Weight Loss Surgery Forums

We all know the health value of a good quality salad. If it's made right, it can be nutritious, low in calories, high in protein and good fats, and above all: delicious! But there are three main issues that I hear from people when I ask them why they don't bring salads for their lunches at work.

1) They take too long to prepare.
2) They are boring!
3) By the time the salad makes it to lunchtime, either the lettuce is all soggy with the dressing, or the container with the dressing has leaked all over their lunch bag.

Good news! There is a fantastic trend booming around food blogs everywhere! Mason jar salads. They are a great way to make salads for lunch in a quick and easy manner; you only have to prep once and your greens will never get drippy (and neither will your lunch bag!). Get five jars out and prep them for your whole week on Sunday night. Seal them up and every morning you can grab one on your way out the door to work.

The only real “rules” you need to know for your Mason jar salads are the following:

- Start with the dressing at the bottom of the jar.
- Next add in the more dense veggies or solids (like beans, quinoa, carrots, etc.) because not only will they not react to the acidity of the dressing, but they will soak up the flavors of the dressing and get better as the week goes on.
- Layer items from most to least dense, ending with the greens. This will ensure everything stays layered.
- Leave a little room at the top so when you are ready to eat it, you can shake it all up and the toppings will all have room to move around and get mixed and coated with dressing.

Here are my favorite two new ways to enjoy this Mason jar trend!

Spicy Taco Salad
High in protein, fiber, and lots of healthy fats. This is a great one! Here are your layers from the bottom up for one jar!

Dressing:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
¼ tsp curry powder
¼ tsp cumin

Salad:
1/2 cup diced tomato
½ cup cooked quinoa with 1 stalk green onion chopped
½ cup diced chicken breast
1-2 cup spinach