Sauces and dressings are the answer to avoiding dry, bland lunches. But how do we pack them? From specialized containers to free & sturdy options, this guide covers practical methods for How to Pack Sauces With Your Meal Prep Lunch.
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Before you pick a method for packing sauce with your lunch, let’s talk sauce basics. Here’s what we’re going to cover in this article:
- What counts as one serving of dressing
- How to keep sauces from leaking in your bag
- How long packed sauces actually last in the fridge
- Which containers work best, from free to full price
Why pack a sauce or dressing with your meal prep?
Most reheating problems come down to one issue: loss of moisture. But we can fix that by adding some moisture in the form of a dressing or sauce. It basically acts as insurance for your lunch or salad.
A good sauce or dressing can do any of the following:
- Provide moisture and steam during reheating
- Coat proteins so they stay tender and delicious
- Prevent rice and grains from turning dry or chalky
- Makes leftovers taste intentional, not sad
Become a lunch reheating expert!
Learn how to build make-ahead lunches that always satisfy, even after reheating! Browse our guide to learn which foods hold up the best, how to store them, and how to reheat without losing structure or flavor.
⭐️ Your Saucy Questions, Answered ⭐️
I’ve been packing meal prep lunches for years now. All the best ones usually have a sauce or dressing involved, whether in the meal itself, or served on the side. You’ve got sauce questions, I’ve got sauce answers!
What size containers work best for sauces?
In general, one serving of a dressing or sauce is around 2 tablespoons, or roughly 1 ounce. This will vary depending on your recipe and type of meal, but it’s a good place to start. Your container should fit 1-2 ounces of sauce.
Your sauce cup should be able to hold at least 1-2 ounces of sauce or dressing per serving.
How long do sauces stay good in the fridge once packed?
Most dressings and sauces are slightly acidic (think vinegar or citrus juice), which means they’ll last longer than the food you have prepped. Store-bought lasts longer than homemade, but it depends on ingredients. See below for details on each ⬇️
How quickly packed dressings will go bad depends on the ingredients and whether it was store bought or homemade.
- Store-bought: Check the bottle. Vinaigrettes can last up to 3 months, while a creamy/dairy based dressing is good for about a month in the fridge after opening.
- Homemade vinegar/citrus based: Up to 10 days in the fridge.
- Homemade dairy based: Up to 7 days in the fridge.
The Dressing Directory
There are lots of sauce recipes spread throughout the meals on Project Meal Plan, so I put them together all in one place to form The Dressing Directory!
Do dressings need to stay cold, or are some shelf-stable?
Almost all dressings require staying cold after being opened or made at home. Generally, the added flavoring ingredients like citrus, herbs, garlic, shallot, etc. can spoil if left out and should be refrigerated.
A good rule of thumb is to just refrigerate all open dressings or sauces, so you don’t have to worry about which can and can’t be left out.
How do I pack sauces without them leaking in my bag?
The most important thing to make sure your sauces and dressings don’t leak is to pack them in an airtight container. This means the seal is tight, and nothing leaks out. Do a water test! (kinda like the Instant Pot, yeah?) We want to test the seal!
What is a water test? 💦
You can check to see if your sauce container is leak proof by filling it with water, putting the lid on tightly, then turning and shaking the container.
No need to be too vigorous! Just enough to simulate a bumpy ride to work.
- If any water leaks out, you may not have a tight seal. Might be time for a new sauce container!
- If no water leaks out, you’re good to go.
Is it worth buying special containers, or can I reuse what I have?
If you have something sturdy to try, like a small glass jar, give that a shot. If it doesn’t fit your into your routine, is hard to clean, or you just want something different, try out the stainless steel set.
A sturdy set of stainless steel sauce cups will last you basically forever. Here’s an affordable set of 6 salad dressing containers (affiliate link!) if you’re on the hunt.
Here’s more info on each way to pack sauce with your lunch to help you decide which to try first ⬇️
5 Ways to Pack a Sauce With Your Lunch
PROJECT MEAL PLAN’S PICKS:
Best all-around option: Stainless steel sauce cups (#1)
Best free option: Reused jars or sauce cups (#2)
1
Stainless Steel Sauce Cups With Tight-Fitting Lids
⭐ Best all-around option!
This is the most reliable way to pack any sauce or dressing for transporting with a make-ahead lunch. Small, leakproof, and fits right inside most meal prep containers.
I’ve tried two brands of stainless steel dressing cups, and I still have them all. Both brands worked well and the seals were airtight.
You can get a pack of 6 for around $6-12 on Amazon. Double check reviews; there are several brands out there.
Stainless Steel Cup Pros:
✅ Leakproof and reliable
✅ Small enough to fit inside other containers
✅ Works for any type of sauce or dressing
✅ Easy to remove from any container before reheating
Stainless Steel Cup Cons:
💥 Upfront cost (see my linked recommendation below)
💥 Tight-fitting lids can be tough to put on sometimes
💥 More pieces to wash (look for dishwasher safe containers)
2
Reused Small Jars or Sauce Cups
⭐ Best free option!
Already have a small jam jar or takeout sauce cup? Reuse it! This is the zero-cost option that gets the job done.
Some ideas that come to mind: takeout sauce cups, mini Bonne Maman jars, or other small glass condiment jars.
Reused Cup Pros:
✅ Completely free option
✅ Reduce reuse recycle!
✅ Works for any type of sauce or dressing
✅ Easy to remove from containers before reheating
Reused Cup Cons:
💥 May not be the ideal size, shape, or quality
💥 You have to remember to save the cups from somewhere
💥 Plastic must be hand-washed
3
Mason Jar Salads With Dressing on the Bottom
A classic for a reason, but really works best if you’re making a salad. The dressing lives at the bottom, everything else is added on top, and then the dressing coats everything when you shake or flip the jar.
🚫 Don’t do this method if you want to reheat lunch separately from the sauce. You usually wouldn’t reheat a salad anyway, but just had to say it!
Mason Jar Salad Pros:
✅ No extra containers needed for the dressing
✅ Zero added cost on top of the mason jar
✅ Compact, easy way to pack salads with dressing
Mason Jar Salad Cons:
💥 Only really works for salads, not for dipping sauces, etc.
💥 Dressing touches some ingredients from the start
💥 Requires large mason jars or deli containers
4
Meal Prep Container With Built-In Dressing Compartment
Some specialized meal prep containers come with a dedicated sauce spot built right in, like this one pictured below. This means no extra pieces to store, and it all fits together easily. It can be so helpful if you like to keep everything all in one spot during storage too.
One thing to note: I bought these at Costco to test them out, and I still haven’t used them 😭 I always end up using the stainless steel cup instead, because it can fit into any other container.
If that tells you anything… but it’s all about what works for you!
Built-in Container Pros:
✅ All-in-one and made to fit together
✅ No risk of forgetting your sauce cup at home
✅ If you like a structured meal kit style, this is for you
Built-in Container Cons:
💥 You have to buy the whole container to get the feature
💥 Quite expensive compared to other containers
💥 No flexibility: the dressing spot is always there
5
Just Bring the Whole Bottle, lol
Maybe this one is obvious, maybe it isn’t…? But it has to be mentioned, because it’s an option!
No containers, no planning. Just grab the bottle and go. Works especially well if you have an office fridge or work from home. Just don’t spill it!
Bring The Bottle Pros:
✅ You won’t run out of dressing
✅ Great if you like extra dressing or don’t know how much you need
✅ No extra containers or cost for containers
Bring The Bottle Cons:
💥 You’re lugging a full bottle every day or week
💥 Yay shared work fridge! May be an issue or not
💥 Not super practical for homemade sauces
Best Tip for Packing Sauce in Your Lunch:
No matter what method you go with, one rule applies to them all: double check the seal of a new container with a quick water test before you pack it. Spilled dressing in your bag can be quite the day ruiner!
Erin at Peanut Butter & Fitness has even more ways to sauce it up. Browse her article 11 Sauces to Spruce Up Your Meal Prep!
The method you choose really comes down to your routine.
- If you’re packing lunch to take somewhere, the stainless steel cups are worth the small investment: they’ll pay for themselves quickly (by making your lunches restaurant worthy!).
- If you’re working from home, just grabbing the bottle totally makes sense too.
The goal is to actually use a sauce, not to overthink the container it travels in. Pick one method, try it this week, and adjust from there.
Happy meal prepping!
