30 Mason Jar Salad Recipes: A Month Worth of "Salad in a Jar" Recipes (2024)

Thirty days of mason jar salad recipes — NO REPEATS. Create a grab-and-go lunch plan with these 30 healthy salad in a jar recipes.

30 Mason Jar Salad Recipes: A Month Worth of "Salad in a Jar" Recipes (1)

I struggle with eating a healthy lunch. I have been buying pre-made salads from the grocery store, but I'd much rather make my own. The environmentalist in me hates wasting the plastic, even if it is recycled, and the foodie in me dislikes knowing the ingredients aren't super fresh. I've been making my own salad in a jar — and I love it!

Below you'll find tips for making salad in a jar, plus thirty unique mason jar salad recipes to help you keep things "fresh."

Why use mason jars for salad?

There are many perks to prepping salad in a jar for lunch...

  • SINGLE PREP — You can chop ingredients and prep salads for the week all on one-day instead of having to pack a lunch each day.
  • MORE CONTROL — You know the ingredients are fresh and if you prefer, organic, local or non-GMO.
  • VARIETY — You can enjoy a different mason jar salad every day of the week by simply switching up some of the ingredient combinations.
  • HEALTHY — Having lunch prepped and ready makes it easier to resist other temptations.
  • ECONOMICAL — Bringing lunch to work is cheaper than eating out or buying store-made salads.
  • ON-THE-GO — Mason jar salads are great for on-the-go. We've brought them camping, on hikes, and my two girls like the ease of taking them to school too.
  • GREEN — The reusable mason jar makes these salads a great environmentally-friendly option.
  • EASY CLEAN-UP — Glass mason jars can be safely popped into the dishwasher for easy clean-up.

What size mason jar is best for salads?

The mason jar you choose for packing salads depends on your eating habits. A 16-ounce pint mason jar works great for a light side salad. A 32-ounce mason jar ensures you have space for everything without crushing ingredients.

You can order a 12-pack of 32-ounce wide mouth Ball mason jars on Amazon Prime to get started, but you can find mason jars at your local retailer for MUCH cheaper. The best deals are actually often at hardware stores like Home Depot, Menards, or ACE! Our family loves using mason jars to store leftovers too, so having a twelve-pack has been helpful.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

How do you keep the salad in a jar from getting soggy?

You simply need to know the mason jar salad layers order! You keep your salad super crisp by strategically ordering ingredients in your mason jar salad. The dressing and wet ingredients are at the bottom of the jar separated by veggies keeping your salad crisp on top! Get full step-by-step instructions below.

How to layer your mason jar salad in three simple steps!

Mason jar salad order matters! There are three simple steps to follow with putting together asalad in a jar. You want to layer your ingredients in this specific order:

  1. Start with the dressing and other wet items, such as cucumbers, on the bottom.
  2. Next, add moisture-resistant veggies, like carrots, for example, on top of that.
  3. Last of all, top with the protein of your choice and any "dry ingredients" such as greens, pasta, and any crunchies.

SALAD IN A JAR 101

I loved this visual explanation of how to put together a mason jar salad from Farmer's Fridge.

30 Mason Jar Salad Recipes: A Month Worth of "Salad in a Jar" Recipes (3)


Image Credit: Farmer's Fridge

How do you eat salad in a mason jar?

Can you eat mason jar salads out of the jar? Yes, just shake, shake, shake, and enjoy this easy on-the-go lunch. When you're at home, sometimes it is still nice to put the salad into a bowl to enjoy.

For me, one of the main purposes of mason jar salads is having a pre-prepped lunch, not the convenience of the container itself. In the end, deciding how you want to eat your salad is 100% up to you!

Mason Jar Salad Recipes — 30 Salad in a Jar Combinations

30 Mason Jar Salad Recipes: A Month Worth of "Salad in a Jar" Recipes (4)

Here are a few salad in a jar recipes I am going to try this month:

  1. Greek Chicken Salad
  2. Healthy Taco Salad
  3. Portable Caprese Salad
  4. Rainbow Winter Quinoa Salad
  5. Fresh Mozzarella and Spinach
  6. Spinach Blueberry Salad
  7. Buffalo Chicken
  8. Strawberry Spinach Salad
  9. Healthy Taco Salad
  10. Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
  11. Layered 7-Bean Salad
  12. Chopped Taco
  13. Asian Noodle Salad
  14. Bell Peppers, Veggies, and Goat Cheese
  15. Pomegranate and Pear Salad
  16. Glowing Green Mason Jar Salad
  17. Spring Pea with Romaine, Radish, and Feta with Buttermilk Ranch
  18. Zucchini Pasta Salad with Avocado Spinach Dressing
  19. Quinoa Salad in A Jar (4 recipes)
  20. Broccoli and Pomegranate Salad
  21. Tortellini and Artichoke
  22. Chopped Black Bean and Corn
  23. Ranch Rotini Salad
  24. Mozzarella Tomato Pasta
  25. Chopped Cobb
  26. Hearty Rainbow Salad

More Mason Jar Salad-Spiration

Here are four more salad in a jar recipe suggestions from Farmer's Fridge:

27. Antioxidant Salad in a Jar: Start with white balsamic vinaigrette. Layer in mixed berries, sprouts, carrots, almonds, goat cheese, flax seeds, and mixed greens.

28. Mediterranean Salad in a Jar: Start withbalsamic vinaigrette. Add inartichokes, black olives, tomatoes white cannellini beans, cucumbers, Parmesan, pine nuts,oregano, and mixed greens.

29. High Protein Salad in a Jar: Begin with the lemon-based dressing of your choice. Next throw in chickpeas, broccoli, cookedquinoa,corn, peas, currants or figs, pumpkin seeds, shredded Parmesan, and spinach.

30. Detox Salad in a Jar: Start with the lemon-based dressing of your choice.Layer in pineapple, blueberries, cookedquinoa, fennel, sprouts, and kale. *I am going to skip the cannellini beans they recommend!

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Recipe & Image Credit: Farmer's Fridge

How long does salad in a mason jar last?

Depending on the ingredients in your mason jar salad, they can last between three to five days in the refrigerator. We usually prep salads Sunday for the week, and they remain fresh. You'll want to eat salads with things like tomatoes, shredded cheese, chicken, or cucumbers within two to three days, as those ingredients don't last as long. Salad combinations that include quinoa, broccoli, carrots, and legumes hold up great!

MASON JAR SALAD RECIPE LIBRARY INSPIRATION

Looking for additional inspiration? Check out Mason Jar Salads and More: 50 Layered Lunches to Grab and Go at your local library or see the book preview here on Amazon. The book is full of gorgeous full-color photos andtasty recipes, including:

  • Pomegranate and pear salad in a jar
  • Pesto tortellini with cherry tomatoes
  • Crunchy Asian salad
  • Spinach, blueberry, and blue cheese salad
  • Curried chicken salad in a jar
  • Kale and avocado salad
  • Overnight oatmeal with fruit
  • Green bean and feta salad

Do you have a favorite mason jar recipe? I'd love to hear about it. Let's chat in the comments.

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PS:When I started making salads in a jar, Iorder Balljars (which I love using). However, I recentlynoticed these brilliantMason Salad Jar Containers. They have a built-in dressing containerthat keeps the dressing separate from the rest of your ingredients.How cool is that?

I also love all the different colors available. Theseare:

  • Leak-proof lid includes a built-in 4oz dressing container
  • Made with Eastman Tritan(TM)
  • Durable and lightweight
  • Dishwasher safe
  • BPA-free

I haven't tried them yet, but I am tempted!

If you live in the Chicago area, be sure to check out Farmer's Fridge. Too cool.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsem*nts and Testimonials in Advertising.”

30 Mason Jar Salad Recipes: A Month Worth of "Salad in a Jar" Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How long do mason jar salads last? ›

If layered properly, salads in a jar will stay fresh for up to 4-5 days. Just keep in mind that different ingredients will stay fresh for different periods of time. So, if you're preparing for the week, plan on eating your salad jars before other items.

What size mason jar is best for salads? ›

Pint-sized jars are great for individual side salads of mostly greens with just a few “extra” salad toppings. Use quart-sized jars for larger lunch and dinner salads that have a lot of extra veggies and salad goodies. Two-quart jars (or larger) are great if you're taking the salad to a potluck or cookout.

Are Mason jar salads worth it? ›

They're perfect for meal prep! Prep a big batch of salad over the weekend, store them in five separate mason jars and you'll have a salad for each day of the week! They're perfect for a convenient, grab-and-go meal option. The flavor combos are endless so you'll never get bored!

Do Mason jar salads get soggy? ›

Mason jars were made to make that happen. The downside? After a few hours, watery veggies and salad dressing mix to create a mess of mushy, wilted greens. Bec Dickinson, author of Love Your Lunches, saves the day with this eight-step plan that'll keep your jarred salads fresh until you're ready to eat them.

Can you eat mason jar salads out of the jar? ›

You eat the salad right from the jar if you want! Just shake up the salad to mix it up, grab a fork and enjoy. This works well for an on-the-go lunch! Or, if you are at home, go ahead and pour the salad into a bowl.

Can you reuse mason jar lids for salads? ›

When used for a sterile water bath or pressure canning process, the lids are SINGLE USE… You may re-use the lids for non-sterile purposes such as storing dry products, refrigerated pickles or salads etc etc…. BEWARE lids sold as “Reusable”… You are taking a chance with severe food poisoning over saving $0.30 per jar…

How much does a 32 oz mason jar hold? ›

Quart – 32 oz – 4 cups

This quart jar packs 32 glorious ounces of hydration and measures a little under 6 ¾” in height.

Will lettuce keep better in a mason jar? ›

I found that my lettuce lasts even longer if I cut it up and put it into the mason jars dry right from the bag.

Why are restaurant salads so much better than homemade? ›

In the restaurant I worked in, I also noticed that cooks seasoned every element with a pinch of salt — even the lettuce. This resulted in every bite tasting vibrant and flavorful. "Season your salad just like you would anything else," Simpson said.

Is it cheaper to buy premade salad or make your own? ›

It's expensive.

bag of pre-cut, “triple-washed” romaine lettuce is $2.99/lb. A fresh romaine head — about 14 oz. — is $1.69. Even if you end up tossing 15% of the fresh head during prep, that means the pre-packaged stuff is MORE THAN DOUBLE the price of the fresh.

What is the difference between a jar and a Mason jar? ›

All Mason jars are not created equal. They are remarkably similar to commercially used jars, but the biggest difference is that real Mason jars have a wider rim that gives them a better sealing surface.

What lettuce keeps the longest? ›

Make sure your lettuce doesn't get pushed to the back of the fridge, where it might be prone to freezing. If it takes you a while to eat a head of lettuce, you may want to consider buying Romaine or Iceberg lettuce. They tend to stay fresh longer than other lettuce varieties.

Why does aluminum foil keep lettuce fresh? ›

"Aluminum does not, on its own, have any specific synergies with lettuce. If it's protective it's either protecting it from drying out or it has just the right permeability to allow the lettuce to breathe without drying it out (aluminum foil IS permeable)," says Nestrud.

Can you vacuum seal mason jar salads? ›

The result is that you can make several salad jars in advance, vacuum seal them, and they'll stay fresh all week long. The best part is that you can vacuum seal any food type really, to make it last longer.

How long will food last in a mason jar? ›

How Long Will Food Last in a Mason Jar? If sealed and stored correctly in a cool and dark place, the National Center for Home Food Preservation says that canned food will retain its quality for 12 to 18 months in a Mason jar. It is important to remember that the condition of the food will degrade as more time passes.

How long is food in mason jars good for? ›

The general guideline is to can only the amount of food that will be used within one year. The food will be safe as long as the jar remains sealed, if it has been properly canned. However, the quality of the food deteriorates the longer it is in storage, i.e., a change in texture, color and flavor.

How long do premade salads last in the fridge? ›

How long does salad last in the fridge? Stored correctly, an average salad will last up to five days in the fridge. Any longer than this, and you'll start to see soggy, wilting leaves. Stored incorrectly, and you could be looking at no more than a couple of hours!

How long will canned food last in a mason jar? ›

As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.

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