Salad in a Jar revisited

As part of my Diner News this month featuring lunchbox treats, I expanded on the idea of the Salad in a Jar. This is not new to the Diner nor to the world in general. Just check Pinterest! The only problem with pre-made salads is that the ingredients all need to be cold. Sometimes when I go to a restaurant for a salad, what I appreciate is the warm chicken breast meat or hot spicy taco beef. If you like the mixture of hot and cold, this idea is for you. Everything stays portable, but you can achieve the two different temperatures if you have a microwave nearby.

I love all things Mason jar, and saw these fun lunch kit adapters from Cuppow that add a compartment to a wide mouth canning jar.  Great idea, but $9. Ouch. I knew there had to be an alternative. I started trying things out in my kitchen. Silicon cups can set inside, but they are not held stable to travel. I found that the plastic cups from applesauce and fruit cups work great. They rest inside the lid and still allow the canning jar lid and ring to screw on. The only problem there is the size. Great idea to carry dressing or dip. Not so great for a protein entree. Fabulous price, though and very handy. Low carbers don't eat the fruit, but my son does eat unsweetened applesauce, so I keep some around for him. Beg from friends to save theirs for you.

Then I grabbed the baby food containers I use for yogurt and slushies. Perfect fit but the rim was too tall. A quick snip with my kitchen shears fixed that. They are 4 oz containers, so they hold more. The lid adds a little thickness, so the canning jar rim doesn't screw as far, but it still screws tightly and securely. Awesome! These cups were super cheap from Dollar Tree. I am sad to say the company lists that they are out of stock right now, but they might come back in since they are still listed on the website. You may not want to use the plastic in the microwave, but they are great for keeping the foods separate.


Now to my plan for this Warm Chopped Chicken Salad. I put my layers of chopped veggies in the jar as usual--whole and heavier items in the base. The cup of pre-cooked diced chicken breast went into the container to add at the top. This salad is going onto a plate or bowl to get all mixed together. I simply invert the chicken cup onto the plate and microwave it for a minute. Then I add the chopped salad and dressing. Voila. Hot chicken. Cool salad. Happy me. Sorry, I didn't get that shot. But here it is all packed up and ready to roll.

So that is an easy lunch on the go.  Here are some of the other wonderful stuff you can get in the September issue of the Diner News.  Order a year's subscription for just $6.   http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

Celery and Nubutter Dip in a Jar

Jalapeno Popper Quiche Cups

No Bake Tiramisu Cookies

Roasted Broccoli and Smoky Sweet Almond Salad

Zucchini Hummus Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers

Pizza Muffins

Pumpkin Latte Cookies

Soft Taco Bento Lunch

Happy Harvest Sandwich Bun

Caramel Meringue Cookies

Buffalo Chicken Quiche Cups

Old Bay Tuna Muffins

Sammie Bread

Egg Wraps

There is more in this issue too. A review of lunchboxes. Ideas for No Brainer sides. More bread and salad options. An appealing lunch makes it much easier to stay on plan, I think. I love color and variety. If you are in a lunch rut, this issue is for you! Subscribe!

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