Prep Salad Ahead Of Time With One Simple Storage Trick

Are you trying to eat more veggies or just want a simple lunch plan? Salads are a fun and filling option, and one plan-ahead salad storage trick will make getting your daily dose of greens much simpler: Use separate containers when prepping. Why is this trick so great? If you mix salad ingredients ahead of time, you will wind up with a wilted salad that is no fun to eat.

Prepping salad by placing each ingredient in a separate container makes it easy to grab whatever mix you want, put it into a lunch box, and bring it to work or wherever you wander. The beauty of separately packing ingredients is that vegetables will last longer this way and may even stretch into the following week if appropriately packed. You can also pre-prep salads in small glass jelly jars by layering each ingredient. Homemade salads are much less expensive than purchasing a salad from a restaurant and are entirely customizable. 

Whether you purchase homemade dressing or make your own, add dressing to your prepped salad jars at the last minute or to the bottom of the container (never on top). While it's okay to add dressing the night before, most vegetables will not be able to withstand the extra liquid and will become mushy. The one exception to this rule is hearty vegetables like carrots and broccoli, which can prevent the rest of your salad from becoming soggy.

The golden rule of pre-made salads is to purchase only the veggies you need and package each separately in airtight containers. While it might be tempting to buy all the beautiful vegetables and eat the rainbow, there's a good chance many of those ingredients will go to waste if you buy too much. Try purchasing different vegetables or grains and creating custom salad combos to mix things up weekly.

We've all mistakenly bought those amazing-looking greens at a farmer's market or under the bright lights of a grocery store, only to watch them rot in the refrigerator. Avoid this colossal waste of money by wrapping greens in a dry paper or kitchen towel and storing them in an airtight container. Similarly, broccoli, cauliflower, and other veggies last longer in airtight containers. Placing cut vegetables on the bottom of a container and fillings in the middle with lettuce on top is the most effective way to layer a prepped salad.

Salad ingredients do not like excess moisture (which can make them rot faster), so thoroughly dry any cut vegetables before placing them in a container. If you want to store pre-made salads in a jar, try layering ingredients instead of mixing them and only prep a few salads ahead of time to avoid wilting (three at a time works well!). With these make-ahead salad tricks, you'll get your daily dose of vegetable vitamins in no time while saying 'goodbye' to soggy salad!