Whether you’re packing lunch to take to work, cruising a salad bar, or putting together a no-cook summer supper, a big salad can be the healthiest meal of your day. But it’s also possible for salads to miss the mark. If certain key ingredients are missing, your salad may be little more than a bowl of chewable water that leaves your stomach growling after 45 minutes. At the other end of the spectrum, too many high-calorie, low-nutrition ingredients can turn a salad into a dietary disaster.
Here’s how to build a great salad, one that delivers lots of good nutrition without too many calories, and also keeps you satisfied until your next meal.
Step One: Build a Better Base
You don’t necessarily have to build your salad on a bed of leaves, but if you do, make sure those greens are pulling their weight. In addition to the ubiquitous romaine lettuce, mix in some more nutrient-dense options such as arugula, spinach, baby kale, or even a handful of basil, mint, or other fresh herbs.
See also: Are Herbs Good for You?
Step Two: Add a Rainbow
Next, add an assortment of colorful vegetables. Cucumbers and radishes are great for crunch and flavor. But to really up the nutritional ante, go for shredded carrots, red and orange peppers, tomatoes, scallions, mushrooms, and/or caulifower. (Even though they are both pale in color, mushrooms and cauliflower are both packed with nutrients.) You can also add leftover cooked vegetables, such as steamed asparagus or broccoli, roasted butternut squash, sauteed green beans, or whatever else may be on hand.
Fruits like berries, oranges, pomegranates, and kiwi are also great on salads, although you’ll want to consider the overall flavor profile of the greens and other toppings. Spinach and berries make a better pairing than scallions and kiwi.
