When Team TMN found out about a new, health-conscious option for a lunchtime delivery, we couldn’t resist putting this home-grown concept to the test…
What: The Salad Jar
Where: Delivered directly to your home/office/school
When: Delivers Sunday – Thursday, orders must be placed by 11am on the day of delivery. Orders are delivered between 9.30am – 11am, and 11.30am – 1pm.
The promise: “We pack as many Superfoods as possible into one jar, because you know what they say – you are what you eat – and we want you to be super. In terms of goodness, The Salad Jars pack a lot of punch!”
Did it deliver? The sheer number of take-out options for lunch in Dubai is endless. With new cafes and restaurants popping up left, right and centre in the city it’s difficult to keep track. Many of these offer the same unhealthy, processed meal in newer, shinier packaging. However, we’re glad to report that the same can’t be said for all – enter The Salad Jar. A home-grown concept and the brainchild of Danielle Sallam, the service started from her own kitchen and has rapidly expanded ever since. The Salad Jar aims to offer healthier lunchtime options to those of us who are too busy to make our own.
Following a quick chat with Danielle over the phone – an optional way to order, as The Salad Jar now has its own app to make lunchtimes even easier – Team TMN decided on a selection of salads in regular and large sizes to really put the service to the test. Having taken into account our food preferences and allergies, such as cheese in the case of one member of the TMN team, Danielle recommended D’s salad, Sweet Beet, and South Western salads.
Arriving promptly at midday, we inspected the salads delivered and were pleasantly surprised – each jar was generously filled with layers of different veg, pulses, grains and other gooness. The jars were generously sized, with a large salad easily being enough for two people, and looked bright and appetizing – even to the adamantly carnivorous of us. D’s salad was a lovely balance of sweet and tangy, with the sweet potato, red pepper and raisins providing sweetness and the Dijon and vinaigrette dressing adding zing. Quinoa and chickpeas gave good crunch and made the salad filling enough to last us until dinner. The Sweet Beet salad felt distinctly Middle Eastern, perhaps due to the addition of dates, and its balsamic and honey dressing went perfectly. The use of barley was an interesting choice too, giving an unusual texture and a flavour that really complimented the sweetness of the other ingredients. South Western was a favourite with team TMN – the cilantro and olive oil dressing was zesty with a hint of chili, giving the perfect kick to the mix of black and white beans, corn, cucumber, tomato and avocado. Each salad was distinct in flavour, though all managed to combine sweet and savoury as well as provide enough substance to fill us up for the day. The fact the pulses and grans used were slow-release carbohydrates was also beneficial, as they stopped us from crashing and didn’t have us immediately reaching for biscuits a few hours after lunch!
The Verdict: The Salad Jar is an excellent addition to Dubai’s fast food scene, as it provides a truly healthy alternative to standard take-out fare. Though it can be a hassle deciding on what to have for lunch before 11am (or even the day before), the delivery service is reassuringly prompt and the option to cancel is always available should you need it. Team TMN would highly recommend this as the ideal lunch option for those of us trying to stay healthy, but without the time to prepare salads every morning before work.
