Spring has sprung, and we’ve kicked off a new #FitStarChallenge to help you Get Moving In May!
We know living a healthy lifestyle is on many minds this time of year, and along with exercise, comes eating well. To help you stay fueled up throughout the challenge, we’re sharing some of our favorite make-ahead meal ideas all month-long. First up? MAY-son (Mason) Jar Salads, and these Salads that Buzzfeed rounded up offer lots of inspiration.
What’s a Mason Jar Salad? It’s a salad you stack into a big glass jar in a special order so your ingredients stay fresh and tasty. You could use another container like Tupperware or even freezer bags, but a mason jar has the right shape for stacking your salad fixings, and since mason jars are glass you can easily wash and reuse them.
As Buzzfeed mentions, the crucial aspect of the salad-in-a-jar is the order of your ingredients, so remember:
#1 – Dressing goes on the bottom, so pour that in first.
#2 – Next add any proteins or grains you want so they can absorb some of the dressing and provide a buffer for the next additions.
#3 – On top of those chunky foods, add in chopped veggies, fruits, cheeses, nuts, and anything else you want in your salad.
#4 – Lastly, add a handful or two of your greens of choice.
When you pour your salad onto a plate, your greens will be on the bottom and everything else will literally fall into place.
Buzzfeed has 18 awesome recipe ideas for these stellar make-ahead salads, but one of our FitStar Team Favorites is a Mango and Greens Chicken Salad. We like to make a few of these at once so lunch is ready for days ahead!
Mango and Greens Chicken Salad
Ingredients (per jar)
1 tablespoons honey mustard dressing
1/2 cup cooked chicken, cooled and diced
1/2 cup cooked green beans, cooled and cut into 1″ long pieces
1/2 cup mango, peeled and diced
1/4 cup avocado, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon toasted and chopped almonds or walnuts
1-2 handfuls of mixed greens or baby spinach
Instructions
1. Stack all the ingredients into your jar, starting with the salad dressing and ending with the greens. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
2. Pour salad onto a plate or into a bowl, then mix, eat, and enjoy!
Makes 1 hearty and filling salad.
Nutritional info: Calories 364 | Fat 18g | Protein 27g | Carbs 25g
Nutritional information is provided by MyFitnessPal Recipe Calculator.
Have you jumped on the Make Ahead Mason Jar Salad bandwagon? Share your favorite combo of flavors in the comments below!
Keep Moving,
– Team FitStar
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