i really love this idea. i would think that lettuce would go bad after a few days.... does this not happen?

i've been doing this for about three weeks and it makes a huge difference in how much dough comes out of my purse per week and what food i'm putting into my body.

however i do slice my cucumber fresh each morning because they tend to brown easily with my other ingredients.

excellent, yet very simple

Great Idea!!!

I'm echoing Sarita... doesn't everything get brown?

Great idea. You can add a little something different to each salad once they are in different containers to mix things up.

I do this and it works great. If you're like me and can't leave dressing at work, I put a little salad dressing in a zip top baggy and put it in with the salad. Just grab and go and it works great!

This is an awesome idea and such a time-saver...I'm definitely going to do this!

so brilliant! i've been putting my "fixings" in separate containers, and then leaving the lettuce in a bag, but i like this idea even better.

i've done this, but the lettuce gets a little gross by day 4-5, so i do it twice a week.

the only thing about leaving dressing at work is that everyone assumes it's a community bottle. sigh.

I love it! And the idea of putting salad dressing in a ziploc baggie is a really good one too. =)

I think I would get bored with my lunch after a while...

i would assume that twice a week would be better for keeping the veggies crisp and fresh. but nevertheless, good post to give people ideas. i wish work kitchens were more accommodating to cooking.

I pack my lunch now, but have been thinking about doing the salad thing instead of what I've been bringing (turkey or tuna sandwiches). I don't like lettuce, though, so I'll probably do a bunch a veggies and grilled chicken.

yeah, I don't like how the salad goes brown or whatever after a couple of days. but otherwise this is a great idea!

yeah, i'm wondering whether the salad would get a bit mushy by the last day...but i love the idea!

It's only a WEEK, not months or anything. I don't think the lettuce would get that brown, especially if you buy fresh lettuce at the store. I buy all my salad lettuce at the beginning of the week and by the end of the week, it's still green and crisp. I like this idea...it's very time-saving and it prevents you from being tempted to eat fast food salads.

I do this every sunday, that's my "getting my lunch ready for the week day"

i doubt that salad is still fresh after 3 days, especially since it loses its vitamins with the time... vegetables should be eaten as fresh as possible.

This is a great idea. As someone else said, I'd probably get bored with just salad all week and I'd be afraid by the end of the week, the salad would be brown... But I'm thinking about doing it 3 days a week and maybe packing a sandwich or something the other two days.

Trying to lose those last 10 pregnancy pounds... *Sigh*

I like the idea, but after I cut my lettuce it tends to go brown quickly. Plus I likr tomatoes and those would make everything mushy. When we were little my mom would get one of the tupperware divided containters that are used for parties (think round & divided) and cut up things like mushrooms, etc. It worked well

I saved a little plastic dipping sauce container from take out gyoza and it is the perfect size for salad dressing.

I try to make a salad with dinner every night so I just make my lunch salad for the next day.

Through a little feta on it. A little goes a long way

This is a great idea! I am very finicky about my greens though...do they really stay "crisp" and "fresh" by Friday's container though?

It sounds so simple, but this tip is the best ever. i always look longingly at the large package of field greens at whole foods knowing I would have to make a salad every night to eat it properly, but now I can get all the ingredients together, bring my dressing with me to work and toss in my cube. Thanks!

I do this, but not with a salad because I'm way too hungry by the end of the day. My husband and I cook rice and chicken on sunday nights so I can eat it throughout the week. Then, to get my veggies in, I cut up cucumbers or celery and put it in a bag and take that to work. So far so good!

I do this with just about all my meals.

I fix something with 4-8 servings (amount differs with recipe), eat 1 serving after cooking and then put the others in containers. I immediately freeze what I can't eat in 3 days time. Then take 2 things out of the freezer for day 4-5 of the work week. I have soups, rice dishes, bean dishes, chili, stews, casseroles and a ton of other things in the freezer ready to go at any time already in individual servings. I only have to cook on weekends so that I don't have to rush in preparation this way.

Veggies, however, I prefer to have fresh with each meal.

that's kinda awful. the salad won't be fresh and the juices from the veggies will run out. i even hate making salad in the morning for my lunch, as it is no longer fresh.

I take a gigantic salad every day to work. I usually cut up 3 days worth of 'fixins' and put those in a sandwich bag (any longer than 3 days and I notice it's not so fresh anymore). Then on Wed. evening I pack up 2 more to finish the week. I get the lettuce ready the night before (I find 2 days is the most you can go for lettuce before it starts getting funky). My trick for crisp lettuce is 1) use a salad spinner and 2) put a paper towel on the bottom of the bowl to absorb any water. Then when I go to eat it, I pull the paper towel out and add all the good stuff.

instead of using a bag for dressing, save the little plastic ramekins you get from chinese takeout sauces. they hold the perfect amount of dressing and fit in the tupperware with the salad. you can reuse them lots of times and they take 2 seconds to clean.

That would definitely NOT since salads get soggy by day 2 in the fridge! Even if you don't add dressing/salt, they will last maximum 2-3 days... I know this cause I actually have tried this and I make salads often in general, they are not the least bit appetizing after a night in the fridge.

Great idea! But I' be weary of wilting lettuce too.