!!!~@~The Salad Box~@~!!!

[GlimR]

This is one of the best, most practical ideas I've seen in a long time...or ever!! (shared with me by Got2B.Raw...thank you!!!)

I cook for my husband and day care kidlets and after a full day of working with toddlers and preschoolers and cooking, the last thing I often feel like doing is making my own supper (or lunch for that matter), so I tend to be starving and eat things that are not in my best interest.

The salad box is like a personal, always ready salad bar. Everything stores in one container, except my greens which are easy to get to in a separate box, as they take up a lot of room! The contents should last about three to five days and are easy enough to rotate, adding avocado or other things that can't be cut up ahead of time.

Even my husband loves this idea and will be making his own salads every night for dinner in addition to whatever else he has.

Amazing news!!! He is also drinking a green smoothie every day when he comes home for lunch!! Blows me away I tell ya!!! Wonders never cease!!

I love this idea!!!

I hope you will give it a try and post here how it has made life easier for you!!

[Aleesha Sattva]

great idea!!!!! i keep my veggies in a bin like that (the larger one) for juicing. i just pull out a bin and remove what i need for that juice, replace it and grab another. works great!!!

to keep down condensation if you put a tea towel in the bottom of the bin and another on the top (under the lid) the items inside last longer!

[GlimR]

Great idea...I do that with my tubs of greens always.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i do it with all my veggies... keeps them fresh a nice loooooooooooooong time

[rawnhealthy]

YUMMY!
What a great idea

[GlimR]

I'm going out tonight to get the supplies to make one for my daughter..she loves the idea and goes home for lunch everyday for work, so this will be ideal for her.

Last night I pulled the box out and DH made himself a dinner salad...it was amazing what he put on it, cause usually when I ask him if he's like such and such he will say no....but seeing it all laid out in front of him was different.

Think I'll have a salad for breakfast!! Now that's a first!

[Gossy]

Awesome!!! This is just what I need for my cramped fridge - and lazy life style! The boyfriend would love it too, as I could prep/store all this fixings for salads in it too (he makes himself a nice big one for lunch every day). Thanks so much for posting this!

Now I have questions

What containers are those/where did you get them? I'm thinking a Target run will be in order sometime this weekend - so I may just spend some time fitting containers into other containers there to get something similar, but I'd love to know what you use as I can maybe find the same ones and be assured they work together!

How long does the prepped stuff stay fresh? Or do you go through it fast enough that isn't ever a problem?

Any other tips for freshness (the tea towel thing is an excellent tip!) for any particular items? Especially greens?

I'm still trying to figure out a good buying rotation for things, so I use it all up while still fresh, have ripe stuff on hand constantly, etc . . . so any tips are appreciated!

Also, it seems like this would probably work best with veggies and greens only, right? I guess I don't need to prep fruits for juices/smoothies too much . . . but does anyone do a fruit box type thing, and have tips for that also?

MUCH LOVE!!! This is totally awesome, and being a visual learner the pictures are SO appreciated. I can totally do this and it'll definitely eliminate some of my excuses (like, oh, gee, I don't have enough time to make a salad before work) and be organized (which I love).

[DawnD]

Yes GlimR this is toooo awesome! I love it! Thanks for sharing and for the pictures.

Gossy-I just pile my fruit on the counter after it is washed and dried. I try to make it look attractive and when I need an apple or lemon its right there within reach. I ususally buy only a week's worth of fruit at a time.

[GlimR]

Gossy~
I got the boxes at KMart......$5 something for the large one (15 qt.) and $2.69 for the others, one a set of 5 pt. size, one a set of three 1 qt. I just made it but I would think 5 days or so...have to add more cukes already. I am taking out the seeds/nuts and using a show box and the pt. containers to make a dry box w/them, dulse, seaweeds, cranberries, shredded coconut, etc... and I am going to do one of the big ones for fruit in the fridge...melon, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, etc...yup..using this to way simplify my life in many regards...bought all the containers to give one to my daughter too tomorrow........will take pics of the others tomorrow.....no mess, no cleanup except a bowl, plate and spoon or fork....now that is amazing! I use recycled paper towels I get from my local HFS, under and on top of the produce to keep the extra moisture absorbed. I keep my greens in the 1 lb boxes they come in, use about two of them a week plus kale, cilantro, etc....I am so in love with this way of having food easy and accessible.

PS...I bought and wasted so much produce before, shoving it into the back of the fridge and forgetting about it or really just never getting myself together enough to bother........not this way.

[klomasius]

So is this all refrigerated or at room temp?

[levamssg]

I guess I'm missing something ... how do you fit the big boxes (holding the little containers) in the fridge?

Do you chop everything you buy into little containers?

I like the thought of it but can't get my head around where you keep it ...
Normally in my fridge, I have a bulk container of spinach, 2-3 square containers of grapes, 3-4 bags of celery, a 5# bag of carrots, a head of red and white cabbage, a bag of red sweet peppers, a bag of apples, a few mangos, a bag of oranges and a bag of grapefruit, and a cut up pineapple, various other items like squash, cukes, beets, etc. ... this comprises the lower shelves and the crisper drawers. The upper shelf contains anything mixed up, onion dip, fermented cheese and/or veggies, pates, nut butters, sauces, plus leftovers ... and my husbands non-raw stuff.

I can't figure out how I'd fit a large box in there, even if it did contain some of the bagged produce. Although I sure liked the way it looks ... all chopped up and in one place.

I'm thinking perhaps in a separate cooler??

[Lady Green Jeans]

I love the organization. The selection just invites you to try each and every one. Great idea and the 'grab and go' is most appealing for those of us in a rush coming and going.

Thanks much for sharing this.