Let me introduce you to the most unassuming, joy-sparking thing I did this weekend: I made a Honey Mustard Chicken and Farro Salad and stuffed it into a Walmart jar. That’s it. That’s the post. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.
Okay joking, I have more to say. Because this was more than a salad. This was a little act of care, a moment of peace, a reminder that healing doesn’t always come in the form of therapy sessions and deep breakthroughs (although yes, those are important). Sometimes healing looks like showing up for yourself in the quietest, most practical way – like making your husband and you a dinner that actually fuels you, is pretty, and damn filling!
I found this salad jar recipe from @elizabeth_raybould, and let me tell you: she’s doing the Lord’s work. Honey mustard, juicy chicken (I read that you need to brine your chicken breast in a salt bath and my god … it was the juiciest chicken ever!), crunchy veg, chewy farro—it’s giving nourished main character, not sad salad dinner. And the best part? I didn’t need fancy Tupperware, a matching set of bowls, or a $20 glass jar. Nope. I used my little $1.97 Walmart jar, and I loved every second of it.
There’s this idea floating around that self-care has to be expensive, aesthetic, and something you post. I don’t have a fancy Instagram worthy kitchen or tools. But real self-care? It’s often the stuff no one sees. It’s budgeting at the grocery store. It’s picking a recipe that feels doable. It’s listening to your body when it says, “I need real food girl, not just coffee and Ritalin.” (And let me tell you, I have those days more often than not!)
I’m not a food blogger, nutritionist, or chef. I’m just a girl trying to feel better, get enough protein, one bite at a time. Eating well-ish is part of how I show myself love lately, especially on the days when my mental health feels wobbly.
So yeah, I saved money. I ate a killer salad. I didn’t spiral into hangry chaos. And I felt kinda proud of myself.
Healing doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes it’s just a salad in a cheap jar that makes you feel a little more human!
🫶 Recipe: Honey Mustard Farro Salad Jars by Elizabeth Raybould
