3 Make Ahead Salad Recipes With Full on Flavor For When You’re Short on Time

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/® but my opinions are my own. Try these 3 make ahead salad recipes for a portable and perfect option to take to work, school, the beach, park or anywhere you want a delicious meal on the go or just want to have the prep work done ahead of time! 

Salad can be such a filling and nutrient rich lunch, but the thing is, when it comes mid-day, I don’t really feel like standing in the kitchen to find all the ingredients, chop up veggies, etc. I can totally see why make ahead salads have become all the rage! You know just what I’m talking about too… jar after jar of salad recipes popping up on our Pinterest feeds and Facebook scrolls. Until recently, I wanted to partake, I mean, they’re colorful, many times beautiful and look delicious while packing a healthy punch… I just didn’t think I really had the time to make it happen. Just this past week though, we had a couple of salad-lunch days and I just kept saying, “This is so good, we need to do this more often!” Cue my own make ahead salad trial and I whipped up THREE different recipes at one time in less than 15 minutes! 

Here are some tips I’ve learned to keep your salads feeling fresh all week long. The basis of the make ahead salad is simple; prep the greens, veggies, protein and dressing ahead of time, then if you have any last minute ingredients, toss them in right before you dive in or on your way out the door in the morning.

1. Gather your make ahead salad containers

While I definitely find jars intriguing and completely adorable for make ahead salad recipes, I also can’t figure out how to eat them without spilling all over or having another bowl… which kind of takes away the portable nature of the make ahead salad. When all I want to do is grab and go, I want a container that will make this happen. Plus, I don’t like the idea of most dressings actually touching most of the ingredients until it’s time to dive in. We’ve been using Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE leak-proof food storage containers in our kitchen lately, and since we’re already loving them, I figured it was the perfect time to break out the salad and snack set for my make ahead salads! With customizable insert trays and dividers, the BRILLIANCE Snack & Salad Set is an easy, all-in-one solution for having lunch prepped and ready to go. Plus, the stain resistant Tritan material keeps the container both stain-free and odor-free so I can see exactly what kind of salad I have ready and it’s still BPA free and safe for the dishwasher, microwave and freezer.

2. Choose your greens

Romain and kale are two salad greens that seems to stay fresher longer and I’m happy to use them both in just about all of my salads, but really, any of your favorite greens can be used! Buy a pre-washed pack of greens to keep it easy or go with a head of lettuce for lower cost. Whatever greens you choose, just make sure to wash and try to let dry as much as possible before you start, them chop them up to make mix, and eating, easier!

3. Select your veggies

No two salads are created equal and your veggies/toppings are where the real flavor differences are made! You can keep it on the sweeter side with fruit or add in some pepper and onions for a spicer affair. Tailor your make ahead salad to suit your own tastes and even your nutritional needs. I like to follow certain recipe flavors, but will add in other veggies that I have on hand for additional benefits as well. For example, the recipes below are ALL great with the addition of chopped celery, sweet peppers and avocado… and they’re also super delicious without. Basically, this part is build to suit (and also a bit of what you have on hand at the time).

4. Pick a protein

Add protein for a more filling, hearty salad! This is where leftovers come in really handy too. Add cut up chicken (you can even make-ahead a batch just for this), sliced deli meat, canned beans, nuts, egg, pulled pulled pork, etc. 

5. Don’t forget the dressing

Dressings are another way to really mix up the flavors of your salad. You can keep it really simple with a DIY version, add in oil and vinegar or keep your favorite bottled variety on hand! Another thing I love to add, especially to our Mediterranean salad, is a spoonful of hummus or even our white bean hummus… it not only adds variety, but extra protein as well!

Now, with your ingredients at the ready, it’s all about the assembly of these three make ahead salad recipes!

Mediterranean Make Ahead Salad Recipe

Use any amount of the below ingredients to taste:

• Salad greens of choice
• Red onion
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Feta cheese
• Hummus
• Chicken
• Olives (optional)
• Greek dressing

 

Sweet Apple and Pecan Make Ahead Salad Recipe

Use any amount of the below ingredients to taste:

• Salad greens of choice
• Red onion
• Chopped apple (I usually dip mine in orange or lemon juice to preserve)
• Cranberries
• Pecans (or other nut mix)
• Feta, Blue or Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• Chicken
• Balsamic dressing

Cobb Make Ahead Salad Recipe

Use any amount of the below ingredients to taste:

• Salad greens of choice
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Cheese (cubed) or blue cheese crumbles
• Hard boiled egg
• Chicken
• Bacon (optional, but delicious of course!)
• Ranch dressing
• Add avocado before eating if desired

Ready to win your own Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE Snack & Salad Set for your make ahead salad prep? Just enter below!!

Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE Snack & Salad Set Giveaway