It’s that time of the year when we are all trying get more vegetables into our diets on a regular basis and salads are one of my favorite ways to get a variety of plants into my body all in one meal. When done right, a salad should be nutritious, filling, and full of flavors and textures. There will be no boring salads allowed on my watch which is why I am going to share my top ten tips when it comes to making a salad that you will find yourself wanting on a regular basis. Not only that, but I have also compiled my favorite toppings too! I am going to teach you how to build a better salad so that you will never eat a boring salad again.

The key is to get creative with your salads! Don’t be afraid to play around with textures and flavors. I love using what I have in my fridge to create any sort of salad I might be craving. I like to keep a variety of these favorite salad toppings and a mixture of greens in my refrigerator every week because I love being able to make an easy salad for lunch or dinner. I also keep my pantry stocked with grains like farro and quinoa as well as a variety of canned beans to instantly give my salad some substance if I don’t have any other proteins on hand.

I can’t wait for you to up your salad game and learn to enjoy eating salad for any meal!

1. Choose your Greens:

• Mixed Lettuces

• Romaine

• Spinach

• Kale

• Iceberg (for a wedge)

2. Add a Protein:

• Chicken (grilled, roasted, etc)

• Beef

• Seafood

• Bacon

• Boiled Eggs

• Beans (chickpea, black, pinto, navy)

• Cheese (feta, blue, white cheddar, mozzarella)

3. Add other vegetables:

• Cucumbers

• Beets (roasted, canned, or pickled)

• Bell Peppers

• Onion

• Tomatoes

• Carrots

• Celery

• Roasted Vegetables

• Corn (fresh or cooked)

• Avocado

4. Add Something Crunchy:

• Nuts and Seeds

• Granola

• Tortilla Chips

• Croutons

5. Add in a Grain:

• Farro

• Quinoa

• Pasta

• Rice

6. Add in some Fruit:

• Berries

• Apples

• Peaches

• Pears

• Dried Fruit

• Pomegranates

7. Add Fresh Herbs:

• Fresh Dill (my fave)

• Basil

• Mint

• Cilantro

8. Add in some extras:

• Pepperoncini Peppers

• Olives

• Salsa

• Other Pickled Vegetables

9. Pick a Good Dressing:

• My top favorite homemade dressings here!

10. Pick a Theme to guide you with flavors:

• Taco Salad

• Greek Salad

• Antipasto Salad

• Ceasar Salad

• Wedge Salad

• Buffalo Chicken

• Asian Salad

• Hodge Podge Salad (this is where I look into my fridge and add all the leftover veggies from the week to make a salad and usually ends up being my fave!)

There are so many varieties and options for salads, so feel free to go wild! You really can’t mess up a salad as long as you think about the flavor combinations. Think salty with a touch of sweet (add a fruit) etc. With these ten tips, you should be able to make a delicious salad that you will always enjoy and will walk away feeling satisfied!