Lynell

This fall the Coborn’s Support Center moved to a brand new building. The building, my workspace and the entire campus are absolutely beautiful and it creates a wonderful atmosphere to work at, but unfortunately I have to drive a little farther for my daily commute. With busy mornings where you are trying to get up and go quickly, I needed something that makes planning out lunches a little bit easier.

I suppose the easiest lunchtime solution is to go out to eat, which I’ll admit is nice occasionally, but it can be pricey to do everyday and not always healthy for you. That’s why I’ve collected some delicious recipes to share with you all that I promise will spruce up any boring lunch routine!

Food Prep Freshness

Glass mason jars help to keep the salads very fresh, and by using wide mouth  jars I have created delicious salads that are perfect for anyone on the go or looking for a healthy and fun way to get their greens in- no salad bowl necessary. My mason jars were even chalkboard jars I picked up from a craft store for added lunchtime creativity!

Everything on my Facebook homepage lately seems to feature food recipes, clean eating blogs and meal prepping ideas. What better way to follow suit than to make my complete week of salads on Sunday evening and have them ready to go for the entire week.

I love the taste, freshness and most of all the convenience of these Mason Jar Salads. Best of all you can make so many different varieties, which means lunchtime doesn’t need to be boring, it can be as original as each day of the week!

Check out some of the recipes for these Mason Jar Salads below:

Dietitian’s Choice Salad

BLT Avocado Salad

Greek Salad

Mom’s Salad

Taco Salad

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Tips & Tricks

The number one most important rule to remember when making these salads is to always keep the dressing at the bottom and the salad greens at the top of the jar. Keep the two layers as far away from one another as possible by having them separated with your hard veggies, protein and soft veggies. If you do that, your greens will stay crispy and fresh with no problems.

Follow this Layer List:

•  Layer 1 (Bottom of Jar): 2-4 T. Dressing of Choice
• Layer 2: Hard Veggies- This is where you add in carrots, bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
• Layer 3: Protein- This is where you will add the cheese, meats, beans, hard-boiled eggs, etc.
• Layer 4: Soft Veggies- In this section you will add tomatoes, onions, corn, avocado, etc.
• Layer 5 (Top of Jar): Greens to the Brim- Add in your lettuce and/or spinach.

Try to keep the ratio of each jar about half-and-half. That means half of the jar holds the toppings, dressing, grains, proteins and half of the jar holds the greens.

As I mentioned I like to make several of these jars on Sunday evening so I’m prepared for speedy grab and go lunches later on in the week. Luckily these salads last a week in the refrigerator!

Because these jars are so full to the brim you might have to eat off a layer or two of greens (yum!), then replace the lid, shake the heck out of it to distribute the dressing, and then dig right in with a fork.

Hope you enjoy my creations and they make meal planning a success!

Lynell
Coborn’s, Inc. Graphic Designer

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