Are you ready for a reason to love salad even more? Research shows that consuming small salads before meals not only increased vegetable intake by 23%, but also reduced daily calorie intake by 11% (1).
Plus, the salad is packed with filling fibers and your antioxidants, which can easily help you meet the macro.
So these are some of the best of salads. But one of the worst? Look at your beautiful crisp vegetables and get wilted and soaked before you eat them.
We were all there, but it doesn’t have to be.
A crisp salad starts with a smart meal plan. My clients who have achieved their goals make meal preparation a regular part of their daily lives. This includes a few simple salads each week.
Planning and preparing your salads in advance will help you eat more vegetables without spending hours in the kitchen every day!
Read my nutritionist approved tips to help stop salads from getting soaked all week.
About the experts
Brukel White, MS, RD I am the food data curator for MyFitnessPal. She received her Masters degree with Singles from San Diego State University and completed a nutrition internship at Sodexo. Her focus areas include metabolism, gut health, obesity and weight management.
Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT He is a nutrition expert, author of four cookbooks and is a pioneer of early nutrition in the field of birth nutrition nutrition. She is the president and owner of Shaw Simple Swaps, a US-based nutrition communications and consulting company.
Why do salads get soaked?
Have you ever opened your lunch and found a sad, flooded salad staring at you? Here’s why it happens and how to stop it:
- There’s too much water. Certain salad ingredients such as soft lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are packed with water. It’s great for hydration and low-calorie crunching, but not so good to stay crunch once prepared.
- Poor storage habits. Washing the greens is a must, but storing them while they are still wet is a fast track with wilted leaves. Rinse over time, thoroughly dry, and store ingredients properly to keep fresh all week.
9 Tips to Keep Your Salad Fresh
Are you tired of lettuce soaked? Try my preparation tips to help your salads be crisp, tasty and ready to eat all week.
- Use a salad spinner. Water is the enemy of crunches. Spinning immediately will dry out the greens and make the fresher longer. Rinse, spin, put dry. Even a little remaining water can lead to limp vegetables.
- Store the materials in separate glass containers (3)). Transparent containers help you prepare and remember. Airtight lids help prevent rot.
- Arrange the paper towels. Pop into containers to absorb moisture and extend the life of the greenery.
- Please inspect it before preparing. Start with fresh and crisp produce. Throw wilted things to avoid ruining the entire batch.
- Layer the ingredients. Add foods like tomatoes and cucumbers to the top with foods with high moisture content at the bottom of the container and dried ingredients such as beans and lettuce.
- Continue dressing on the sides. Wear a salad just before eating. (Unless it’s kale or grain-based. These hearty ingredients can benefit from absorbing flavor.)
- It tears through delicate greenery. Carrot-like heart content, but you need to tear the soft leaves, like butter lettuce, by hand.
- Do not overpack the container. Give the ingredients a little breathing chamber and leave them crisp.
- Add a crispy topping at the end. Store croutons, seeds and nuts individually to keep the texture just right.
Fresh salad ingredients all week
Choosing the right ingredients is half the fight when it comes to crisp salads from Monday to Friday.
Dietitians including Myfitnesspal’s Brookell White, MS RDN, recommend stocking the following for salads in the distance:
- cabbage
- Kale
- Roasted root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.)
- broccoli
- green pepper
- Cherry tomato (save the whole thing)
- Snap Peas
- Cooked grains (bulger, couscous, quinoa, etc.)
- Chick or lentils
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How long can you store a salad with food in your fridge?
Salads that have been consumed will last in the fridge for 3-5 days depending on the ingredients (4, 5). In the store where you purchased the salad, see the best dates for the salad.
Can I mix grain salads in advance?
Yes, you can, but avoid putting food that will quickly lose texture when thrown in an arugula-like dressing until you are ready to eat it. And be sure to store a little extra dressing in the reserve, as dense grains tend to absorb dressing during storage.
What is the best way to store salad dressings?
Homemade salad dressings should be stored in a tightly sealed, airtight container. The mason jar works well and you can easily take the dressing again before light raining over the salad.
How do I keep lettuce fresh and crispy after washing?
Thread the lettuce through a salad spinner and dry it with a clean paper towel. (Do you have a salad spinner? Shake water to dry.) Place lettuce between two dry paper towels and close and store in a reusable bag or airtight container in a drawer of fridge produce (4).
Conclusion
Salads make great vehicles for adding produce to your daily meals. Plus, they can easily eat in advance to save your sanity.
The key here is to choose the ingredients wisely and store the salad properly. Choose sturdy greens (like kale) and hearty whole grains (like bulgers) and prepare a crisp, fresh, hearty salad when ready for your meal. A favorable choice of fuel for everyone!
A post on how to prevent salads from getting soaked all week was first featured on the MyFitnessPal blog.
