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We’ve all seen them and probably also tried them. Those custom salad spots can be very addictive. There’s a bunch of options in most major cities, and they often have a similar business model – pay a flat fee for a base of lettuce and a certain number of basic toppings, then pay extra for everything beyond that.
Generally, meats and cheeses are a premium topping at extra cost, but adding something like avocado could run you $3 extra for just a few pieces. Before you know it, your light and refreshing lunch salad is teetering around $15. That’s before picking up a beverage. And it’s even more if you get it delivered and need to figure in those extra fees.
Add up that cost per week or month (or year, if you are feeling bold) and the numbers can be shocking – and prohibitively expensive for anyone on a budget and trying not to go broke on a diet of chopped kale and feta.
A Salad Solution: Meal Prep Your Salad At Home
We’ve chatted a lot about meal prep, but I think it’s a concept we often associate with those hearty cold-weather casseroles and stews that can be made in big slow cooker batches and portioned out throughout the week. That’s great during the winter months, but the same concept can be reimagined for salads – and that’s something that we can do year-round, but should especially try during the lighter and more produce-focused summer months.
Meal prepping salads is so fun because we can really make it what we want it to be. On a Sunday afternoon, I have a tradition of making some sort of protein that I can build these salads around. This week, it was air fryer roast chicken, but other weeks it may be fish or chicken breasts I grilled in bulk. It’s whatever you have handy (which just may be what happens to be on sale at the grocery store that week). From there, I’ll incorporate fresh herbs from my window garden (important for adding layers of flavor and keeping things fresh and seasonal), and whatever fresh produce I have on hand. This varies, too, as whether I make salads with romaine or kale in a given week is probably related to what was on sale when I went shopping that weekend! I also make a homemade salad dressing and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. It is fresh and tasty and saves you money off the bottled stuff – not to mention it tastes a whole lot better.
Meal prepping salads is so fun because we can really make it what we want it to be. On a Sunday afternoon, I have a tradition of making some sort of protein that I can build these salads around. This week, it was air fryer roast chicken, but other weeks it may be fish or chicken breasts I grilled in bulk. It’s whatever you have handy (which just may be what happens to be on sale at the grocery store that week). From there, I’ll incorporate fresh herbs from my window garden (important for adding layers of flavor and keeping things fresh and seasonal), and whatever fresh produce I have on hand. This varies, too, as whether I make salads with romaine or kale in a given week is probably related to what was on sale when I went shopping that weekend! I also make a homemade salad dressing and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. It is fresh and tasty and saves you money off the bottled stuff – not to mention it tastes a whole lot better.
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Once I have all these odds and ends ready to go, it’s time to start prepping those quick-and-easy (and ready to grab and go!) lunchtime salads.
I like to assemble the salads and create individual portions that I keep in airtight food storage containers, all ready to go – however I don’t add the dressing to the greens at this point. As these will be chopped up fresh vegetables and may also include proteins or cheeses, you don’t want to store them for more than three to four days. But they should be crisp and tasty for that long as long as they are well-stored. Many people keep their toppings in separate containers or mason jars and assemble the day of, but I honestly think it’s smart to have it all good to go beforehand — get all the work out of the way at once! Mason jars can also be used as the complete salad holder, rather than the container, if you want to make Mason Jar salads, which are super fun too and a way of having all the ingredients layered and self-contained — ready to add dressing, give it a shake to mix, and go.
What to Put In Your Meal Prep Salad
That all depends on what you personally enjoy. Mine usually involve a base of romaine or chopped kale, but I sometimes shake things up with butter lettuce or a fun mini wedge situation if I have a cool, crisp iceberg in the mix. There’ll be basic ingredients like shallot or green onion chopped in, and cucumbers and tomatoes, which offer color – as well as a crunch factor. I love a tortilla strip, crouton or a fried onion frizzle (Trader Joe’s makes a great option for this and a can lasts for MONTHS of prep.) What I add beyond that depends on what I have, but it may be a meal prepped protein source such as that roast chicken, or some crumbled feta or mozzarella. However, a can of beans can work great in this as well (chickpeas make a yummy salad topper!). If I have some peppers or carrots, I may slice some in, and I’ll often add avocado – though those turn quickly, so that’s added as a final touch. You’ll want to chop everything to bite-sized pieces, as the idea is to make things as easy as possible when it’s time to dig in.
Why Pre-Make Salad?
Storing salads in advance is fresh and convenient, but it also saves a lot of money. It tastes a lot better than those bagged pre-chopped salads you can buy in the store, and saves tons off buying a salad at a restaurant or takeout spot.
How to Keep the Salad Tasting Fresh
This is probably an obvious answer, but only use fresh vegetables. You never want to meal prep with veggies that have been sitting around for a week, because they are already on their last legs to start out with. Using fresh, crisp vegetables will keep them fresh longer. Investing in a salad spinner may be a good idea as this helps keep those leafy greens dry after washing them, and dry lettuce will stay fresh longer and also adhere to salad dressings better.
How to Keep Costs Down
Never buy pre-shredded or chopped vegetables. Those are convenience foods and cost more for it. To add insult to injury, they also don’t stay fresh as long! Buy produce fresh and on sale and chop/shred it yourself by investing in a good chef’s knife and a cutting board. If you can grow your own, that’s even better. I have an Aerogarden for my fresh herbs and a Lettuce Grow hydroponic that I use for items ranging from lettuce to tomatoes!
Should You Freeze Prepped Salads?
I know it’s tempting to take this to the next level and make a BUNCH of salads and throw them in the freezer. No one wants to eat frozen lettuce that’s then been thawed. Just don’t do it. However, if you have cooked proteins in the freezer, those can be frozen and then thawed and chopped into your containers of salad blend. That works just fine!
Meal prepping salad once a week will take maybe 45 minutes out of your day, and have you set for a whole work week. You’ll keep things fresh and healthy – and save a shocking amount of money off your monthly food budget. Why not give it a try?
The post Don’t Spend a Fortune at Those Salad Places: How I Build My Own Salads At Home appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
