If you’re living without a meal plan or without an adequate break between classes to get a good meal, you know the struggle I’m about to describe. It seems nearly impossible to stay on track and be super healthy when you’re pressed for time and energy. Meal prepping is a great concept, but meals don’t stay fresh very long… or do they?
What if I told you there was a way to prep two weeks worth of salads that all stay just as fresh as the first? You’re in luck because there is! In the beginning of the school year, I was determined to solve this time dilemma and I researched the best way to keep salads fresh. I found what I believe is the perfect method and can honestly say that it has kept my salads fresh for a full two weeks. Dying to know more? The secret lies in Mason jars, strategic layering of ingredients, and the elimination of air. Here’s how it works!
What you will need:
Ingredients to make your favorite salads
Mason jars
Thumbtack or pushpin
Ziplock air pump
Electrical tape
Building your salad:
- Layer your salad based on density and moisture. Heavier foods like beans and grains should go on the bottom followed by hard vegetables, then protein, and finally leafy greens.
- Pack in as much as possible so that there’s less space for air
- Refrain from adding any dressings until the day you eat the salad
Creating the perfect container:
- Poke a small hole in the lids of your Mason jars
- Cover the holes with pieces of electrical tape
- Place the Ziploc air pump over the holes/tape and pump all of the air out of your salad-filled Mason jars. You will know when to stop because it will suddenly become impossible to pump anymore.
- Your Mason jar salads are ready to stay fresh and full of flavor for up to two whole weeks!
Photo Sources:
http://www.bemindfulbehuman.com/index.php/how-to-make-a-simple-salad-properly/
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/magazine/who-made-that-mason-jar.html?_r=0
http://www.teenink.com/art/photographs/22378/Colorful-Clutter/
http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Vacuum-Starter-3-Quart-1-Pump/dp/B003UEMFUG
http://www.wiringproducts.com/electrical-tapes-dielectric-grease
http://www.everydayroadtohealthy.com/2014/01/09/mason-jar-salads/