Naked Lunch

The mason jar—that humble, old-fashioned glass canning jar—has taken the place of the bento box as the latest lunchtime accessory.  And why not? Using a quart-size jar as a container for salad is a great idea. The classic lines of the canning jar are the perfect backdrop for a salad built upon colorful layers of veggies, herbs, and greens. If it’s true that we eat with our eyes, mason jar salads are a feast for both senses.

Have you dabbled in the home arts of canning, pickling, and jam-making? Put those empty jars that are hanging about until next harvest time to work as an eco lunch box.

Glass canning jars are very green—endlessly reusable and easy to clean. Re-use the canning lids, or buy new ones and use them with leftover rings for a leak proof lunchbox. Glass doesn’t retain flavors or become discolored by ingredients. It does break, however, so make sure that you’re careful when transporting your canning jar feast—some people wrap them in a towel or old sweater, or you could always crochet yourself a nice little mason jar cozy.

And mason jar salads can be as simple or complex as you like. Plus, you can make several at once and store them in the refrigerator for up to four days before eating––just make sure to keep them refrigerated at work, too.

And why limit yourself to salads? Pint-sized canning jars can be perfect for a portable breakfast. Make layers of muesli, yogurt, berries, granola, chopped kiwi or banana, nuts, dried fruit, or oatmeal. A ready-to-eat breakfast parfait with fresh fruit can tempt even the most finicky morning person into a healthy breakfast.

3 Rules for Mason Jar Salads

There are just a few rules to make the perfect mason jar salad:

1. Dressing goes on the bottom
2. Firmer veggies or protein ingredients such as beans, tofu, or grains come next.
3. Fragile lettuces, greens, and herbs go on top. When you’re ready to eat your salad, just give the jar a shake to coat the ingredients in the dressing. Pour the salad out onto a plate and enjoy!

The ideas for layered salads are unlimited. Use your imagination (and your pantry and produce drawers) to conjure up easy-to-pack, easy-to-take breakfasts and lunches for every day of the week. Don’t like soggy salads? The BNTO canning jar lunchbox adaptor, from the cutely named Cuppow, lets you tuck your dressing into a special compartment that fits under the lid of your mason jar and keep dry ingredients dry.

Mason Jar Salad ideas

Quinoa Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad

INGREDIENTS

• Small bunch beets
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 batch blood orange vinaigrette
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 5 ounces arugula

PREPARATION

• Scrub the beets and wrap in foil.
• Roast in a 400°F oven for 45 minutes or until fork-tender.
• Let cool and rub skins off beets or use a vegetable peeler to peel them.
• Dice beets and set aside.
• Toast quinoa in a dry saucepan.
• Add water and salt and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down to low and let cook for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Uncover and fluff with a fork. Let cool.
• When quinoa and beets are completely cool, divide ingredients and layer into 5 mason jars in this order: Place vinaigrette on the bottom.
• Then place a layer of roasted beets, a layer of dice cucumbers, and top with the arugula.
• Seal jars and place in the refrigerator

Serves 5. Prep time, 30 minutes; cook time, 1 hour.

Summer Chickpea Salad

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1 large or 2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 5 ounces spring mix

PREPARATION

• Whisk together in a small bowl the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and Dijon mustard.
• Divide dressing and place in the bottom of 3 mason jars.
• Layer chickpeas, avocado, tomatoes, and red onion in jars.
• Top with spring mix. Seal jars and refrigerate.

Serves 3. Prep time, 10 mins.

Tex-Mex Salad

INGREDIENTS

• Juice of 1 lime
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup salsa (jarred or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 large or two medium ripe tomatoes
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 5 ounces of baby spinach

PREPARATION

• Place lime juice, olive oil, salsa, and cilantro in a blender.
• Blend until smooth. Place dressing in the bottom of 3 mason jars.
• Layer black beans, corn kernels, green onions, and black olives into jars.
• Top with baby spinach. Seal and refrigerate.

Serves 3. Prep time, 10 mins.

Miriam Wolf is a Portland-based wellness coach and writer, and is the editor of The FruitGuys Magazine Newsletter.