Meal prep salad dressing is the small job that decides whether your prepped lunches get eaten or thrown out on Thursday. Plain chicken and leaves get boring by day two. A good dressing in a jar changes that, and it takes five minutes on a Sunday. At our Samford gym, members who batch a couple of dressings each week tell us it is the single habit that keeps their meal prep going.
The ratio behind every dressing
Most dressings are three parts oil to one part acid, plus seasoning. Once you know that, you can make dozens without a recipe.
- Oil: extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or a lighter oil for Asian-style flavours
- Acid: lemon juice, lime juice, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic
- Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, herbs, honey
For a lighter dressing, go two parts oil to one part acid, or replace some oil with Greek yoghurt.
Five meal prep salad dressing jars
| Dressing | Ingredients | Goes with |
|---|---|---|
| Lemon herb | 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon, parsley, salt | Chicken, fish, grain bowls |
| Balsamic | 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic, 1 tsp honey, garlic | Beef, roast vegetables |
| Tahini lemon | 1/3 cup tahini, juice of 1 lemon, water to thin, garlic | Lamb, falafel, roast pumpkin |
| Yoghurt ranch | 1 cup Greek yoghurt, lemon, dill, garlic, splash of milk | Chicken wraps, potato salad |
| Ginger lime | 1/2 cup light oil, 1/4 cup lime, grated ginger, honey, chilli | Rice noodles, prawns, slaw |
Stopping a dressing from splitting
Oil and vinegar separate within minutes. That is fine if you shake the jar before pouring, but some people prefer a dressing that stays together. There are a few kitchen tricks:
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, which holds the oil and acid together.
- Whisk in a little honey, which thickens the mix.
- Use a stick blender instead of shaking.
- Add a pinch of an emulsifier such as lecithin, which is what keeps commercial dressings smooth.
If you want to try that last one at home, this guide covers how to use sunflower lecithin in dressings, smoothies and baking.
Storage and portions
Oil-based dressings keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. Olive oil can thicken when cold, so take the jar out ten minutes before lunch or run it under warm water. Yoghurt dressings last three to four days.
Keep the dressing separate from the salad until you eat it, otherwise the leaves go limp. Small 50 ml containers are the right size: one to two tablespoons per meal is plenty.
Building the rest of the meal
A dressing turns a container into lunch, but the container still needs a palm of protein, a fist of carbohydrate and two handfuls of vegetables. If you train in the afternoon, keep lunch a little lighter in fat and have a snack closer to the session. Our pre workout snack guide covers what works in that last hour, and our strength training over 40 guide covers the training side.
Common questions
How long does homemade meal prep salad dressing last?
Oil and vinegar dressings keep up to two weeks in the fridge. Yoghurt or fresh herb dressings last three to four days.
Why does my olive oil dressing go solid in the fridge?
Olive oil thickens when cold. It is still fine. Leave it on the bench for ten minutes and shake it.
Can I make dressings without oil?
Yes. Greek yoghurt, tahini thinned with water, or blended avocado all work as a base.
How much dressing should I use?
One to two tablespoons per meal is plenty for most salads and bowls.
When to get it checked
If your meal prep is sorted but you still feel flat in training, talk to an exercise physiologist. We will look at your training load, sleep and eating pattern together.