The mason jar salad is the coolest way to get in your greens and veggies. Layers of salad additions create a delicious feast for the eyes and a compact way of carrying around your salad in a BPA-free container. But before you jump into the trend, keep in mind the following mason jar salad tips so you can get it right the first time.
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1. Layer Wisely
The trick to properly layering a mason jar salad is to start with the heaviest and most non-absorbent ingredients at the bottom and to work your way up with the lightest ingredients at the top. The dressing should be at the bottom so that it doesn’t leak through the lid.
If there are some ingredients, such as onions, shallots, garlic, or tomatoes, that you would like to soften or have absorb the flavors of the vinaigrette, place them above the vinaigrette and then continue with the heaviest ingredients up towards the lightest ingredients.
2. Parchment Paper
Sometimes, when the greens and veggies you are using are softer and lighter, the dressing finds a way towards the lid and can leak out. To remedy this, cut a piece of parchment paper larger than the mouth of the jar, center it on top of the open jar, and then close the lid on top of it. The parchment paper is an extra seal between the jar and lid to prevent leakage.
3. Be Creative
This goes without saying, but the fun thing about mason jar salads is that they are unique and can change from one day to the next. Don’t stick to just one recipe — switch it up. Make your salad a feast for the eyes. You can also reuse the mason jars in other creative ways after using them for salads.
4. Bring a Bowl
While you might think that you can simply eat directly from the mason jar itself, consider a mason jar salad more as a storage container rather than a replacement for a bowl. Filled to the brim, mason jars have very little room to move.
Before eating the salad, you simply give it a good shake to distribute the dressing, and then unscrew the cap and shake it lightly into a bowl. Use a fork to toss the salad ingredients again in the bowl, and then enjoy.
5. Make It in Advance, but Wisely
Unfortunately, after a few days, the raw greens and vegetables in your salad may start to wilt or chill to a point where they lose a lot of their flavors. Additionally, any perishable additions, such as avocado, tomatoes, eggs, or chicken, may go bad. Give yourself a 3-day margin for the salads you prepare if they include softer greens or perishable additions.
If not, you can make mason jar salads up to 5 days in advance. If you have perishable items in your salad but want to prep it more than 3 days in advance, prepare the salad without the perishable items and simply add them in when it comes time to feast.
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