FRI LUNCH · FROM THE VIDEO
Crunchy Taco Salad Jar
- 15 min
- 8 min with Sunday prep
- 1–4 servings
- 380 kcal
- 19g protein
A make-ahead taco salad that stays crisp all week because the dressing lives at the bottom of the jar and the lettuce sits on top. Black beans, corn, and melty cheddar make it filling enough to skip the fridge line at lunch, and a handful of tortilla chips on the side brings the crunch.
Adds this lunch's 7 groceries to your Walmart cart; you check out on Walmart. Part of 5 work lunches from one $25 grocery run · send the whole week to Walmart.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cupsalsa
- 2 tbspplain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cupblack beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cupcorn kernels, drained
- 1/4 cupshredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cupsromaine hearts, chopped
- 1 cuptortilla chips
From the pantry: chili powder, salt, black pepper
Cookware
wide-mouth mason jar or meal-prep container · cutting board · chef's knife · measuring cups · can opener
Directions
- In the bottom of a wide-mouth mason jar, spoon in the salsa, then the Greek yogurt, without stirring them together.
- Season the black beans with a pinch of chili powder, salt, and pepper, then layer them on top of the salsa and yogurt.
- Add the corn kernels in an even layer over the beans.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the corn.
- Top the jar with the chopped romaine hearts, packing it down gently so it fits.
- Seal the jar and refrigerate; pack the tortilla chips separately in a small bag or container.
- At lunchtime, shake or dump the jar into a bowl to coat everything in the dressing, then scoop up with the chips.
Two tips
- No black beans on hand? Pinto beans or a drained can of chickpeas from the week's stash work just as well.
- Keep the romaine layer thick and dry so it doesn't wilt against the dressing until you're ready to shake and eat.
Packing
Layer dressing first, hardier veggies and beans in the middle, cheese next, and romaine last so nothing gets soggy. Keep the tortilla chips in a separate small bag and add them only when you eat, either cold or straight from the jar.
Storage
Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days without the chips. Not freezer-friendly since the fresh romaine and yogurt-based dressing won't hold up after thawing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 690 mg
The rest of the week
MonEgg Fried Rice
Day-old rice fried with peas, carrots and 3 scrambled eggs; soy sauce to finish.
rice · eggs · frozen peas and carrots · soy sauce
~22g proteinFull recipe →
TueBlack Bean Burrito Bowl
Rice, black beans, corn, salsa and cheddar.
rice · black beans · salsa · cheddar · corn
~20g proteinFull recipe →
WedLemon Chickpea Pasta with Spinach
Lemony chickpea pasta with extra chickpeas and a handful of spinach.
chickpea pasta · chickpeas · lemon · spinach
~24g proteinFull recipe →
ThuLoaded Baked Potato Bowl
Chopped baked potato with beans, cheddar, a jammy egg and Greek yogurt as sour cream.
potatoes · black beans · cheddar · Greek yogurt · eggs
~21g proteinFull recipe →
Recipe developed by MealPot for the “5 work lunches from one $25 grocery run” video. Nutrition is estimated from standard (USDA) data for the quantities above. Photo: MealPot, an AI-rendered illustration of the packed lunch.