There have been some requests for easy and on-the-go lunch ideas. Mason jar meals/salads seemed to be a really popular thing a few years ago. Have you ever tried them? They are a breeze to whip up and so convenient to have on hand for a quick lunch during the busy day. And they look beautiful in the fridge. It makes me so happy to open the fridge to a shelf of beautiful salads looking at me.
I've created a MFP entry for a basic salad (minus the dressing, so you can pick your own). The ingredients in this salad are things I typically have on hand, so hopefully you'll have most of the ingredients too. And you obviously don't have to make this in a jar, it's just as good made fresh on a plate.
I usually make 5 of these for me during the week, and 5 for my husband. They taste good all week, but I have to admit, day 5's salad is getting tired. The trick is assembling these in the right order (which I have listed in the recipe below. You don't want the dressing on the lettuce or it'll go bad quick. Putting the heartier veggies and things on the bottom helps it stay fresh for longer.
Hope you enjoy! Happy feasting on-the-go!
Mason Jar Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
- Preferred salad dressing (not include in MFP macros)*
- 100 g cherry tomatoes
- 35 g shredded carrots
- 50 g bell peppers, sliced
- 1/2 cup (~28 g) Athenos reduced fat feta cheese
- 85 g cucumber, sliced
- 25 g Craisins
- 100 g cooked chicken breast
- 85 g lettuce, ripped into bite size pieces
Instructions
In a wide mouth quart size mason jar add desired amount of salad dressing. Place heartier veggies at the bottom (especially if you are making a few days worth, they'll keep better that way). This is the order I've found to work best for keeping it fresh
Dressing, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, feta, cucumber, Craisins, chicken and lettuce.
Place lid on top of the jar and store in the fridge until ready to eat. These will stay fresh for a few days. If I make enough for Monday to Friday everything still tastes fine, but by Friday it does start to seem a bit tired. Super great for on-the-go, or just being prepared with a healthy lunch.
Notes
My Fitness Pal Reference
Mason Jar Salad with Chicken (no dressing)
Cal 368 C 35 g F 8 g P 39 g
*I really like the Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressings, they are macro friendly (~45 calories) and super tasty! I didn't include a dressing in the macros so you could pick your favorite one.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1 recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 8gCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 39g
Leave a Reply