A portable salad option that won’t go limp

Mason jars are clearly having a moment.

Trendy restaurants have been using the rustic-looking jars to serve everything from cocktails to dessert. And practically anything packaged in a Mason jar is popular on Pinterest.

A time-tested workhorse in the kitchen, these jars safely store pickles, jams, jellies, spaghetti sauce – even moonshine. So why not use the jars to mix up a healthy green salad?

Our Mediterranean Mason Jar Salad is a layered affair featuring chopped chicken, chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, artichokes and red onions, coated with a vinegar and oil dressing and topped with feta crumbles.

The resulting layered salad is the perfect make-ahead meal but, hey, no one wants a soggy salad. Relax: By pouring the dressing into the bottom of the jar, the romaine stays crisp.

Use a 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jar for each salad, then refrigerate. When you’re ready to eat, simply dump the ingredients on your plate to create a gently tossed salad.

This story was originally published October 21, 2014 at 3:14 PM.