The Only High-Protein Mason Jar Salad Formula You Need

Whether you pack lunch to bring to work or prepare lunch at home, you can’t go wrong with something convenient and nutritious. That’s where High-Protein Mason Jar Salads come into play. They’re easy to prep ahead and grab and go. Even if you’re at home all day, having a pre-prepped option can help ensure you eat a nutritionally well-rounded lunch and take away the stress of deciding what to make when lunchtime hunger strikes.

You can make a Mason jar salad using jars you probably already have in your kitchen (think empty pasta sauce or pickle jars). With a few veggies, dressing and a source of protein, you have a high-protein lunch that’s pre-portioned and ready to eat. Especially (but not exclusively) for people with diabetes, high-protein Mason jar salads can support balanced blood sugars and prevent blood sugar spikes since they’re not high in carbs. Read on to learn our formula for a high-protein Mason jar salad, the best combos to try and nutrition tips.

How to Make a High-Protein Mason Jar Salad

Layer 1: Salad Dressing

Most of the flavor comes from the dressing, so pick one you love! We recommend adding it first to prevent a soggy salad at lunchtime. For this formula, you’ll need 2 tablespoons.

Salad dressing options are infinite, but thinner dressings like vinaigrettes tend to mix in better than creamy ones like ranch when you shake it up. Plus, oil is a source of heart-healthy fats, which are an important part of a balanced diet. The fat from the dressing also helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that may be present in the other ingredients you include.

Layer 2: Vegetables

Next, it’s time to pack on the veggies. The greens will come last, so for this layer we’re talking about veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, carrots, onions, peas and peppers. These veggies should be heartier ones that can withstand a few hours or a couple of days sitting in dressing without wilting. This layer adds lots of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. For this layer you’ll need about ¾ cup chopped veggies.

Layer 3: Protein

Since we’re focusing on high-protein Mason jar salads, this layer is super important! Layer on your favorite source(s) of protein. Some plant-based ideas include beans, nuts, seeds, tofu and edamame. Animal sources of protein you could add include hard-boiled eggs, cheese, chicken and shrimp. This protein layer will help you feel full and provide energy without spiking your blood sugars. Aim for another ¾ cup, or about 3 ounces of protein here too.

Layer 4: Greens

Finally, top it off with some greens. The greens come last since they’re most likely to get soggy if left sitting in salad dressing. You could add kale, spinach, romaine, arugula, spring mix or any other greens you love to complete the Mason jar salad. Add about 1 cup of your favorite greens to top off your salad.

Best Combos to Try

The options are endless when it comes to high-protein Mason jar salads, but here are four ideas to get you started that fit our Diabetes Appropriate nutrition parameters:

1. Greek-Inspired Salad: 2 tablespoons Greek vinaigrette, ¼ cup chopped cucumber, ¼ cup halved grape tomatoes, ¼ cup sliced red onion, ¼ cup nonfat crumbled feta cheese, 3 ounces chopped cooked chicken breast, 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce. Nutrition Info: Calories 316, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 75mg, Carbohydrates 8g, Total Sugars 3g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 35g, Fiber 2g, Sodium 497mg, Potassium 521mg
2. Chickpea-Kale: 2 tablespoons EatingWell Caesar dressing, ½ cup chopped cucumber, ¼ cup chopped tomato, ½ cup chickpeas, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 cup stemmed and chopped curly kale. Nutrition Info: Calories 278, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 11mg, Carbohydrates 28g, Total Sugars 6g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 17g, Fiber 9g, Sodium 514mg, Potassium 580mg
3. Cobb-Inspired Salad: 2 tablespoons yogurt-based blue cheese dressing, ¼ cup chopped cucumber, ¼ cup chopped tomato, ¼ cup diced red onion, 1 diced hard-boiled egg, 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon, 3 ounces shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce, ¼ cup sliced avocado. Nutrition Info: Calories 439, Fat 22g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 269mg, Carbohydrates 18g, Total Sugars 7g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 42g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 652mg, Potassium 825mg
4. Bell Pepper-Black Bean Salad: 2 tablespoons Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette, ¼ cup diced tomato, ¼ cup diced bell pepper, ¼ cup diced jicama, ½ cup rinsed canned black beans, ¼ cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, ½ cup sliced green cabbage, ½ cup torn green leaf lettuce. Nutrition Info: Calories 328, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 6mg, Carbohydrates 33g, Total Sugars 6g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 16g, Fiber 12g, Sodium 536mg, Potassium 646mg

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• You can buy prewashed and chopped salad greens to reduce the prep work. These may last a full week or longer, depending on the specific greens. Otherwise, it’s best to use salad greens within five days. Make sure to store them in the crisper drawer of your fridge and remove wilted leaves to prevent more leaves from spoiling. 
• We’ve found that a quart-size Mason jar is the best size for fitting all the ingredients and leaving a little room to shake the salad up to mix in the dressing when you’re ready to eat it. 
• You can certainly enjoy the salad right out of the jar (if you have a long-enough fork!) but it’s more enjoyable to pour it into a bowl and eat it that way. 
• Avocado makes a great addition to a Mason jar salad, but you’ll want to add it right before you’re ready to eat the salad since it won’t keep for long after it’s chopped.

Nutrition Notes

• The type of protein you use will impact the total saturated fat content—something worth limiting to promote heart health. Since people with diabetes are at higher risk for developing heart disease, this is especially important for folks with diabetes. Plant-based protein sources like beans and nuts are free from saturated fat, whereas chicken has a few grams of saturated fat per serving. 
• You may worry that beans aren’t a great protein choice for diabetes since they contain carbs, but research shows that legumes like beans promote healthy blood sugars, reductions in hemoglobin A1C and overall cardiometabolic health. In fact, they’re considered to be a “diabetes superstar food” by the American Diabetes Association. So don’t be afraid to use beans as your Mason jar salad protein source.
• You may want to add a whole grain like whole-wheat pasta or quinoa to make the lunch more filling and energizing. If you do, the combination of fiber and protein can help slow your body’s absorption of sugars to mitigate blood sugar spikes. Steady blood sugars also means sustained energy levels, which can help power you through the afternoon!