Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
February 20, 2017This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OrganizeWithBrilliance #CollectiveBias
This year is all about smart lifestyle choices for me. From exercising regularly to eating wholesome, balanced meals, I am definitely trying to make 2017 a year of better health & fitness for myself. What is my secret to making smart food choices throughout the week? Preparation! By planning my meals ahead of time and storing them in the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ 10 piece set, I know that I will have healthful, nutritious meals that are fresh & ready to be consumed throughout the week.
Salads are one of my favorite things to enjoy for lunch. There’s something light and fresh about a tasty salad. In fact, one thing I really like about salads is how they can be customized with different toppings, proteins, dressings, etc. Today, I will share with you some tips on preparing salad ingredients ahead of time and storing them in Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ storage containers. Plus, I will be sharing a printable at the end of this post on how to construct the perfect, balanced salad!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
I try to incorporate protein in all my salads so that they’re filling & nutritious. One of my favorite protein sources for a salad is some shrimp. I simply saute them in 1 tbsp butter, 3 minced garlic cloves and the juice of one lemon. It’s easy and quick to infuse some delicious flavor in shrimp!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
I also love the delicious, bright flavor of cherry tomatoes in my salad. Cutting a large quantity of cherry tomatoes can definitely be tedious, but here’s a great tip on making the process proceed more smoothly. Simply place a plate on top of the cherry tomatoes and run a large knife through them to slice them all at once! Saving time has never been so much fun!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Sliced cherry tomatoes add a bright dose of color and plenty of vitamins & antioxidants to my salads.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Avocado is another favorite ingredient to add to a salad – there’s something so delicious about that creamy texture. Here’s a great tip: when storing cut avocado, squeeze a liberal amount of lemon juice on top of the avocado to slow down the process of browning.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
I don’t think I have ever made a salad without cucumber! That crunch is perfect for a well-balanced salad. When storing cucumber, place a folded paper towel at the bottom of the container. The paper towel absorbs the excess moisture, keeping the cucumber crispier and fresher for a long time.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
I placed all of my pre-prepared salad ingredients in the food storage containers of the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ 10 piece set. While this set is designed for everyday use, it’s actually the most high-end line of the Rubbermaid® food storage portfolio. When it comes to making food storage easier & more dependable, the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ line can get the job done!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Just look at how beautifully they stack up! Even when not in use, the containers nestle within each other so compactly. I also love that these containers offer 360 degree clarity, so it’s so easy to see what’s being stored inside.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
I pre-washed some spring mix lettuce and stored it inside the Large food storage container.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
In the Medium containers, I placed shrimp, tomatoes, avocado and cucumber. I love how the crystal clear containers make it so easy to see what’s inside at a glance.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
In the Small containers, I placed more salad essentials: olives, onions, feta cheese and homemade raspberry vinaigrette.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Another thing I love about the 10 pc BRILLIANCE™ set containers is the fact that they’re 100% Leak Proof. Guaranteed! Just look at how water-tight these containers are!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
When filled, these containers stack so nicely. My salad ingredients have never looked more appetizing or more convenient. With the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ containers on hand, it’s easy to stay on track with my health & fitness goals. Since these containers are resistant to stains and odors, I know they will look great and function well for a long time.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Here they are on the top shelf of my refrigerator. I can quickly see what’s inside each container- there’s no need to label anything!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
By the way, if I want to heat up the shrimp, I can simply pop them in the microwave inside the food storage container. It’s totally safe to microwave food with the lid on and the latches open- the innovative vents reduce splatters in the microwave. Less mess is always a good thing!
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
On any given weekday, when it’s time to figure out my lunch, I know a delicious salad is only minutes away. I simply open the various containers and assemble a salad with all the pre-prepared ingredients.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
I like to use a large stainless steel mixing bowl like this so I can distribute the salad dressing evenly.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
The Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ set is available nationwide at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Amazon and other fine retailers. I actually had an extra set of the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™, so I gave it to my mother. She was so thrilled to receive it, as she was in need of some new food storage containers. She told me that she will be planning her meals, as well – she is trying to focus on her health in the new year, too.
Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea
Wondering how to build the perfect salad every time? Download my free printable here to see what goes into creating an amazing salad.
Have you experienced the 360 degree clarity and perfect stack-ability of the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ set? Do you plan your meals ahead of time? Which ingredients do you like to put in your salads?
I have not experienced the 360 degree clarity and perfect stack-ability of the Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE™ set, YET. I do love all things rubbermaid so I’ll check this set out. I love the idea of having a homemade salad bar.
Your homemade salad bar looks delicious! I can’t wait to duplicate it! After using Rubbermaid Brilliance, I can’t use any other storage container. Even my husband loves them.
We always do salad bars in our house. We all like different things on our salads, so it makes life easier.
Yes, everyone in my home has unique preferences for their salads!
My friend brings a salad with her every single day to ! I need to get the habit of doing this because I want to eat healthier too. Thank you for sharing this I will definitely be using this.
I love having a food bar. Allows everyone to pick their own toppings. I haven’t seen these new Rubbermaid containers. Will have to check them out. I’ve been trying to go with glass containers, but that’s not always an option.
Those containers look great. Like how the lids are easy and can be stacked. Seal completely.
So here I am, thinking, why did I not think of this earlier? It would be super convenient to have a salad bar at home. I’m copying your idea and storing the ingredients in rubbermaid containers too.
Yes, when the containers look this attractive, it’s downright fun to plan meals!
I love those sets! We eat a lot of salads, so this idea would really come in handy since they keep the veggies so fresh.
Salads are some of my favorite foods. These look great, too. I really hate how quickly the salad ingredients go bad though. I could use some of these Rubbermaid food savers to keep my salads fresh longer.
I love the idea of a homemade salad bar. My husband and I are trying to find ways to eat healthy and this seems like a wonderful way to do it!
I really need these, my storage container situation is in bad shape. I need something neat and stackable.
I LOVE this idea! I love making salads, and meal planning is such a huge help and time saver. I definitely need to try this out, thank you for sharing!
I’ve never thought of cutting my cherry tomatoes like that. What a brilliant idea! I use them a lot myself.
Yes, it saves so much time!
Homemade salad bar sounds like a great idea for dinner! Especially with those shrimp!!
[…] Homemade Salad Bar: A Meal Planning Idea – 1 freebie(s)? […]
that s a great idea! i love salad and this is interesting!
Now this is what I call meal planning, this is awesome and I am loving the tupperware its absolutely amazing. I need this in my life
We eat salad often and this would be huge for us! I can’t wait to prep some salad bars for the week next week! (client)
I love those Rubbermaid containers and I love a homemade salad bar that’s easy to assemble for a meal.