Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN
Key Points
Prepping a DIY salad bar saves time and encourages eating more vegetables throughout the week.
Include a variety of greens, shredded veggies, proteins and toppings to keep salads exciting and nutritious.
Homemade dressings add flavor and help absorb nutrients, but store-bought options can work too.
A few years ago, an editor from EatingWell interviewed actor and chef David Burtka. One of our go-to celebrity questions is, “What’s always in your fridge?” And Burtka’s answer was so different from the usual response of favorite condiments or beverages. He said, “A salad bar.”
Oh! What a good idea, I thought. Although I do think salad kits are convenient (and I often buy them at Costco), they’re not my first choice for making a salad. And I don’t love most clamshells of mixed greens (is it just me or are they already rotten and slimy by the time you get home?). So the idea of making my own salad bar in the fridge really spoke to me.
Growing up, we almost always had a basic side salad at dinner. And nowadays, I like to eat salad for lunch. But between the washing, drying, chopping and mixing, making a salad from scratch can feel time-consuming.
But if everything was ready to go in the fridge, there weren’t any excuses, right? I decided to try Burtka’s brilliant idea. I sat down with my family to discuss what we wanted for our salads. If I was going to spend precious time over the weekend on this project, I wanted to make sure we’d eat it! Then I got to work.
I was surprised that it didn’t take as long as I anticipated to do the prep work (usually just 30 minutes, but it could take an hour if I was being really creative). Now it’s easy to add a side salad to dinner, which helps us get closer to the recommended 400 grams of fruits and vegetables each day. And our 14-year-old can throw together a salad to bring to school for lunch or to eat over the weekend.
Here are the five categories that I prep or buy each week to make my salad bar in the fridge.
1. It’s All About the Base
Any good salad starts with a base of leafy greens. As I mentioned, I’m not the biggest fan of the plastic tubs of mixed salad greens, but a few local farms sell mixes that last longer, so I will buy those if I’m short on time. Otherwise, I buy two heads of lettuce, often red leaf and romaine, along with a head of radicchio for color and crunch, and wash and dry them at home. I separate the leaves rather than tear them into bite-size pieces, which I found makes them last longer. And I just rip the radicchio into quarters. Then I put them all into a sealable bag along with a couple paper towels to wick away any excess moisture. Sometimes I’ll throw some kale leaves in there too. Voila—our salad base!
2. The Other Veggies
This category can vary a bit week to week, but there are two things I always prep: shredded veggies and red cabbage. First, I get out my food processor and shred carrots, radishes and beets. This combo adds color to our salads, plus anti-inflammatory nutrients like beta carotene (carrots), betalains (beets) and isothiocyanate (radishes). Then I thinly slice a bowl of red cabbage, rich in anti-inflammatory phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Other veggies I like to prep include chopped broccoli and cauliflower, shaved Brussels sprouts and sliced onion (I even make pickled onions if I have time). I tend to keep cucumbers and tomatoes on hand, but we just cut them as we make our salads, so they stay fresh longer—and it only takes a minute or two to chop them.
3. Extras, Extras
While croutons are an obvious choice, the sky’s the limit here. Sometimes I make my salad for the next day’s lunch while I’m cleaning up after dinner, and when I do, I divert leftover bits I wouldn’t normally save (think: a slice or two of steak, a scoop of roasted cauliflower, a spoonful of rice) into my salad bowl. If I want something really bright and fresh, I’ll top a salad with diced avocado and segments of clementines or mandarins. Pomegranate arils, seeds and chopped nuts add crunch, as do fried onions, like the ones you sprinkle on top of green bean casserole. And don’t forget cheese, olives and pickled vegetables.
4. Pack In Some Protein
Protein is essential for those lunchtime salads, but I’ve also been known to add some to our dinner salads. We’re all trying to eat more protein, so adding marinated beans or shredded chicken can help us reach our goals. If I’m poaching or grilling chicken or cooking ground meat for lettuce wraps or tacos, I make more so we can add some to our salads. I’m also a fan of store-bought packages of smoked or seasoned tofu. If I have time, I will make my own—this Honey-Balsamic Roasted Tofu is a family favorite. Beans are also a go-to source of plant-based protein. I’ll marinate some or make a dense bean salad to scoop onto a bed of greens. Crunchy seasoned chickpeas are a great topper too—usually I buy them, but I have been known to make my own too. And finally, don’t forget canned fish—sardines, salmon and tuna are all budget-friendly, shelf-stable options.
5. Dressed for Success
A good salad dressing not only adds more flavor to your bowl but also helps your body absorb certain nutrients, like the lycopene in tomatoes and the vitamin A in carrots. I like to have two salad dressing options on hand to keep things from getting monotonous. I almost always shake up a batch of Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette, but a few other favorites include Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette, Green Goddess Dressing and Ginger-Sesame Dressing. While I like to make my own to have more control over calories and sodium, I usually have at least one bottle of store-bought salad dressing in the fridge, notably Brianna’s Real French Vinaigrette or Saucy Ginger Mandarin Dressing.
Read the original article on EatingWell