Are you trying to get more veggies into your diet on a daily basis? Follow these easy steps to meal prep for perfect salads! Get it done on the weekend and enjoy nutritious salads for lunch during the week.
Hey guys! Happy Tasty Tuesday!
Let’s talk meal prep today, shall we?
I gave up massive meal prep a while ago – as in “make 5 entrees for 5 work days with snacks” massive. I still meal prep though – it just makes my life SO much easier if I do, but I like spending my weekend out and about rather than in the kitchen. If you do too, read on!
I love me a beautiful salad for lunch during the week. If I eat salad once a day I’m pretty much good with my veggie intake. Throw in some fruit/vegetable snack and you’re totally covered!
So here’s a little guide for you on how to meal prep on the weekend to transform your week night salad making into a breeze.
5 Things to Meal Prep for Perfect Salads
{ONE} Base
To me, the deciding factor towards NOT making a salad for the next day’s lunch in the evening is having to chop the lettuce. I hate chopping lettuce.
So I put all that hatred aside once on Sunday night and chop enough for at least 2-3 days (otherwise it doesn’t last as well if you prep for 5 days), and once on Wednesday night.
If you don’t like lettuce as a base for your salads, wash and dry spinach, kale or whatever greens you prefer, pack them in air tight containers, and stack in your fridge all ready for the rest of the salad to be added on top. You might have to get yourself a Salad Spinner to make this part of the process easier and quicker.
{TWO} Protein
I usually opt for chicken breast here, but if you prefer steak or a vegetarian option like tofu – prep that. My chicken breast usually gets thrown into a zip lock bag, covered in curry powder, left at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then grilled. And voila!
Add some feta cheese when you put your salad together for added protein or hard boil some eggs (my favorite).
If you prefer fish as your source of protein, pan sear some salmon and throw together this Salmon Salad with Grapefruit.
{THREE} Veggie Punch
Time to get creative! Chop up some of your favorite vegetables to go into your salads during the week and store them in the fridge in air tight containers with a little bit of cold water. I like me some celery and cherry tomatoes in my salads:
So I cut up celery and carrots in sticks and then chop them as needed for my salads during the week thus hitting two things: snacks (veggie sticks + homemade hummus) and ingredients for salads.
{FOUR} Healthy Fats
I eat a whole avocado pretty much every day. Usually half of it goes onto my toast in the morning, and another half – into my salad. I’ll eat one on the side with my lunch, too if I am so inclined 🙂 Unfortunately, there is no good way to prep avocados in advance unless you like them old and brown 🙂 So just go ahead and throw them in your salad when you make it.
{FIVE} Crunch!
Crunch is vitally important for me in my salads 🙂 Now the important part is keeping that crunch healthy. I use seeds and nuts to add crunch to my salads, and you know what? They add amazing flavor if you toast them in an ungreased pan for a bit. Look at this beauty:
And now you guys are all set to meal prep for making perfect salads during the week. Tell the world:
Tell us what’s cooking this week by adding your link to the linkup below!
Remember to go over to A Hungry Runner today and check out what she’s cooking!
Have a great week, guys, and eat well!
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Love these tips for prepping salad lunches – I really need to eat more salads, meal prepping like this would make that so much more achievable…otherwise I just end up with a sandwich or something boring :\
Kyra @ Vie De La Vegan recently posted…Vegan Baked Spring Rolls
Kyra, prepping is what helps me stay on track with eating healthy lunches. Otherwise it’s just grab and go. God knows what’s at hand to grab 🙂 Usually NOT salad 🙂
All of these salads look fantastic! Now I am craving one for lunch! 🙂
Annmarie recently posted…Meatless Monday: Breakfast Wafflewich + Nicole’s Naturals Giveaway
That was my intent 🙂 Thank you, Annmarie 🙂
Oh yumm! All of your salads look absolutely delicious! Great tips and thank you so much for hosting 🙂
Yuliya recently posted…Delicious (paleo) Tuna salad
My pleasure 🙂
Salads have a stigma for being boring and unhealthy, but don’t have to be! This post is making me want to get a good salad for lunch, and I really need to start meal prepping them too…….
Ali A recently posted…Life: You’re Doing it Wrong
Unhealthy salads? Never heard of those 🙂 I guess it depends on what you put in it. Thanks for stopping by, Allison 🙂
Your salads always look so delicious! Great prep ideas. And yes, I pretty much eat a whole avocado every day, too. YUM!
Jennifer recently posted…It’s American Heart Month! Add these tasty foods to add to your diet, stat!
Great post! Definitely a good reminder for me to try to prep just easy ingredients that I can mix and match since I hate prepping full meals and having them sit all together for a couple days!
Lauren recently posted…Cupid’s Undie Run Baltimore 2015
Glad you found it useful, Lauren 🙂
Hi Lena,
I really enjoyed your salad prep tips. You are so right! Planning and prep are key to sticking to our diet and health goals. I am sharing and pinning this post. Today I am sharing Agave Ginger Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry, Seared Tempeh with Rosemary Fig Sauce & Healing Cuisines: The Future of Food. All the best, Deborah
Deborah Davis recently posted…Live It Up at the Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Blog Hop #54
Thank you, Deborah! I look forward to reading your posts!
I’m obsessed with avocados as well. I am trying to be better with the prep aspect.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie-Meatless Monday
Sometimes life gets in the way, and it’s ok as long as you get right back on track with it 🙂
MY FAVORITE salad HANDS DOWN = Salad Nicoise! Seared Tuna, Hard Boiled Eggs, Butter Lettuce, Capers, Anchovies, Green Beans, Olives, Bell Peppers… Mmmmm I also add Artichoke Hearts and drizzle olive oil over the top. So Flipping good! 🙂
GiGi Eats recently posted…Meghan Trainor, HP and I #BendTheRules
I need to start eating more salads=) and those look yummy, pinning it!
Love Keil (MunchkinTime) recently posted…Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
You can really make a salad look appetizing! Love your meal prep ideas. I too am not willing to give up a Sunday to meal prep, so I am just a day ahead at a time usually. I am REALLY struggling with organic avocados coming straight from the store and already brown. Ugh! Love me some avocados.
Joli Tripp recently posted…12 Tips to Get More Veggies in Your Diet…and Love Them!
First of all , thank you so much for sharing . I love to visit this amazing blog, exactly what I need , very inspiring. Salads YUM!!!
xxx
http://www.noragouma.com
I’m a bit late to the party on this post, but I AM DROOLING OVER YOUR SALADS. I never eat salads, but sometimes I use my kale and all my prepped ingredients and make one, hence as you said “not having the items” is the whole reason why people don’t eat them. I LOVE CRUNCH in mine, sometimes I add sesame seeds 🙂
amber recently posted…National Eating Disorder Awareness Week
🙂 So glad you liked them, Amber! 🙂