In the warmer months of Spring and Summer I often opt for a cool crisp salad for lunch. If you find yourself eating more and more salads as the weather gets warmer and warmer, then use these salad bar tips for the dos and don'ts of keeping that salad easy on your waistline.
- Do make your own salad (if possible).
Don't think that the pre-made salads are always going to be healthy. - Do get the darker leaf greens, like spinach, romaine, or arugula.
Don't fill your bowl with Iceberg lettuce — it offers little to nothing nutritionally. - Do load up on fresh veggies.
Don't load up on grilled veggies — grilled veggies at a salad bar are often coated with butter and oil.
I've got more tips for keeping a salad healthy so read more.
- Do get a simple olive oil and balsamic dressing on the side.
Don't drench your salad in a creamy dressing — even low fat creamy dressings are loaded with sodium. - Do throw a few raw nuts on top.
Don't throw a salad on top of your salad — tuna, egg and chicken salads are loaded with mayonnaise. - Do add a protein like ahi tuna, hard boiled eggs or baked chicken breast.
Don't add bacon bits as your protein.
Dwell
Robert Clergerie
Forzieri
mmmm salads! They can be oh so yum!
1Mmmmm tuna.
2Awww bacon bits don't count as protein? haha
3I like to add a little avacado to my salads just to add some of that creaminess. Not a lot, just a bit.
I always get the prepackaged salads at West Side Market that come with a simple oil or vinegar dressing. I love my red onions and spinach!
4Yay I abide by all of this already... sweet!
5what about cottage cheese? is that a Do or a Don't?
Sometimes when a place doesn't carry the kind of dressing I like (I usually like red wine vinegarette or olive oil)...I use a small spoon of cottage cheese instead. It ads a bit of flavor (saltiness) adn keeps my salad from being too "dry"
everything else...I already follow
6and I actually prefer a bowl full of baby spinach leaves to lettuce...it tastes better!
oh yeah, one more question~ are sunflower seeds bad? I know they aren't in large amounts...but most places don't carry nuts..just sunflower seeds....
My favorite is almonds! I love almonds in my salad...
7oh yeah, one more question~ are sunflower seeds bad? I know they aren't in large amounts...but most places don't carry nuts..just sunflower seeds....
My favorite is almonds! I love almonds in my salad...
8good tips - i love the irony when my friends order a caesar salad and think they're being so "healthy"! or the salads at wendy's with the chicken trips on top! you're just substituting lettuce and creamy dressing for fries, and while it probably doesn't taste as good, it's the same amount of calories!
9I've never liked dressing on my salads and always have dried cranberries or blueberries and nuts that I add to the salad for some tasty texture.
10chicken *strips sorry!
11I agree with all of those - I always laugh when girls at my school buy a big salad and covers it in creamy dressing, the think they're eating so healthy when its in fact just as bad as fast food
12MiyaBi_na, good questions. Both are good salad options. Cottage cheese is a good choice because it's high in protein, calcium and potassium, but can be high in sodium and fat so use it sparingly (or opt for the low fat or non-fat version).
A handful of sunflower seeds supply significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium, as well cholesterol lowering fats and Phytosterols. Again, don't go overboard because they are also high in fat and calories when consumed in large quantities.
13Thanks Fit! Now I'm sure about my choices!
14mmm tuna make me think of a spicy tuna sushi roll!
yum!
but yeah, you'd be surprised how unhealthy a salad can be when you add dressings
15I didn't even think to use ahi tuna in my salad until this month. It was great. A strip with spinach, tomatoes and balsamic vingarette and my day gets a little happier.
16I always use baby spinach and mixed greens in my salad--I hate iceberg lettuce.
I always throw in cucumbers, carrots, green beans, radishes, and a little feta cheese. Lately, I've also been adding some sunflower seeds, walnuts, and artichokes.
17Sometimes I just want a creamy dressing like Thousand Island so I always get a little on the side and lightly dip into it. That way I can satisfy that want and keep the fat and calories low
My freshman year of college I use to see kids hit up the salad bar all the time and pile on every type of topping possible and the fattiest dressings at that point I think they should have just opted for a cheeseburger
18I usually make my own dressing with a little bit of olive oil (like 2 Tbsp) and about a 1/3 cup of vinegar and a cup of water and a packet of Italian dressing seasoning mix. Shake it really well and you get a good lowfat dressing. I also like to top my salads with nuts and sometimes grilled chicken or tuna to up the protein content. I don't get it when I see people getting salads at restaurants thinking they're healthy and dousing them in Ranch dressing and covering it with loads of cheese and croutons. That pretty much cancels out any nutritional benefit that the salad might have had in the first place.
19I generally make my own salad but when I go to a place like Sweet Tomatoes I make my money count with raw spinach.
20love a good salad, so refreshing and you feel alot better afterwards.
21I pretty much do that stuff already which is good
Tell me fit sugar in a Greek salad are olives and fetta bad?
I love a good salad. And I must say I make a pretty mean one. Thanks for all the tips Fit.
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