Recently I stumbled upon the hashtag #SadDeskLunch on social media and, while I don’t technically eat lunch at a desk these days, I can totally ? (<< relate!)
When I got my first real desk job out of college I had one of three things for lunch every day for what felt like forever: 1.) Pizza Luce’s Baked Potato Pizza (I worked above the restaurant and can still smell the torturous scent that wafted upstairs at 10am,) plus a double pack of Grandma’s Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies from the vending machine. Pizza and cookies – good call, K! SAD. 2.) Signature Spicy, Smoky, Sweet Chili. I’d make a giant batch every Sunday then eat a tupperware full of chili every. single. day. Day after day after day. Totally sad. 3.) Lean Cuisine Frozen Macaroni and Cheese. I can’t eve- SAAAAAAD. ?
It wasn’t even the poor/monotonous food choices that made my lunches so sad – no matter what I ate, I always ate it at my desk. SAD, SAD, SAD! That’s why today I’m sharing a fresh and delicious lunch idea that’s not only make-ahead, so it’s easy to grab and go vs heading out to a restaurant, but it’s portable which means you can take it with you on a walk or to the cafeteria to get away from your desk at noon. Apple, Cranberry, Almond Mason Jar Salads with Greek Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing are saving lunch one jar at a time!
Seriously, I know frozen meals and heading to a nearby restaurant might seem easier/more exciting than bringing your own boring lunch from home, but I’m telling you, not only are these mason jar salads incredibly economical (I didn’t have to buy a thing to make them,) but they’re fun, fresh, and nutritious. Plus it takes less than 20 minutes to assemble four of these babies, which you can split with someone in your house or keep all for yourself. And if you’re worried about monotony, mix it up! I’ll show you the secret for making sure these salads stay nice and crisp for days in the fridge no matter what toppings you use.
Even if you don’t go with my savory, sweet, crunchy, and chewy combination of fresh celery, apples, sauteed chicken, sliced almonds, green onions, dried cranberries and fresh lettuce, the secret to success is in the layer order:
- Dressing. First spoon 2-3 Tablespoons dressing in the bottom of a 32oz mason jar.
- Crunchy vegetables. In this case it’s celery, but the rule also applies to radishes, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, etc.
- Fruits and berries. Toss fruit like chopped apples, pears, and berries in next.
- Protein. Chopped chicken, steak, beans, and shrimp are to be placed on top so they don’t get soggy from moisture-rich fruits and vegetables.
- Toppings. Add goodies like dried fruit, fresh herbs, nuts and seeds next.
- Greens. Place delicate, leafy greens on top then screw on the lid.
When it’s time to eat, grab the mason jar from the fridge then give it a big shake and voila! A fresh, nutritious, vibrant and HAPPY lunch that you can eat anywhere but your desk. Just not your car. I think the only thing sadder than a desk lunch is a car lunch. #speakingfromexperience
Although my “desk” is technically the kitchen counter, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having these mason jar salads ready and waiting in the refrigerator. By the time I get Lincoln settled into his chair and decide what to fix him for lunch, the last thing I want to do is turn around and try and figure out what I’m going to eat. I’d rather be sitting next to him chatting, and these Apple, Cranberry, Almond Mason Jar Salads remove the guesswork so I can do just that!
Start by making the Greek Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing, which is a cinch to stir together. Combine a 5oz container plain Greek (not regular) yogurt (I used Chobani,) with 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 Tablespoon minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds, and lots of salt and pepper in a bowl then stir until smooth.
Scoop 2-3 Tablespoons dressing into the bottom of 4, 32oz mason jars with lids then top with chopped celery and apples. You can find mason jars everywhere from the grocery store to the hardware store, or you can order them online.
Next layer in chopped chicken that’s been seasoned with garlic salt and pepper then sauteed and cooled completely (or use leftover chicken to make these jars even easier!) followed by sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and chopped green onions. I love this combination of sweet, savory, crunchy, and chewy – keeps things interesting, you know?
Last step is to fill the mason jars to the top with your greens of choice. I used a mixture of chopped romaine and baby spinach, but you can use whatever you like/have on hand.
Last step is to screw on the lids then stash in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, just shake, unscrew, and eat!
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Apple, Cranberry, Almond Mason Jar Salads
Description
Apple, Cranberry, Almond Mason Jar Salads with homemade Greek Yogurt Poppyseed Dressing are a fresh, healthy, and easy make-ahead lunch option!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
- garlic salt and pepper
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 apples, chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 6-8 cups mixed greens
- 4, 32oz mason jars with lids
- For the Greek Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing:
- 5oz plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon minced shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
- salt and pepper
Directions
- For the Greek Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl then taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop 2-3 Tablespoons dressing into the bottom of each mason jar then set aside.
- Season chicken breasts on both sides with garlic salt and pepper then saute in a nonstick sprayed skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Cool completely then chop into bite-sized pieces - can be done ahead of time.
- Divide remaining ingredients evenly then layer in the following order on top of the dressing in the jars: celery, apples, cooled chicken, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, green onions, and lettuce. Screw on lids then store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I really wanted to share the method for making mason jar salads – start with the dressing followed by crisp vegetables, fruit, protein, toppings, and lettuce – so that said, feel free to jazz up your mason jar salads to your liking. Get creative, and enjoy your EXCITING and healthy desk lunch!
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Are you guilty of eating lunch at your desk, or do you try and get out and about?
PIZZA LUCE HOW I MISS THEE! Also, I’m so guilty of the lunch at the desk. Thanks for the reminder to walk away from the screen and a recipe that makes it a snap.
RIGHT?! Best pizza ever!
My husband is a gym teacher and the most picky eater on the face of the planet…..but he says he’s going to try to eat healthier. So I pack his lunches everyday because he says school lunches are vile. Which is true. But I love the Mason Jar idea to pack his lunch in!! And he can look trendy at work.
Totally trendy! Plus a little more exciting since it’s packed in a jar. :)
The mason jar salads intrigue me. For meal planning purposes how long do they last? Can I make 4 on a Sunday to have Monday-Thursday?
They for sure last three days – I haven’t tried four days, but I’m sure they’d be just fine. I just think about the salads they have at airport kiosks – I’m sure those are packed at least a week in advance! (Sorry, weird example!) ;)
Mmmm! Mu husband and I love mason jar salads! I am excited to try this one.
I always love the idea of mason jar salads, but there’s never enough greens for me? Like the space left in the jar on the top is not enough for it to be a salad, just toppings with a little garnish of greens haha. Maybe I need huge mason jars!
Me too – that’s why I use the jumbo 32oz-ers. ;)
Do you need to toss the apples/fruit in something so it doesn’t brown?
Nope, they stay nice and white for up to 3 days!
I’ve yet to try a mason jar salad. I used to be that sad person eating at their desk everyday. It was the only me time I ever got throughout the day. Finally I realized that was not the life I wanted for myself and left corporate America to become a nutritionist. Hopefully I didn’t make the wrong decision but I will tell you I’m a whole lot happier!
Your story sounds very similar to mine. Good for you for taking a leap of faith!
This looks delicious! I’m always looking for new healthy recipes I can mass-produce on Sunday and have for lunches all week at my desk. I’ve seen jar salads before but something about this one makes think I’ll actually follow through and make it. And who doesn’t love a reason to buy yet ANOTHER size of mason jar!?
I have been wanting to try salad in a jar so thank you for posting this!
Mason jar salads are ALL kinds of happy <3 definitely need this in my very real #saddesklunch life.
I do eat lunch at my desk most days – after I workout at the gym! And technically, we don’t have a lunch room table, so there’s no other choice. :) This salad looks delish. I’m going to have to give it a try.
Looks delicious! Where would you put cheese like feta or blue?
Whoops – totally missed the cheese! I’d put it as the last layer before the lettuce.
I miss your 80/20 rule. It’s okay to be free every once in awhile!
Oh it’s definitely still there! Pizza and cookies for lunch everyday isn’t a good idea for my 32 vs 22 year old self though. :)
I think I need to jump on the mason jar salad train – these look delicious! I work in our office Tuesday – Thursday so prepping these Monday night will make life so easy. I’ll be out to get mason jars this weekend! Love your blog and your recipes! :)
I guess I geeked out on your website because I made one of these for my lunch today. I wonder, how do you pack them so that they shake up? Mine I think are too tight, so I always end up bringing a bowl and just dumping the salad into that. The dressing is delicious and I’m excited about using it for a few days!
These are so fun to make and very tasty too. I made a couple following this recipe exactly and I made a couple more with cucumbers and green peppers in place of the celery and they were really good too. Thanks for the great recipe.
I eat at my desk while working but then go and take lunch later and work out at the gym downstairs
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This recipe is awesome! I made it for a camping weekend and it was a hit with my boyfriend. Will definitely make it again!
Perfect – great idea to take them camping, too! Thanks for the feedback, Meredith!
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This is how we always make our salads–everyone at work (at first), thought we were crazy, but now I see others following. We have a salad every single day and try to do something different. Occasionally I’ll be a bit bored with the salads, but overall, as soon as I open the jar, my mouth starts to water (my husband says the same thing happens to him!) and I can enjoy my lunch!
Thanks for the great recipes!
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