7+ Meal Prep Salads (Easy & Simple)

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These meal prep salads are simple, fresh, and easy to make ahead. I love meal prepping salad because they’re quick to put together, hold up well in the fridge, and actually taste good the next day.

If you haven’t been meal prepping salad, you are missing out. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I rely on these kinds of salads during the week when life gets busy, and they are a huge help.

I don’t always have time to cook every day, so having something ready in the fridge is a lifesaver, and my teenage kids love them too! I try to keep it simple, use whatever I have in my fridge, and switch things up so I don’t get bored.

Helpful Tips

When prepping salad, keep the dressing separate if possible to avoid soggy salads. Or if prepping in a jar, make sure the dressing goes in first.
If using salad jars, after you add the dressing, add the veggies that don’t get soggy next, like chickpeas, cucumbers, and onions.
Use hearty ingredients like kale, cabbage, or grains.
If you can, add protein to help you stay full longer, such as grilled chicken, beans, tuna, or boiled eggs.
Store the salads in airtight containers to keep them fresh longer.
Prep 2 to 3 different salads at the most, so you don’t get bored.

Easy Meal Prep Salad Ideas

These are some of my favorite meal-prep salad ideas I make all the time, and even my kids love them. They have become our favorite salads to prep on a regular basis.

side shot of quinoa and chickpea salad in a mason jar

5 from 3 votes

Cucumber Chickpea Salad Jar

This meal-prep cucumber-chickpea salad jar is simple, filling, and easy to make ahead.

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5 from 2 votes

Caprese Pasta Salad

My kids love this Caprese Pasta Salad so much and ask me to make it all the time. It is made with fresh tomatoes, pasta, mozzarella cheese balls, and basil leaves.

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5 from 1 vote

Italian Kale Salad Jar

Fresh & flavorful Italian Kale Salad Jar is the perfect make-ahead healthy lunch option. It’s packed with black beans, corn, red onion, quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, hemp seeds, and kale.

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chicken pasta salad in a round brown bowl with lettuce, pasta, chicken, and tomatoes.

5 from 2 votes

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

With vegetables, chicken, and homemade dressing, this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is the perfect cross between your favorite salad and a pasta salad.

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5 from 1 vote

Vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad Jar

Flavorful Vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad Jar is loaded with fresh veggies, savory olives, and delicious mozzarella pearls. Everything gets dressed in a light, homemade Italian vinaigrette for a wonderful explosion of flavors.

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4.86 from 47 votes

Chicken Pasta Salad

This Easy Chicken Pasta Salad is loaded with chicken and veggies and packed with flavor. This is a quick weeknight dinner recipe to serve your family, ideal for parties and picnics, and perfect for meal prepping.

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5 from 2 votes

Mason Jar salad

You’ll love this Mason Jar salad because it’s super easy to make and perfect for busy days.

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5 from 3 votes

Greek Chicken Pasta Salad

Delicious Greek Chicken Pasta Salad packed with juicy tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, zippy red onion, smoky kalamata olives, and tangy feta cheese.

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Common Questions

How long do meal prep salads last?

Most meal prep salads last 3 to 4 days in the fridge, depending on the ingredients you used and how you prepared them. I always recommend storing the dressing separately if you are using leafy greens.

How do I keep salads from getting soggy?

To prevent the salad from getting soggy, I recommend keeping wet ingredients and the dressing separate until you are ready to eat.

What salads hold up best for meal prep?

Salads that are made with sturdy greens, grains, pasta, or beans hold up better than salads made with lettuce or leafy greens.

What protein works best for meal prep salads?

You have a lot of options for meal prepping. I usually go for grilled chicken, shrimp, tuna, boiled eggs, chickpeas, and beans, which are all great options.

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Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below.