Are you a salad eater? Eating salads has so many benefits. When most people think about adopting new healthy habits they think about salads. They make the perfect lunch or side to dinner. The problem? It can seem overwhelming to get everything out of the fridge, chop, slice, cut……chop, slice, cut….. that’s where these mason jar salads 3 ways come in! These made it so easy to grab and go!
Benefits of eating salads
Whether you are on a weight loss plan or trying to add some extra greens in your diet, salads are a great way to get your veggies in and improve your health, and mason jar salads 3 ways makes it easy!
Here are some benefits!
- Greens! All the different greens have their own set of benefits but make no mistake they are full of nutrition! Most lettuce contains vitamins A, C, E, and K, iceberg having the least and dark lettuce having more!
- Lettuce has lots of fiber. Have you ever been constipated? It’s not fun and if you have you know how important it can be to get the daily fiber you need! Lettuce is packed full of fiber and will help keep things moving! Kale and spinach are pretty high up there when it comes to fiber with close to 5 grams per cup!
- What are you adding to your salad? The veggies you’re adding in all add extra benefits! Veggies like onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs, and bell pepper are some of my go-to’s for our salads. We also like to add lemons and garlic into the dressing. You can also add things like radish, avocados, carrots and more!
What’s in your dressing?
- Are dressings healthy? Is the dressing you are using healthy? I believe you can take a perfectly nutritious salad and ruin it with a dressing that’s packed full of sugar and chemicals! While looking up a couple of popular ones to check out the ingredients and it was worse than I remembered. All of the dressings I looked at had high inflammatory oils like soybean oil and canola oil. Ranch dressing was the worst with corn syrup is the second ingredient, monosodium glutamate (MSG)listed proudly in the ingredient list, artificial colors, and natural flavors! This dressing is a recipe for a bunch of side effects that nobody wants!
- Making your own dressing can have many benefits! We have made our own dressings for years ( like this remedy salad dressing) and there’s nothing like homemade! In my family we use ingredients at their most pure form like cold-pressed olive oil, lemon, fresh garlic, good quality vinegar, and even fresh herbs! All these ingredients have their own list of benefits and help you get the most nutrition out of your salad!
~Eating well is a sign of self-love
You are strong.
You are beautiful.
You are worthy.
You are healthy.
You are loved.
You deserve happiness.
You deserve to feel great.
Let’s do this.
~ancestral nutrition~
Mason Jar Salads 3 Ways
If you need a way to eat healthier with a busy schedule, mason jar salads are the perfect way to do it!
Servings 6 people
Equipment
- Mason Jars
Ingredients
Spinach Cranberry Salad (makes 2-pint jars)
- ½ each jar spinach leaves or dark greens of your choice. pack each jar ½ full
- 2 tablespoon diced red onion divided into each jar
- 4 tablespoon pecans or walnuts divided into each jar
- 4 tablespoon dried cranberries divided into each jar
- 2 tablespoon blue cheese~ optional divided into each jar
Spinach Cranberry Salad dressing
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar If its not great quality it may be sourer. You could whisk in a couple teaspoon of maple syrup or honey.
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- a couple of grinds of fresh ground pepper
House Salad (makes 2-pint jars)
- ½ each jar with shredded iceberg lettuce Pack each jar ½ full
- 2 tablespoon diced red onion divided into each jar
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved and divided in each jar
- 6 slices of cucumbers halved and divided in each jar
- ½ red bell pepper diced divided into each jar
House Salad dressing
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar I use Braggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon pink salt and cracked pepper
- 2 garlic cloves grated
Pasta Salad (makes 2-pint jars)
- ½ box tri-color rotini cooked according to box and cool.
- 1 can 2.25 oz black olives divided into each jar
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved divided in each jar
- ½ small cucumber (diced) divided in each jar
- 2 tablespoon feta cheese divided in each jar
Pasta salad dressing
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon both salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Spinach Cranberry Salad (meal prep)
- In a small bowl whisk up all the ingredients for the dressing and divide evenly in 2-pint size mason jars.
- Push the spinach in tightly and fill each jar halfway.
- Layer in remaining ingredients dividing them up between the two jars putting cheese on last.
- If there is more room add more spinach leaves on top. *lettuce will settle
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake well and eat when ready!
House Salad (meal prep)
- In a small mixing bowl whisk all ingredients for the dressing grating garlic cloves in last. Divide evenly in 2-pint size mason jars.
- Push the iceberg lettuce in tightly and fill each jar halfway.
- Layer in remaining ingredients dividing them up between the two jars.
- If there is more room add more lettuce on top. *lettuce will settle
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake well and eat when ready!
Pasta Salad (meal prep)
- Cook a half box of pasta according to the box directions. Cool and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk all the ingredients for the dressing and divide evenly in 2-pint size mason jars.
- Fill each jar halfway with cooled pasta.
- Add olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers in the center, then top with more pasta.
- Add feta cheese lastly.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake well and eat when ready!
Notes
Make sure to pack the lettuce in tight and add some extra to the top. The lettuce will settle over time setting.
If you need mason jars, you can buy some here!
