A salad jar is a mess-free brain food to whip up before running out to catch the bus.

This convenient snack or meal gives students one less thing to worry about when battling the cold. They can be prepared early to last the whole week, too.

Start with a mason jar. Clean, cut and chop the salad. Layer the dressing on the bottom of the jar, the vegetables in the middle and the lettuce on top so the lettuce doesn’t get slimy. The vegetables can stand the acidity of the dressing and will have a better taste.

For a Caesar jar salad, pour a little (or a lot of) light Caesar dressing in the bottom of the jar. Put in all the fun ingredients: shredded carrots, diced chicken, celery and cherry tomatoes for the middle section. When choosing a type of lettuce you can choose any flavor, but for a Caesar salad, romaine is preferred. Don’t forget the croutons, and make sure those go in right before you eat the salad so they don’t turn soggy.

For salad haters, experiment with salad dressing, vegetables or even quinoa to change it up.

If you’re a poppy seed salad fan, switch out the veggies with fruits.