Did you know that you could take cooking classes dedicated just to salads? My husband thought that sounded rather depressing, but my best friend and I signed right up! We learned a lot about different types of salads and we got to try a bunch, too. It was great! (Check your closest university to see if they offer any mini-courses. I’ve taken about 4 cooking classes that were each on a weeknight from 6:00-9:00 P.M. My best friend and I do them together and it’s great just to get out for the night.)
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my salad posts on Sundays. Over the past few months, I’ve gotten some questions about them so I figured I’d spill all the details here to answer the most common questions.
- How do you keep them fresh?
- I honestly don’t do anything special. I use baby spinach as my base and I think that helps. I make 5 salads on Sunday and eat them Monday-Friday. They are just as fresh on Friday as they were on Monday. I’ve never once had an issue with freshness. When I pack them, I use two little ice packs to keep them cool until lunchtime.
- How long does it take to prepare them?
- I’ve timed myself on a few occasions and it usually takes between 20-30 minutes.
- Time-saving tips –
- Buy carrot matchsticks
- Buy hardboiled eggs already cooked and peeled
- Buy cooked Perdue Chicken Shortcuts
- Buy veggies you can steam in the microwave then toss in
- Don’t put ingredients away – make your salads as soon as you get home from the store.
- Do they fill you up and hold you over until dinner?
- Yes, but I add protein and I also pack a side to go with it. I typically pack a yogurt and sometimes a little something extra.
- Some side ideas include:
- Yogurt
- Unslated pretzels (with mustard)
- 1-minute microwavable rice
- A small container of leftovers
- Fruit
- Half a sandwich
- Cottage cheese
- Half a bagel with cream cheese
- Scrubbed sweet potato
- Egg/potato/macaroni/pasta salad
- Yes, but I add protein and I also pack a side to go with it. I typically pack a yogurt and sometimes a little something extra.
- What do you put in them?
- STANDARD INGREDIENTS I USE EVERY TIME-
- Big container of baby spinach
- 1 Cucumber
- 1-2 Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Shaved almonds
- FREQUENTLY MIXED IN –
- Garbanzo beans
- Shredded cheese
- Steamed sweet peas
- Steamed sugar snap peas
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Leftover turkey taco meat
- Chicken breast
- Hardboiled eggs
- Leftover pasta noodles
- Dried cranberries
- Turkey bacon
- Deli meat (ham/turkey – ask them to slice it really thick so you can cube it)
- What kind of salad dressing do you use?
- I’ve been experimenting with homemade dressings and I’ve really been liking them. I ordered this dressing container that comes with a bunch of healthy recipes that are great. I’ve also just mixed some balsamic dressing with brown mustard and a bit of avocado oil. It’s so simple but really good. These little dressing containers have been game-changers. I hate packing dressings because no matter what you do, the container gets oily and they rub off all over your lunchbox. These new little containers shoot the dressing out and don’t drip at all. They’re perfect!
Extra tips and info
- Don’t chop Romaine lettuce with a metal knife. It will retain that metal flavor.
- Switch things up! Don’t let your salads become mundane. Switch out what you’re adding from time to time so you don’t get bored with them.
- Make your salads on Sunday as soon as you get home from the store. Don’t even put your produce away; just get it done. I personally know that if I don’t make them Sunday, there’s a 95% chance I won’t make them all week and I’ll end up wasting a lot of fresh produce.
- When I know I’m going to have a long or particularly rough day, I like to pack a little treat for myself like a piece of chocolate, cookie, or some sweet Lebanon bologna. I am definitely someone who is food-motivated and this really brightens my day lol.
- If you’re extra short on time, grab some premade salads. I love the Santa Fe chicken salads.
- MY BIGGEST TIP – Don’t deprive yourself! There are days I smother my salads in thousand island dressing, croutons, or whatever else makes my heart happy. If you’re not feeling full, pack a more filling side like half a sandwich on whole-wheat bread. The whole reason I started packing salads wasn’t for weight loss, it was for all of the nutrients they provide. I didn’t initially care if they were high in calories because I knew I was still getting a lot of healthy benefits. Now I’ve found a happy medium between deliciousness and healthiness.
COST ESTIMATE FOR FIVE SALADS –
* Prices from our local Wal*Mart
– Carrots – $0.98
– Broccoli – $1.11
– Baby Spinach – $3.48
– Cucumber – $0.68
– Bell Pepper – $0.76
– Grape Tomatoes – $1.98
– Perdue Short Cuts Chicken – $3.98
– 6 Hard-boiled eggs – $1.97
TOTAL COST – $14.94 for 5! Less than $3.00 a salad
I hope that helped 🙂
If you have any tips or questions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section!
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