How to Make Salads in a Jar

Friends, let me reintroduce you to the famous salad in a jar concept. I say "famous" because if you read healthy living blogs or surf Pinterest, you have no doubt seen pictures of this awesome prep-ahead meal.

Seriously, salads in a jar are so easy to put together it's almost ridiculous. All you have to do is chop up a bunch of your favorite fix-ins...

...and gather a few additional essentials, like empty jars, lettuce and your favorite dressing (and maybe some broccoli):

The assembly process takes minutes, although there is a bit of strategy involved.

When you get close to the top, if it starts to look like you might run out of room, just remember that lettuce can be very compact when it needs to be. Shove it in, friends! It'll spring back to life on your plate.

I know, right? A healthy meal in no time flat. Salads in a jar are so easy to pack in a lunch sack, and take just seconds to prep for consumption: Step 1, open the jar. Step 2, shake it out!

And salads themselves are so versatile that, not only does this make for a great prep-ahead meal option—it also makes for a great "use up all the leftover produce" option. Salads for the win, for real.

A few things to consider:

1) Use different jar sizes.  Big jars make entire meals, small jars make great side salads.
2) Be careful with mushrooms. They go bad very quickly
3) Experiment with herbs.  They add a surprising kick of flavor to otherwise mild greens.
4) Don't make more than you can eat. Wasted produce is a sad sight to see.
5) Don't forget your proteins. They make the meal.

Question: What's your best piece of make-ahead advice?