6 essential tips you need to follow when putting together mason jar salads

Take a quick look on Pinterest and you'll notice that everyone seems to be obsessed with mason jar salads. It's not hard to see why. They're beautiful, they're healthy, and they're super portable. It's no wonder everyone loves them as much as they do. But there's more to these pretty things than meets the eye.

While you can fill them with whatever ingredients you like best, there is a real method to doing it. And if you move one step out of order, you could find yourself with a soggy mess rather than a stunning jar. To get it right, stock up on mason jars of all different sizes, and then follow the tips below.

1. Decide on the dressing
Store-bought dressings work just fine, and will certainly look lovely in the jar. But homemade dressings are so easy to whip up, regardless of whether you prefer oil and vinegar or creamy, and they can be really delicious. But in addition to deciding what dressing you're going to use, you also need to decide where you're going to put it. And that will depend on when you're going to be eating your salad.

If you're going to eat the salad on the same day you make it, make the dressing the first thing you put into the mason jar, right at the bottom. For a short time it won't make anything soggy, and can make these types of salads even more portable because you don't need to carry along a bunch of other dishes. If you're going to be eating the salad the next day or in a couple of days however, it's best to leave the dressing on the side, in a separate container so it won't ruin any of the other ingredients.

2. Add resilient ingredients
Resilient ingredients are those that are hearty and can stand up to being left in a little dressing for a short period of time. Think raw onions (put these in first so they sit right in the dressing, it will give them an entirely different taste!), sliced carrots, grape tomatoes, and snap peas. If you like fruit in your salad such as chopped apples or grapes, now is the time to put those in too.

3. Add protein
Often when you're taking a salad on the go with you, it's meant to serve as your lunch or dinner. And to give the salad a bit more boost and make it so you can stay fuller for longer, add some protein. Adding the protein right on top of the resilient vegetables will help it hold its own flavor and will prevent it from going rubbery, particularly in the case of meat.

So what protein should you add? Hard-boiled eggs, chopped deli meat such as chicken, flaked salmon, or canned tuna are all great choices.

4. Add your greens
Greens such as lettuce, arugula, and fresh spinach can be somewhat delicate. If they're left in the bottom of the jar, they'll likely become soggy and wilted from the salad dressing and will wreck the salad. Instead, place it on top so that there are plenty of buffers between the salad dressing and those tender greens. And leave enough room for them to add plenty. They are after all, one of the most nutritious parts of the salad.

5. Add your sprinkles
No, we're not talking about chocolate sprinkles here, but all those garnishes that can be sprinkled on top of the salad and really take it up to the next level. Think pumpkin seeds, shredded cheeses, croutons, or chopped pecans or walnuts. You'll be amazed at the difference they make in your salad!

6. Make many of them
Mason jar salads can be convenient when it's time to enjoy them, but they can actually take some time to prepare. Like any salad there's a lot of chopping and dicing involved, and it can be a bit tedious; never mind time-consuming if you're trying to get out the door for work. The good news is that you can make several of them and keep them in the fridge to keep you going, and to keep you full, for the entire week!