Salads are a FANTASTIC meal idea if you’re trying to lose weight because they are high volume (lots of food to keep you feeling full) for a lower amount of calories (as long as you choose nutritious toppings in smart portions).

Plus, they’re EASY to make and prep ahead of time for busy weeks. Seriously, you throw all the ingredients EXCEPT for the creamy foods into a bowl, and then add the creamy ingredients when you’re ready to eat!

However, eating a salad does NOT mean that you’re only grazing on lettuce and carrots.

Check out my best tips to make salads taste DELICIOUS while still keeping them NUTRITIOUS:

1. Choose a green base to start: romaine, iceberg, spinach, arugula, etc. 🥬
2. Add veggies for volume (carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumber, radishes, etc.) 🥕
3. Add protein to keep you feeling full (lean meats, hardboiled eggs, tofu, beans, salmon, tuna, lentils) 🐟
4. Add something sweet for flavor (apples, strawberries, grapes, dried fruits, etc.) 🍓
5. Add something crunchy for texture (almonds, walnuts, unsalted peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds) 🥜
6. Add something that is naturally salty for flavor (olives, roasted chickpeas, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes) 🧂
7. Add a dollop of something creamy (avocado, vinaigrette-based dressings, salsa, greek-yogurt based dressings) 🥑

Do YOU have any favorite salad ingredients or combinations that make delicious, nutritious salads?!