BUILDING BETTER SALADS
Biggest Health Challenge Presentation
Health Food Perception
Salads are often thought of as “health food”
This can be a misconception:
Applebee’s
Oriental Chicken Salad, Regular 1390 calories 98g fat
Grilled Chicken Caesar, Regular 820 calories 57g fat
TGI-Friday’s
Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad 1080 calories and 71g fat
Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad (dressing not included)
580 calories 34g fat
Fast Food Salads
McDonalds
 Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken


450 calories & 21g fat (without dressing)
Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled chicken

290 calories & 8g fat (without dressing)
Culvers
 Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad with Grilled Chicken
360 calories & 12g fat (without dressing)
 Raspberry Vinaigrette= 45 calories & 0 fat (4 TBSP)
 Ranch= 230 calories & 24g fat (4 TBSP)

Salads Can Be Healthy!
The Research
 Those
who ate salad, raw vegetables and dressing have
higher intake of




Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Vitamin C
Folate
Help reach your FIVE fruits and vegetables a day
Filling and can be low calorie
Where We Go Wrong
Salads can take a turn for the worst when we add
 Too much fat
 Too much salt
And
 Too much sugar
Watch the extras: crunchy toppers like croutons,
crispy noodles, seeds & nuts and bacon bits can
add a lot of calories
Lets Look at Building A Better Salad
Ingredients make the difference
Types of lettuce
Low in nutrients:
 Iceberg
Good source of nutrients:
 Romaine
 Leaf
 Butterhead
 Spring Mix
Want to add more nutrients?!
Fill lettuce with …
 Spinach
 Cabbage
 Kale
 Arugula
Toppings
Fruits and vegetables are good choices:
Vegetables
 Asparagus, beets, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber,
olives, mushrooms, onions, peas, peppers, tomatoes,
zucchini
Fruit
 Figs, raisins, apples, pears, citrus, berries, mandarin
oranges
These foods are low to moderate in calories. Few
exceptions such as avocados and olives. Also provide
fiber to your diet.
Toppings
Protein
 Chicken, turkey, fish, beef, pork, eggs and cheese or
cottage cheese
 Beans, soy, legumes, nuts and seeds, meat
alternatives such tofu
This ingredient should be eaten in smaller portionsabout ½ cup or 4 ounces. Look for lean meats or
reduced fat cheese.
Dressing

Portion Distortion
 Most
serving sizes are 2 TBSP’s
 A great deal of a salads calories can come from
dressing

Vinaigrettes
 Thinner
so you can use less to cover more
Reduced fat/calorie
 Get your dressing on the side instead of on
your salad for better control of the amount eaten

Make Own Dressing Benefits
Control
 Helps control the amount of fat, sugar and sodium
 Simple and fun: be creative and experiment!
Storage
 Home made dressing can usually be stored in the
refrigerator for 1 week.
Make Your Own Dressing
What is needed?
 Oil: Olive Oil is common but you can also use
roasted nut oils, canola oil, sunflower oil, mayo etc
 Vinegar or Citrus (or both): Balsamic is a popular
choice, cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, lemon or
lime juice, pomegranate or orange juice etc.
 Add-in’s: Mustard, chives, herbs, garlic, shallots,
anchovies or capers, honey, feta etc
 Ratio: Oil to vinegar is about 3:1 depending on
taste
DIY Dressing
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
 makes


around 2 cups
Needed: 6 ounces olive oil, 3-4
tablespoons chopped cilantro,
juice from 1 lime
Mix all ingredients together and
drizzle on your favorite salad.
Store in a sealable jar or other
container and keep in your
refrigerator for up to two weeks.
DIY Dressing
Simple Vinaigrette
Ingredients
 1 whole clove garlic, peeled
 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
 1 teaspoon honey
 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 Directions
 Smash the garlic clove with the back of a knife. Add garlic to the other ingredients
in a jar or other airtight container. Cover, shake well and serve. Store in the
refrigerator for up to 1 week.
 Nutrition analysis per serving: Calories: 80; Total fat: 9g; Saturated fat: 1g;
Carbohydrate: 1g; Protein: 0g; Sodium: 25mg
Foodnetwork.com

When you don’t have time to DIY
When shopping for salad dressing be sure to read the
nutrition facts panel. Consider the following when
making your selection:
 Fat content: Look for low fat or fat free options but also
check the amount of sugar.
 Sugar content: Sometimes used to add flavor when fat
is removed.
 Sodium Content: Processed foods are higher in sodium,
watch the amount of sodium in your dressing. Sodium
intake should be less than 1 teaspoon per day and if
you have health problem or are over 51 years of age
it’s even less.
Now Lets Make a Salad!!!