Steps to Make Healthy, Delicious Salads

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Want to know a simple, delicious way to get your four servings of vegetables per day? Put together a nice, big salad.

At least one sizable salad every day is the perfect way to get your daily servings in all at once giving you flexibility with other meals and making sure you’re always on track with your daily nutrition requirements.

Yes, it’s that easy. Dietitian Laura Jeffers, MEd, RD, LD, gives some tips for creating endless salad combinations with ingredients that are both nutritious and delicious — with each ingredient chock full of the healthy nutrients listed in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

The basics of building a super-healthy salad

Start with local, seasonal produce from your farmer’s market or grocery store, then add protein and a healthy dressing and you’re good to go.

Follow this guide daily to optimize your metabolic health, energy and overall well-being!

1. Get your greens on

Lettuce: The greener, the better. Lettuces is packed with vitamin C, folic acid and potassium

Leafy greens — Jazz things up with spring mix, baby spinach and kale or arugula which are rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants.

Tip: Steer clear of iceberg and other pale lettuces. Their high water content means fewer nutrients.

2. Add some crunch

Celery rich in vitamin A

Cucumber packed with vitamin C

Purple cabbage full of vitamins A and C as well as iron

Pea pods rich in vitamins A and C and iron

Broccoli florets rich in vitamin C

Alfalfa sprouts, a great source of antioxidants

Sunflower seeds or Chia seeds rich in fiber and protein).

Walnuts or Almonds packed with fiber, protein and niacin).

Tip: Avoid croutons, tortilla strips, wonton strips and chow mein noodles. They’re high in fat and sodium and low in nutrients.

3. Create some color

Red, Orange, Yellow or Green Peppers are rich in vitamins C, B1, B2 and B6 as well as folate

Red Onion packed with fiber, phytochemicals

Pomegranate seeds rich in vitamins A, C and E, it also contains fiber, potassium, calcium and antioxidants

Tomatoes are rich in fiber, vitamins A, C and K, as well as potassium and manganese

Avocado has over 20 vitamins and minerals and heart-healthy fat).

Red, Purple or Yellow Beet Roots are high in folate

Tip: Add no more than 2 tablespoons of corn or peas per serving of salad. They’re high in starch just like bread.

4. Punch up the protein

Black beans, garbanzo beans or lentils are great source of fiber

Chicken or Lean Beef

Salmon or water-packed tuna are rich source of omega-3 fatty acids

Hard-boiled eggs known to be rich with Vitamins A, B5, B12, D, Calcium and many more

Low-fat feta cheese, blue cheese, goat cheese, parmesan or mozzarellas are all rich in calcium and vitamin D

Tofu is rich with heart-healthy fat and potassium

Tip: Full-fat cheeses are high in saturated fat. Try pairing small amounts of your favorite cheese with other proteins.

5. Freshen it up with fruit

Apple or pear slices are packed with vitamin C, flavonoids

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries are packed with fiber, flavonoids and vitamin C

Tip: Dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries, dates and raisins are higher in sugar than fresh fruit. A little goes a long way!

6. Let in some leftovers

Brussels sprouts contains vitamins C, A and B6 as well as folate

Asparagus rich in vitamins A, E and K and folate

Sweet potatoes high in vitamins A and C and manganese

Tip: White potatoes are high in starch, so add sliced sweet potatoes instead since they’re delicious raw and are super-crunchy like carrots.

7. Consult your cupboard

Black or Greek olives are high in vitamin E and healthy fat

Artichoke hearts rich in fiber, vitamin C and folic acid

Mushrooms rich in B vitamins and vitamin D

Tip: Remember to factor the salt, often high in canned goods, into your daily sodium intake.

8. Dress it up wisely

Lemon juice high in vitamin C and folate

Lime juice also high vitamin C, potassium.

Red wine or Balsamic vinegar.

Olive oil rich in heart-healthy fat

Tip: Use more vinegar and citrus, and less oil. Avoid high-calorie, high-fat Ranch, Thousand Island and French dressings.

On top of all that

Jeffers suggests if you don’t often eat salad, try starting with one or two a week. If that’s too much to start with, try experimenting with hearty bowls of grains, beans, egg, chicken or tuna, then add as many of the veggies mentioned above as you can.

Even fruit salads can at least help you get your 2 to 3 daily servings of fruit.

“After you wrap salads into your diet regularly you’ll be surprised at how you’ll begin to feel good about what you’re eating — and how creative you can get. Then, slowly build up to one each day, plus full-meal salads once or twice a week. You’ll soon have more energy and feel better than ever.”

Final tip: If you really don’t love salad, veggies in any form are fine — just make sure you get those 4 servings in any way you can!