it. Lucky for you, low-carb pasta options are widely available so experiment with the different varieties and see what you like. The key to eating pasta lies in portion control. The problem with pasta is often not the pasta itself its the fact that people eat too much of it.
If youre following a particular diet you may choose to leave out the pasta altogether. Not a problem at all. Youll still have a great eating experience with a pasta-free salad. But if your diet is more all-inclusive, by all means, give it a try!
How Long Will Jars Of Salad Keep In The Fridge
With the lid sealed tightly, these salads can last for several days in the fridge up to five days or so. If youre making salads with soft ingredients or perishable proteins, like avocados, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, or cooked chicken breast, wait to add those ingredients until the day you plan to eat the salad. Also, if you have a vacuum-sealer attachment for your canning jars, vacuum-sealing the salads right after assembling them will keep your greens and veggies even crisper and fresher.
Do you ever pack your salads in jars? What are your favorite combos? Any other great tips to share from your experience?
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Apple And Celery Salad
- Wash all the vegetables well and chop them up
- For the vinaigrette: mix well the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt and pepper
- Add the vinaigrette to the bottom of the Mason jar
- Pack the other ingredients in the jar in this order: cucumber, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, avocado
- Cover tightly and store in the fridge
- When its time to eat, gently shake the jar to combine the vinaigrette with the rest of the ingredients, open, pour onto a plate and enjoy!
Find The Size Of Your Mason Jar
With so many different Mason jar sizes and manufacturers, it can be difficult to know what size Mason jar you have or what size Mason jar lid will fit your jar.
Mason Jar Size – The Size of the Mason jar can be great for everything from jelly to storing sugar or flour. Choose from a wide variety of sizes.
Mason Jar Mouth Size The diameter of the Mason jar opening determines the mouth size. Choose from either regular or wide mouth sizes.
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What Is The Best Size Jar For Mason Jar Salads
I use a wide mouth quart jar for my mason jar salad recipes. These make for a lot of salad, so if you wanted to use a smaller size , 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. Using a wide mouth makes filling up and dumping out the mason jar salad ingredients is much easier.
No matter what size you use, always follow the same steps for layering the ingredients.
What Size Mason Jar Is Best For Salads
The mason jar you choose for packing salads depends on you and your eating habits. The two most popular choices are 16 and 32-ounce mason jars. A 16-ounce mason jar lends itself to be perfect for a lighter side salad. A 32-ounce size is more of a meal-sized jar that ensures you have space for all of your ingredients and, big bonus, keeps you from the headache of trying to smash your ingredients to get the jar closed.
As far as where to get these jars, you can order a , but if youd like to save a few bucks, youll find the prices at your local stores are much cheaper. Check out Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Dollar General.
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Doesnt The Lettuce Get Soggy
I can honestly say that in the decade Ive been making mason jar salads, I never had soggy lettuce not one time. Even when my jar tips over in my bag, everythings still okay.
The key to non-soggy lettuce is to layer ingredients correctly and keep the dressing at the bottom away from the lettuce.
No worries, though- I will go over all that below.