Salads are a great option when trying to eat healthy and get adequate servings of the nutrients your body needs, especially vegetables. They can be simple to make, catered to meet your taste preferences, and a great meal to pack for lunch.
By following these simple tips, you can plan your meals ahead of time and look forward to your fresh salads.
Keeping It Fresh
Often, salads are not thought of something that you can plan and pack ahead of time because it can be difficult to keep it fresh and not soggy. One tip is to pack the salad dressing on the side. The salad dressing sitting on the salad makes it soggy.
Another way to keep salads fresh is by choosing your containers wisely. It is best to use airtight, leak proof containers.
Some people opt for using mason jars, which can be a cheaper choice. It can also be helpful to create the salad in layers with the greens at the top. If you choose to add the dressing to the salad ahead of time, it should be the bottom layer.
Unique Ideas
Salads can get boring if you are using the same ingredients everyday. To keep it unique, try a variety of salad recipes. You can use different toppings other than croutons.
For example, you can try topping with Tostitos or pita chips. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit are also healthy options. Meats (such as shredded chicken and tuna), seafood, boiled eggs, beans, and cheeses can add protein to your salad. It can be fun to try different things and give your taste buds a surprise.
For Lettuce Haters
Not everyone likes lettuce and often shy away from salads because of this. However, not all salads need lettuce. There are many salad recipes that call for noodles in lieu of lettuce. Pasta salad can be healthy if you use whole wheat pasta or create noodles out of vegetables.
For example, spaghetti squash can replace regular noodles for any pasta salad recipe. There are also salads that call for beans as the main ingredient. Of course, there is also taco salad, which can be created to meet your taste preferences.
Final Tips
If you want to meal prep and plan your salads for the week, here are some extra tips to follow:
- Use a salad spinner – This is going to remove excess water from your lettuce after you wash it, so it doesn’t make everything extra soggy.
- Get small containers for dressing – Keep your dressing separate in little containers that are easy to use when it’s time to eat your salad.
