I’ll the best first to admit: I’m deeply drawn to a layered jar salad, whether I’m being targeted with an Instagram ad or stared at by an airport vending machine.
But I’m deeply dismayed by the cost. $15 a pop?!
Desperate airport lunch? 100%. Daily weekday lunch? Not in this economy, my dude.
So I decided to dupe them myself, and I have to say—there’s really no going back now, not ever.
I settled into my most unhinged self and did some recon, looking for the most popular GardenCup salads, checking their ingredients list, and worked backwards, working in some “I love food so much”/”I write recipes so much” combo magic. The result? Not only damn delicious but… averaging $4.50 a pop.
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And when I say they were
Unbelievably easy to make
Truly surprisingly delicious and
Something I genuinely looked forward to every day?
I’m not lying, not one micron.
What I love so, so much is that these:
Have protein, veggies, fat, and some carbs
Stay super fresh, despite the dressing already being portioned
Are super flavorful, so you’re not falling into Sad Desk Lunch™ territory
Stay crisp and cooling, which is perfect when it’s back-to-school time but still also 300º outside
I highly recommend grabbing a set of giant glass jars for these. I love this set (especially the sweet colorful lids!) but any 32-oz. container will work. You can use deli containers, too! We prefer to use glass for most of our food, but deli containers are perfect if you’re taking it on the go but can’t or don’t want to tote back a giant glass jar.
Southwest Fajita Chicken Ranch
Shopping list (per jar — scale as needed)
3 oz grilled chicken strips
Fajita or taco seasoning
2 tbsp ranch
1 tbsp guacamole (individual cups work great here)
¼ cup canned black beans, drained
¼ cup corn, drained (canned or frozen and thawed)
¼ bell pepper
