Ok, I know... It's not like I'm the first person to ever do this, but I thought others might benefit from my experience.

Being the mom of 3 kids -- one of which is only 4 months old -- I found it very difficult for me to get my veggies in. I could do the protein stuff just fine: grab some meat and cheese and do a 'roll-up', but sometimes the *time* it takes to eat right just isn't there! When I'm running 2 kids to swim team practice and VBS and one is spitting up and the phone is ringing... well, let's just say, it's not easy.
But I have a good friend who also has 3 kids and she is a VEGETARIAN.
So I asked her how she did it.
She keeps a TUB of salad in her fridge at all times. That way, if things are hectic and she can't prepare a decent meal, she at least can grab a handful of salad, pour on some dressing and eat relatively healthy!

Ok, I thought. I can do that!

Now, every Saturday I go and buy my ingredients and on Sunday afternoon, I hand the baby off to my dh and I start chopping. I bought a large (but not TOO large) Tupperware-type container with a tight fitting lid and I make enough salad for myself and my dh for the week.
The KEY is to make the salad as visually appealing as possible. Ugly salads will NOT inspire you to eat them!
My favorite ingredients:
Romaine lettuce
Baby Spinach
Green peppers
Red peppers
fresh, sliced mushrooms
LOTS of chopped cucumber
chopped cilantro
I combine all these and keep them in the fridge for an easy daily salad.
Saves me a LOT of time preparing a salad each day!

Get creative with your salad! Make it a work of art. Play with it.
I have actually begun to look forward to my salad -- something I never did before... and you know what? My weight loss has picked up and I have felt more satisfied with my woe (way of eating) since I started doing this.
I hope this inspires others to *play with their food*.

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Summer

I keep a big bowl of lettuce chopped in the fridge too--DH takes a salad every morning for work--though I don't put the toppings in it--the mushrooms, chopped peppers, cucumber slices, and other stuff I keep in smaller bowls that vacuum seal--they last longer and I only have one kid (9) who isn't an issue with my lunches--I can see where for you it would be nice to have everything in one bowl--I don't like the spinach so his spinach is in a separate bowl too! But having it all chopped and ready to eat makes it so much more appealing to eat and quick that it is more likely I do the same thing grab a handful and top it and eat--along with my meat and cheese rollup!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I have tried this before, but mine never stays fresh.... it always browns before I can finish it..... Maybe this weekend I'll try a smaller bowl... Thanks for the reminder!!

I find that if I put a few paper towels in the bottom of the container to absorb the rest of the water after washing that things stay crisper. I think also if you have vents in the container they stay crisper too. Ziplock USED to have those bags that had teeny tiny holes in them for this same purpose, but they disappeared from the market as soon as they arrived. grrrrrrrrrr. I might even save a meat tray the next time I have one, wash it real well and then use it to lay a ziplock on and poke holes in it. I'll just make my own. I think the key is to have your produce as dried off as possible.

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A couple of paper towels in the bottom of the bowl helps a LOT as does using a lettuce saver in the bottom of the bowl--it is like a small grate that keep st he leaves from sitting in the water! I always lose a couple of spots to the brown ick. . .but we eat it fast enough to finish most of it before any browning starts. Two of us eating out of it every day! I do the same with red cabbage--chop and bowl for addition to salad--slice and dice tomatos, clean green onions, slice peppers--I use the last of them in fajitas eaten with forks not wraps occasionally even on salad as meat topping! Gives the salad an interesting flavor!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Summer, this really helps trim time and encourage getting veggies in. I've mixed the salad ingredients and I've kept everything separated. Romain lettuce will keep much better than iceburg and we prefer the taste.

Barb, I miss those Ziploc bags for veggies, too. Wish I could have known to stock up. Hey, maybe somebody has them for sale on eBay.

I'll try the paper towel trick!

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Ozzie's Place

I can totally relate to your friend, I have 3 kids, one is a 4 month old and it is soo hard to get some nutrition down ya throat! Kinda why I switched to low carb instead of just dieting, grab some tasty salad and fatty dressing and be on my way. the slas you posted sounds yummy and filling!

Ya, know, I was thinking about those Ziploc baggies just the other day. I wonder why they discontinued them.

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