Salads don’t have to be boring! Keep your lunch packed with flavor and health during those busy weeks with this super simple Summertime Salad Prep tips.
I love salads, and I love variety. That is why when tossing together my lunches on the go I go crazy with the ingredients. Having a bunch of different ingredients washed, chopped up and ready to go, not only adds the variety I crave, but also makes staying healthy easy during a busy week.
Simply spend a little time on the weekend meal prepping. Chop up veggies, cook meats, anything else you can do ahead of time so that as the week goes you can toss together some healthy meals in a matter of minutes.
To ensure variety along with a rainbow of nutrients grab 1-3 ingredients from each of the following categories…
4 cups of salad greens. Choose from…
| Romaine lettuce | Spinach | Belgium endive | Purple cabbage |
| Radicchio | Green Leaf lettuce | Arugula | Escarole |
| Iceberg lettuce | Curly endive | Cabbage | Red leaf lettuce |
| Red Cabbage | Basil | Cilantro | Parsley |
Toss in ½ cup each of your favorite toppings…
| Diced tomatoes | Bell peppers | Carrots | Cucumber slices |
| Broccoli | Green onions | Cauliflower | Radishes |
| Corn | Roasted Sweet Potato | Edamame | Microgreens |
| Celery | Fennel | Green Beans | Jicama |
| Kolrabi | Leeks | Mushrooms | Onions |
| Parsnips | Peppers | Snow Peas | Sprouts |
| Squash | Zucchini | Water chestnuts | Watercress |
| Avocados | Oranges slices | Dried fruit | Apples, diced |
| Grapes | Peaches | Pomegranate | Mango |
Add a little protein (3 oz.)…Drizzle with your favorite dressing
| Cooked Chicken | Cooked Shrimp | Fish | Hard-boiled Eggs* |
| Cheese/Nut Cheese* | Pecans* | Sunflower Seeds* | Walnuts* |
| Sesame Seeds* | Cashews* | Flaxseed* | Pine nuts* |
| Pumpkin seeds* | Brazil nuts* | Pistachios* | Almonds* |
*Vegetarian
Feel free to get creative an add any ingredients you have on hand and your summertime salad prep will never be boring again!