The Hack For Eating Bagged Salad That Requires (Almost) No Dishes

When life becomes a little hectic, healthy eating habits are often first to fall by the wayside. Rather than spending precious time in the kitchen, many of us count on drive-thrus and microwavable meals to help us cut down on cooking and clean-up time. For busy people who refuse to forfeit their daily dose of greens in the name of productivity, bagged salad kits have become something of a secret weapon.

Typically containing an assortment of chopped greens and veggies, a generous serving of salad dressing, and toppings — which can include everything from nuts and seeds to cheese, dehydrated fruit, croutons, and grains — bagged salad kits come with everything you need for a restaurant-style salad experience without the need for excessive shopping and chopping. Thanks to a pro-tip from TikToker and professional food taste tester Jordan Myrick, a bagged salad can even be eaten without dirtying a single dish, cutting out clean-up time almost entirely. In a TikTok that has amassed 1.5 million views, Myrick explains that rather than transferring the contents of the bagged salad to a bowl, the entire ensemble can be mixed together and eaten without ever leaving the bag in which it came.

While some savvy salad eaters have been enjoying bagged salad sans bowl long before Myrick brought the viral hack to light, the video was full of helpful hints to make eating salad straight from the bag as pleasant as possible. For starters, she recommends giving the greens a smell test upon opening the bag. Since chopped vegetables are exposed to more oxygen than their uncut counterparts, spoilage occurs at a speedier rate.

@sporked

Replying to @Amanda Wilson 🥗 tutorial saladhack

♬ original sound – Sporked

Next, to ensure that the toppings are evenly distributed throughout the bag, Myrick suggests pouring half of the toppings over the greens and giving it a good shake before adding the rest. Once your salad is perfectly dressed, it's time to turn that bag into a bowl. "The most important part, in my opinion, is cutting the excess [plastic] off the top of the bag." Myrick says, "because if you don't, your arm will get covered in salad dressing every time you put your hand in."

While Myrick points out that her way of eating salad straight from the bag isn't necessarily "easier" than transferring it to a bowl, it's a great way to avoid creating an abundance of dirty dishes. By mixing and eating salad straight from the bag, the only dish you will have to wash is the fork you ate off of. If you opt for plasticware, you can enjoy a healthy lunch without a lick of cleanup.

For true salad enthusiasts, oftentimes a bagged salad merely acts as a base for a more grandiose creation. When you're looking to bagged salad for a quick and easy meal with no cleanup, however, the idea of cooking and chopping additional ingredients to zhuzh it up may sound counterintuitive. Luckily, with some perseverance and creativity, you can pack that bagged salad full of nutritious goodies without having to pull out every pot, pan, and cutting board.

The first thing people usually notice missing from a bagged salad is a solid source of protein. Because protein keeps us feeling fuller longer and works to maintain a stable blood sugar so we don't succumb to the dreaded mid-day crash, including it in your lunch is a must. 

You don't have to take out your skillet, however. Canned chicken and tuna make excellent additions to bagged salad, containing 30 grams and 42 grams of protein per can, respectively. The flaky nature of these ingredients allows them to easily integrate into a bag of salad, without prep or cleanup. Simply pop open the can, drain it, and throw it in the bag! If you want to skip the draining step, Trader Joe's lightly smoked salmon in extra virgin olive oil can join your bagged salad, with the oil helping to create an elevated salad dressing.

If you still feel like your bagged salad is lacking, consider taking it up a few notches with the addition of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. While ingredients like cucumbers, apples, and bell peppers require you to slice them before they can be added to a bagged salad, fruits like blueberries, raspberries, and grapes can be thrown in whole by the handful, introducing a hint of sweetness and new texture.

What's more, vegetables like snow peas, cherry tomatoes, and cremini mushrooms can also be added whole for a nutritional boost. Stocking your work fridge with naturally bite-sized ingredients like these allows you to make a loaded salad without a cutting board and kitchen knife.

Easily grown on your windowsill or desk, fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, mint, and dill can also brighten the flavor of your bagged salad. Simply pull apart the herbs with your fingers and toss them in the bag, too! Now we're cooking with(out) gas...or dishes!