Eating a salad for lunch can be tricky. A Tupperware full of lettuce and tomatoes may be healthy, but even with dressing, downing nothing but greens for lunch might leave us unsatisfied and still hungry. The best salads combine a protein source, like lean meats, beans, or grains, with veggies for a mix of textures and flavors to make them both delicious and filling. But between getting ourselves dressed and making sure the kids are ready, who has time to pull on a chef's apron to chop up a gourmet salad every morning?
Enter make-ahead meal prep salads. With a little planning (and the right ingredients) it's possible to make a big batch of salads on Sunday for a week's worth of delicious and nutritious lunches. For a crisp salad every day, it's all about layers. To prep salads for the week in jars, start with a layer of dressing on the bottom, followed by crunchy, hard veggies, like corn or broccoli. Grains, pasta, and noodles come next, followed by leafy greens. Toss the crunchy toppings, like croutons, seeds, or dried fruit, into the jar the morning you take them from the fridge so they hold their snap.
For anyone who's not about the glass jar life, pick a square or rectangular plastic or glass container that's deep enough to hold layers the same way a jar would. For shallower containers, prepare salads with ingredients in rows, adding both dressings and crunchy toppings on the day you use them.
No more wasting money grabbing sad sandwiches during lunch or foraging for food in the break room. These make-ahead salads make it possible to rock lunchtime all week long.
Taco Salad Lunch Bowls
Make every workday taco Tuesday with these make-ahead taco salad bowls. Layering the ingredients in rows helps to keep meat and veggies fresh until Friday.
Antipasto Salad
This low-carb antipasto salad can be divided into several lunches. Hold the dressing until it's time to eat, and pretend that cubicle is a cafe in Naples.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
This Mediterranean quinoa salad tastes even better after the dressing soaks in, meaning lunch gets more delicious as the week goes on. Serve it as is, or over mixed greens for an extra dose of veggies.
Asian Noodle Salad Jar
Stuck in an Asian-takeout-for-lunch rut? Give the budget a break with this Asian noodle salad jar.
Lemony Lentil & Chickpea Salad
This lemony lentil and chickpea salad is meat-free, but still filling enough to prevent those 2 p.m. trips to the vending machine.
Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad
Warning: this Southwest chicken chopped salad is so good, coworkers may want to help themselves.
Spinach Pesto Orzo Salad
Light but filling, this spinach pesto orzo salad is great solo or over a bed of greens.
BLT Salad
These layered BLT jar salads are made with dressing as the base. Just grab it in the morning and go!
Chicken Salad With Grapes
This chicken salad with grapes is as yummy as it is versatile. Pack it over greens for mom and dad and spoon some in a wrap for a kid-friendly lunchbox option.
Cauliflower Tabbouleh
This cauliflower tabbouleh is stuffed full of healthy veggies, and a single batch makes several lunches.
Creamy Lemon Broccoli Quinoa Salad
If the kids make gagging sounds whenever broccoli appears at dinner, give the crunchy veggie some love at lunch with this creamy lemon broccoli quinoa salad.
Cheeseburger Salad
Satisfy that burger craving in a healthier way with a week's worth of lightened up cheeseburger salads. Ground meat, tasty shredded cheeses, and a killer dressing is all that's needed.
Detox Rainbow Salad
Crunchy veggies like cabbage and broccoli help stop this detox rainbow salad from getting soggy by midweek. Make sure to hold the dressing until lunch time!
Low-Carb Buffalo Chicken Salad
Even the hubs will be all in for this buffalo chicken salad that tastes like Monday Night Football.
Greek Couscous Salad
This make-ahead Greek couscous salad has tons of fiber and gets an extra boost of protein from a healthy grain.
Thai Quinoa Salad
This Thai quinoa salad is like eating a rainbow in a bowl. It's full of flavor and super filling.
Chicken Mango Jar Salad
A perfect blend of sweet and savory, this chicken mango jar salad will satisfy every craving all week long.
Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Orzo Salad
Orzo and corn team up in this grilled chicken and vegetable salad for a satisfying and filling lunch. No one will get bored of this.
Brussels Sprout Salad
When January produce starts looking sad and wilted, this winter Brussels sprout salad helps get the greens in.
Sriracha Shrimp Caesar Salad
Looking for something new for lunch? This sriracha shrimp caesar salad will hit the spot.
