If you’re trying to eat healthy, you know how convenient a salad bar can be. Unfortunately, that same old iceberg lettuce tossed with a few carrot shavings and cherry tomatoes can get a boring after while. Why not break out of salad bar boredom and add some real flavor punch to your greenery? Here are some salad bar ideas that’ll wake up your tired taste buds:
Salad bar ideas: Go Asian
Add an Asian influence to your next salad bar salad. Start with a bed of romaine lettuce and toss in some shreds of red cabbage. Add bean sprouts and water chestnuts along with a few mandarin orange slices. Throw in some shredded chicken for protein along with some edamame if your salad bar has this. If not, you can substitute kidney beans. If available, you can also add bamboo shoots and fresh snow peas. Top with an oil and vinegar or sesame ginger dressing. This will give you a well balanced, tasty salad.
Salad bar ideas: Go Greek
A Greek salad is easy to prepare at most salad bars. Start with a bed of fresh lettuce. Add cucumbers, garbanzo beans, cucumber slices, and a few cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with crumpled feta cheese. Top with olive oil and red wine vinegar or a prepared Greek or Italian salad dressing.
Salad bar ideas: Go fruity
Add some healthy, sweet strawberries to your salad bar salad. Start with a mixture of romaine and bib lettuce. Add fresh, sliced strawberries and cold cucumber slices. Lightly sprinkle with feta cheese and chopped walnuts. Top with a fruit based vinegar dressing or balsamic vinegar. For an even healthier variation, substitute spinach for the lettuce. You can also toss in other fruits such as apple slices, papaya, mango, or pineapple.
Salad bar ideas: Go Mexican
When you crave something a bit spicy, this salad is a nice alternative. Start with a bed of romaine lettuce. Add a light sprinkling of shredded cheese along with black beans and fresh salsa. Sprinkle with red peppers and a light serving of onions. The salsa can serve as your dressing but you can also add a touch of Thousand Island dressing or sour cream to give it extra flavor.
Salad bar ideas: Go Italian
To make this salad with a Mediterranean flair, start with a bed of romaine lettuce and arugula. Add fresh tomato slices, shredded carrots, and onions. Sprinkle with black olives and mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. If available, add a few anchovies. Top it off with a balsamic vinegar based dressing and extra virgin olive oil. Healthy and delicious!
There’s no need to get bored eating at the salad bar. Instead of blindly adding ingredients to your container, plan a theme salad before you arrive and change the theme on a daily basis. Pretty soon you’ll look forward to your daily trip to the salad bar.
