Delicious Fall Harvest Mason Jar Salads: Your Ultimate Guide to Easy & Healthy Meal Prep
These Fall Harvest Mason Jar Salads are a deliciously perfect make-ahead lunch to keep you full, energized, and on track with your healthy eating goals all season long! This post contains affiliate links for products I’m truly obsessed with, helping you find my favorite kitchen essentials.
Confession #126 – I used to constantly feel like there wasn’t nearly enough time in the day to accomplish everything I *needed* to do. Between work, family, and daily chores, healthy eating often took a backseat.
These days, however? My perspective has shifted. Now, there simply isn’t enough time for all the wonderful things I *want* to do. Most of those “wants” happily revolve around this blog – there’s just so much I’m eager to share with you, so many delightful meals I want to create, and, of course, *eat*! Do you know how incredibly fulfilling it is to love your work so much that you wake up in the middle of the night with fresh ideas, eagerly anticipating your next free moment to get cooking?
I sincerely hope you do. Because, truly, it’s one of life’s greatest joys.
Why Fall Harvest Mason Jar Salads Are Your Ultimate Meal Prep Solution
I actually started making these delightful Fall Harvest Mason Jar Salads about a year ago. Yes, a whole year! And it took me that long to perfect them and finally get them onto the blog. Why the delay? Well, most of you visit my blog primarily for dinner recipes – and I totally get it, because dinners are my favorite too!
However, I’ve been listening to your feedback, and a common theme I hear is that lunch can be a significant challenge. And trust me, you are far from alone! If I don’t have a healthy lunch prepped and ready to go, I inevitably find myself heading straight for my kids’ snack stash (veggie straws, I’m looking at you!). This is why I’m interrupting my usual dinner posts with an incredible, easy-to-prep lunch idea that’s absolutely perfect for the autumn season. It’s packed with fresh Fall fruits, crisp leafy greens, and features an irresistible Maple Syrup and Apple Cider Vinegar dressing that is absolutely worth the wait.
I know Mason Jar Salads were all the rage on Pinterest a while back, but I must confess, I harbored some doubts about them for a long time. I’m not a picky eater by any means, but I can definitely have some texture issues, especially with leftover food. The thought of a soggy salad simply didn’t appeal. But to my utter amazement, these salads stayed perfectly fresh and delicious in the fridge for days! This revelation completely transformed my approach to healthy meal prepping, especially for busy weekdays.
Essential Tips for Building the Best Mason Jar Salads
For those of you new to the wonderful world of Mason Jar Salads, here are some key tips to ensure your salads are always fresh, flavorful, and perfectly non-soggy:
- Prioritize Prep: Before you even think about layering, take the time to chop all your vegetables, cook your proteins (chicken, turkey bacon), and gather all your ingredients. Being organized makes the assembly process quick and stress-free.
- Dressing is Key: A fantastic dressing elevates any salad. Opt for a homemade dressing, like our incredible Maple Cider Vinaigrette, or choose a high-quality, clean store-bought option to keep your grab-and-go lunch as healthy and delicious as possible. The right dressing binds everything together, both literally and figuratively!
- Follow the Layering Order: This is the golden rule of Mason Jar Salads! The specific order prevents sogginess and keeps your ingredients crisp. Always start with dressing at the bottom, followed by hardier vegetables, then grains/proteins, and finally delicate greens at the very top.
- Don’t Forget Your Utensils: If you’re planning to eat your salad on the go, remember to pack a plate or bowl and a fork. Alternatively, for ultimate convenience, these salads are perfectly enjoyable eaten straight out of the mason jar!
- Choose the Right Jar: For a satisfying and generously sized salad, look for a larger, wide-mouth 24 oz Mason Jar. These provide ample space for all your delicious layers. I usually grab mine at Walmart, but you can easily find them on Amazon through this convenient link!
Embracing Autumn Flavors: Customizing Your Fall Harvest Salads
Since discovering the magic of Mason Jar Salads, I now make a variety of portable meals in jars and plan to share a new one with you each month. But this particular Fall Harvest version is truly special and perfectly suited for the season. With crisp, sweet apples and juicy, fresh pears, and if you’re brave enough, finely chopped kale, along with crunchy pecans, these salads taste like something you’d find at a high-end restaurant. Now, I tend to hoard my “blue” containers (for those familiar with the 21 Day Fix), so I initially left cheese out of mine. For a while, I genuinely doubted if I could ever truly enjoy a salad without cheese. But I have to say, these babies opened my mind! I didn’t even miss it!
However, if cheese is a must for you, I absolutely love these salads with a sprinkle of feta. It adds a lovely tangy, salty kick that complements the sweet fruits beautifully. The choice is entirely yours to make!
Because I know myself – and I tend to get bored eating the exact same food all week long – I created two slightly different salads using similar, complementary ingredients. One features the delightful combination of apple and crispy turkey bacon, while the other boasts succulent chicken and sweet pear. If boredom isn’t a concern for you, you could even combine everything and create an epic apple, pear, chicken, and bacon salad. Holy yum, indeed!
And if you’re a bit wimpy about kale (it can be tough, I get it!), you can absolutely use spinach instead. The key to making kale enjoyable is to chop it really, really small – almost like confetti. This breaks down its fibrous texture and makes it much more palatable. But if you’re not quite there yet, no worries at all; spinach is a fantastic, milder alternative.
Answering Your Top Mason Jar Salad Questions
Do Mason Jar Salads get soggy?
Absolutely not! This is the most common concern, and the simple answer is no, not if you follow the crucial layering technique. As long as you adhere to the specific order (dressing at the bottom, then hard, non-absorbent vegetables, followed by proteins and grains, and finally delicate greens on top), your salad will remain perfectly crisp and fresh for days. The dressing stays separated from the greens until you’re ready to eat.
Do the apples get brown in Mason Jar Salads?
In my experience, with this recipe and proper layering, they typically do not brown significantly. A tiny bit of natural oxidation doesn’t bother me, as it doesn’t affect the flavor. However, if you’re keen on keeping your cut apples absolutely perfect and pristine, I highly recommend following this foolproof tutorial for how to keep apples from turning brown. This method works wonders for snacks, lunchboxes, and any time you need to cut apples in advance for meal prep or gatherings.
How long do Mason Jar Salads last in the refrigerator?
These Fall Harvest Mason Jar Salads are fantastic for meal prepping! When properly sealed in airtight jars and stored in the refrigerator, they will typically last for a solid 4-5 days. This makes them ideal for preparing on a Sunday, ensuring you have healthy, delicious lunches ready for the entire work week. I often make four at a time to cover my weekday lunches!
How do you serve Mason Jar Salads?
Serving Mason Jar Salads is incredibly easy and versatile. My preferred method, especially if I’m at home or have a bowl handy, is to simply shake the jar vigorously to distribute the dressing evenly, then dump the entire contents into a larger bowl. This allows all the flavors to meld beautifully and makes for a more traditional salad-eating experience. However, for ultimate convenience when I’m truly on the go, I’ve also happily eaten them straight out of the mason jar, and it works perfectly well!
What other Mason Jar recipes do you have on the blog?
If you’re loving the convenience and deliciousness of Mason Jar meals as much as I do, you’re in luck! As featured in the video for this recipe, I also have these amazing Mason Jar Salad Recipes with Homemade Ranch. But the versatility doesn’t stop there! If you LOVE the idea of portable, portion-controlled, grab-and-go Mason Jar meals for any time of day, you’ve absolutely got to check out these other popular posts:
- How to Make Overnight Oats: A breakfast game-changer!
- Mason Jar Egg Casseroles: Perfect for savory, make-ahead breakfasts or light lunches.
- Baked Oatmeal Jars: A comforting and hearty breakfast that’s easy to prep.
- Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal: Quick, healthy, and satisfying.
These recipes will revolutionize your meal prep, ensuring you have delicious and healthy options readily available throughout your week, no matter how busy life gets!
Fall Harvest Mason Jar Salads with Maple Cider Vinaigrette
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts cooked through and diced
- 8 slices turkey bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 apples chopped
- 2 pears chopped
- 1 head kale or spinach or a mix of both
- 1 1/3 cup Matchstick carrots
- 1/2 cup Pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese optional
For the dressing
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Sprinkle salt and pepper
Instructions
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To create the Maple Cider Vinaigrette, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Divide this dressing equally into the bottom of 4 large wide-mouth Mason jars.
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If using kale, ensure it’s chopped into very tiny, bite-sized pieces to soften its texture.
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For the two Apple Bacon Salad jars, meticulously layer the remaining ingredients after the dressing in this specific order: first, 1/3 cup of matchstick carrots, followed by 4 slices of cooked and crumbled turkey bacon, then 1 cup of chopped apple, next 1 2/3 cups of your chosen greens (kale or spinach), and finally, top with 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans (along with an optional 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese).
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For the two Chicken Pear Salad jars, layer the remaining ingredients in the following sequence: begin with 1/3 cup of matchstick carrots, then add 3/4 cup of diced cooked chicken, followed by 1 sliced or chopped pear, next 1 2/3 cups of your greens, and finally, finish with 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans (plus an optional 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese).
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Securely seal the jars and store them upright in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. When ready to enjoy, remove a jar from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Then, give the jar a good shake to thoroughly distribute the dressing and mix all the delicious layers. Serve in a bowl or eat directly from the jar. Enjoy your fresh and flavorful meal prep!
Video
Notes
21 Day Fix Container Counts: Each salad (without optional feta) provides 2 GREEN, 1 ORANGE, 1 PURPLE, and 1 RED. If you opt for the optional feta, add 1/2 BLUE per salad (making it 1 BLUE total if you add 1/2 cup to each of the 4 salads, distributed).
Weight Watchers (WW) Points: The Maple Cider Vinaigrette calculates to 7 points per serving. An Apple Bacon Salad is 7 points per salad, and a Chicken Pear Salad is 3 points per salad. (Please note: These points are calculated without the optional feta cheese).
A Note for WW Members: While our homemade Maple Cider Vinaigrette is absolutely delicious and highly recommended for its unique fall flavor, it does carry some points. If you’re looking to significantly reduce your points for dressing, I suggest checking out this fantastic resource from Pointed Kitchen for a variety of low-point salad dressing options that could work well with these salads too!
Nutrition