By Megan Groh

Hy-Vee Dietitian

We all would like to be eating better, but how do we translate that to our brown bag lunch? Why not try a salad in a jar?

Jar salads are quick and easy to make, and can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. You only need to remember a few simple steps and the rest is up to you and your imagination.

When building your jar salad, start with your favorite dressing on the bottom of a jar or container. This keeps your delicate greens from getting too soggy. Your next layer may include a protein like Johnsonville Flame Grilled Chicken Breast or a handful of nuts, or more hardy vegetables or fruit such as celery, apples or pears. The third layer may include cheese, dried cherries or seeds.

The fourth layer will include fruit such as berries, mandarin oranges or grapes. The final layer is salad greens. Leafy greens provide vitamins A, C and K. Vitamins A and C may play a role in skin health and immune function; vitamin K may be beneficial to bone health. Leafy greens like spinach, kale and Swiss chard may contain eye-healthy antioxidants. Baby kale is tender with a pleasant taste and gives any salad a nutritious boost with extra vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

To save additional time, try using a bag salad for your top layer.

Your work week just got a little easier. No last-minute decisions about what to make for lunch, no vending machine lunch fare and no trip to the nearest drive-through restaurant. Your jar salad is quick, easy and affordable.

Southwest Chicken Taco Salad with Baby Kale

Serves 4

All you need

•1 (12 oz) bag Hy-Vee Greener Supreme Blend salad

•2 oz Hy-Vee HealthMarket Organic baby kale

•1/2 cup Hy-Vee shredded sharp cheddar cheese

•2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

•2/3 cup chopped jicama

•1 (15 oz) can Hy-Vee no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed

•4 portions Southwestern Johnsonville Flame Grilled Chicken Breast

•1/2 cup salsa ranch dressing, such as Bolthouse Farms salsa ranch yogurt dressing

•Crushed taco or tortilla chips, optional

All you do

1. Combine salad and kale, cheese, tomatoes, jicama, black beans, chicken and dressing in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.

2. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with crushed taco or tortilla chips, if desired.

Nutrient-boosting tip: Hy-Vee Organic Baby Kale is tender with a pleasant taste and gives any salad a nutritious boost with extra vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Source: adapted from www.hy-vee.com.

Information not intended to be medical advice. Please contact a licensed healthcare provider for individual advice.