Do you want to know how to make mason jar salads to add greens to your daily meals? It’s not hard at all, and I promise it’s worth trying!How To Make Mason Jar Salads

Have you seen all the meal prep ideas online and want to join all the fun?  Well, if you’re wondering how to make mason jar salads, I got you!  I make these every four days and have for over a year.  At first, it felt like a lot of work, but I came up with a system to make it all easy.  And, I want to share my system with you!

I will share my staple ingredients, the chopper I use to make the process way faster, the extras I always add as toppers, and my secret to cutting lettuce.  After reading this, you will be ready to tackle your own mason jar salads!

This post is all about how to make mason jar salads.

How To Make Mason Jar Salads That Will Help You Add More Veggies To Your Diet.

  1. The Order Matters:  How To Pack The Mason Jar So The Salad Doesn’t Get Soggy.

Pack Your Salad So It Stays Crisp

There are mixed ideas about this step, and I might cause controversy here, but I DO NOT ADD DRESSING to my mason jar salad. There, I said it. I just think that after a few days, even the crispiest carrots will start to break down if they sit in dressing.  Now that I got that off my chest, I can tell you what I do to keep my salads going strong for 4-5 days.  

  • The crispiest salads begin at the grocery store.  Pick out the best ingredients and definitely the freshest greens.  You want the vegetables to have a fighting chance after you chop them.
  • Start with the tough guys.  I always start with carrots on the bottom and then add my heartiest veggies: peppers, onions, radishes, beets, etc.
  • The main rule is to keep the wet ingredients away from the lettuce!  Let’s face it, soggy lettuce will ruin a salad.  So, I stack all of my chopped veggies at the bottom and add my lettuce at the very top of my protein.
  • Top Your Salad With Added Nutrients.  If you’re meal-prepping salads, most likely you are working to improve your health.  Make-ahead salads are a great way to force yourself to eat more nutrient-dense meals.  What does that mean?  Well, I top every salad with extra seeds and goodies to make them even healthier.  Just be aware that adding seeds will add calories.

2.  The Right Supplies Make EVERYTHING Easier.

Get the right supplies

If you’ve decided to commit to making Mason Jar Salads, you might want to add a few items to your kitchen.  When I first started this whole process, I got a little dramatic about my salad prep days.  The process felt daunting and it would take me way too long to prep 4 salads.  Now, It takes me less than 20 minutes!  Here are a few things you might consider purchasing:

  • Mason Jars.  Well, what’s a mason salad without a mason jar?  I use the big ones, so I can add tons of veggies and layers.  My jars are Ball 32-ounce Wide Mouth Jars.  Click HERE for a link to my exact Jars.
  • Plastic Mason Jar Lids.  Some jars come with lids and when I started the salad process, I used them.  But, I quickly realized that they weren’t ideal.  They can actually start to rust and not seal properly.  It didn’t take me long to decide to replace them with plastic ones.  I suggest purchasing plastic lids right from the start.  I use Masontops Tough Tops.  Click HERE for a link to my exact lids.  (They have survived a ton of trips through the dishwasher and still seal all the way!)
  • Chopper.  Trust me, once you get a chopper, you won’t believe how fast you can make salads!  I can’t live without mine!  I use it for everything except tomatoes and lettuce (more on that later).  Click HERE for the best chopper ever!

3.  How To Make The Actual Mason Jar Salad.

Staple Ingredients

This is VERY personal, but I can tell you my process.  I make vegan salads because I became vegan for health issues.  (and yes it is helping and yes I still wear leather shoes…).  Like everyone else these days, I am trying to get enough protein so that is always on my mind when I build salads.

  • Pick some staple ingredients.  I keep some things the same with every salad and vary other parts.  For instance. I always add carrots, cucumbers, two peppers in various colors, greens, some type of beans, onions, and my special toppings…. which I will share with you.  (As a side note, I am not a nutritionist and I am not in any way trying to give you health advice.  I am simply sharing my salad ingredients with you and what works for me right now.)
  • Add some protein.  I always incorporate beans because I have a soy allergy and I’m vegan.  (With all of my restrictions, I make this work and you can too!).

Add a Protein

  • Add Some Toppings.  This is my favorite part. I add a ton of toppings to my salad to make sure I’m getting the most nutritional value in each lunch.  And, I splash in a few cranberries to make things fun.  I add:  hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, gogi berries, and cranberries to every salad.  These toppings add a significant calorie count to my salads, but in my case, it’s worth it.

Salad Topper Ideas

If you want to try any of my toppers click on the links below and grab them online!

4.  A Few Final Tips.

Tips and Tricks

I have a few final tips and tricks that I have figured out from trial and error.  I’ll share them so you don’t have to make some of the mistakes I have made:

  • Fruit should be added after you dump your salad.  If you add it to your salad jar, it gets squishy really fast.
  • Avocado is great, but NOT in your salad jar.  Add it after or it will brown and turn mushy.
  • Fill your salads to the brim and they will last longer.
  • You can dump these salads into a Tupperware or meal prep container to take them on the go.
  • Don’t judge this one:  I cut my greens with scissors!  Yes, I do!  It’s fast and I can cut the greens right in the container.

This post was all about how to make mason jar salads to keep your diet in check.

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