How To Eat Salad Every Day And Like It!

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Make eating salad as simple as can be with these salad ideas and easy salad recipes for every day of the week. Salad meal prep has never been so easy!

How To Eat Salad Everyday & LIKE IT! (aka the Fritos everyday diet!) get the recipes for each salad at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Love these salad recipes? Check out the eBook for How To Eat A Salad Every Day for more fantastic salad ideas, dressings, and tips to simplify your salad making! 

With this eBook, if you’re grocery shopping, meal planning, or just trying to eat more salads, you’ll have this information at your fingertips whenever you need it.

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“How To Eat Salad Every Day And Like It!” could also be called “My FAVORITE Salads {a.k.a. the Fritos Every Day Diet}.”

This salad meal prep post was first published three years ago and almost immediately it became one of the most popular posts on this site. I’m updating the post today to answer some of the more frequently asked questions.

Many of you have commented on my daily salads that I share on Instagram, and you asked for a post sharing tips for making the daily salad happen.

Salad Ideas

Today I’m sharing all of my favorite salad meal prep tips: the recipes, the toppings, the fillings, and more in one giant blog post. I promise you now, that if you give it a try, this just might rock your salad-eating world.

I made you this video to show how I do this. Be sure to check it out! There are endless salad ideas and so many delicious ways to keep things interesting when you’re prepping salads.

While I’d like to say that I’ve always been a fan of salad, that hasn’t always been true.

Salad Topping Ideas

I’ve always tried to love eating salad, but unless I went to the trouble of making a really great salad (something that often felt like a whole lot of effort in the past), it was hard to get excited about eating a salad most days.

That all changed when I topped my salad with a handful of Fritos for the first time. I know, that sounds completely ridiculous, but I’m telling you now that Fritos are a salad game changer.

Not only does that simple corn chip add great salty flavor and crunch to any salad, the Frito fits perfectly on a fork, it is bite-size, and it’s a fun way to tell all the greens that there is more to the salad life than just vegetables.

How To Eat Salad Everyday & LIKE IT! (aka the Fritos everyday diet) get all the recipes at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Still not convinced? I can’t even tell you how many people have snapped me pictures of their salads with Fritos on top while laughing and telling me that I’m to blame for their newfound love of salads + Fritos.

I swear that there really is no better way to top a salad.

Salad Meal Prep

There are countless ways to make a killer salad completely your own, so I’m sharing some of my favorite salad meal prep tips today. The key for me is to prep all the greens and vegetables for the salads about once a week; I typically do this on Sunday.

It takes me about 30-45 minutes, but in the end, I have lunches made for the week and that keeps my healthy eating on track without having to fuss with it during the week.

I use 6 large containers that I line with a paper towel. The paper towel absorbs moisture and as a result, the greens and other vegetables will stay fresh longer. (I use these containers and these containers to store the prepped salads.)

salad meal prep for the whole week

Easy Salad Recipes

Any combination of the below ingredients will keep nicely for several days in the refrigerator:

chopped greens: typically a mix of romaine, spring mix, spinach, arugula, or butter lettuce (rarely all of them, just whichever ones I have on hand at the time)

tomatoes: sliced or chopped

cucumber: sliced or chopped (I often remove the seeds, but it isn’t required)

corn: canned, frozen, or fresh

bell peppers: sliced thin or chopped small

red onions: sliced thin

green onions: sliced thin

The proteins can be made just for the salads or simply be saved as leftovers from dinners through the week.

Anytime we grill steak or chicken I thinly slice the leftovers and save them for my salads.

I’ll cook and crumble a couple pounds of ground beef or ground turkey seasoned generously with Mexican seasoning mix (store-bought taco seasoning works great too) and then portion it into ½ cup servings and freeze it to use as needed.

Anytime I make pulled pork, I portion the leftover pork into individual containers and freeze them to be reheated for salads.

Protein for Salads

ground beef or ground turkey: cooked and seasoned generously with Mexican spices or taco seasoning

taco meat: with black beans and corn

pulled pork or carnitas: shredded and chopped bite-size

cooked or roasted chicken: shredded or diced

ham: diced

hard boiled eggs: chopped

canned tuna fish: drained well

cooked shrimp or fish

beans: black, kidney, or pinto beans

How To Eat Salad Everyday & LIKE IT! Just add your favorite proteins - get the recipes at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Salad Toppings

cheese: shredded, diced, or crumbled

avocado: sliced or diced

fruits: diced apples or pears, orange slices, fresh berries

plenty of crunch: croutons, tortilla chips, or my personal favorite Fritos

fresh lime

salt and pepper

salad dressing of your choiceItalian, Poppyseed, White Balsamic Vinaigrette, and the absolute BEST Homemade Ranch Dressing are a few of our favorites.

Meal Prep Salad Ideas

  • Carnitas (or pulled pork), avocado, cotija cheese, lime, salt, and pepper
  • Grilled chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing
  • Chicken, berries, feta cheese, almonds or walnuts, poppyseed dressing
  • Tuna fish, strawberries, avocado, lime, salt, and pepper
  • Chicken or bacon, red grapes, shaved parmesan cheese, candied walnuts, white balsamic dressing
  • Taco meat, beans, corn, avocado, shredded Mexican cheese blend, lime, salt, and pepper
How To Eat Salad Everyday & LIKE IT! get all the salad meal prep tips and recipes at barefeetinthekitchen.com

When Ready To Serve

Warm the protein and chop it bite-size, if needed. Add the protein to the pre-made salad greens and vegetables. Add the toppings of your choice, although Fritos are never optional.

Squeeze lime generously over the salad, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Or toss with your favorite salad dressing.

Love these salads? Check out the eBook for How To Eat A Salad Every Day for more fantastic salad recipes, dressings, and tips to simplify your salad making! (link for the eBook is at the top of this post!)

With this eBook, if you’re grocery shopping, meal planning, or just trying to eat a little bit healthier, you’ll have this information at your fingertips whenever you need it.

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How To Eat A Salad Everyday & LIKE IT! (aka the Fritos everyday diet!) get the recipes at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Salad Recipes

4.90 from 46 votes
Make eating salad as easy as can be with these tips for easy salads every day of the week!
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 1 per salad made

Ingredients 

VEGETABLE OPTIONS

  • chopped greens: typically a mix of romaine spring mix, spinach, arugula, or butter lettuce (rarely all of them, just whichever ones I have on hand at the time)
  • tomatoes: sliced or chopped
  • cucumber: sliced or chopped I often remove the seeds, but it isn’t required
  • corn: canned frozen, or fresh
  • bell peppers: sliced thin or chopped small
  • red onions: sliced thin
  • green onions: sliced thin

PROTEIN OPTIONS

  • ground beef or ground turkey: cooked and seasoned generously with Mexican spices or taco seasoning
  • taco meat with black beans and corn
  • pulled pork or carnitas: shredded and chopped bite-size
  • cooked or roasted chicken: shredded or diced
  • ham: diced
  • hard boiled eggs: chopped
  • canned tuna fish: drained well
  • cooked shrimp or fish
  • beans: black kidney, or pinto beans

TOPPING OPTIONS

  • cheese: shredded diced, or crumbled
  • avocado: sliced or diced
  • fruits: diced apples or pears orange slices, fresh berries
  • plenty of crunch: croutons tortilla chips, or my personal favorite Fritos
  • fresh lime
  • salt and pepper
  • salad dressing of your choice: Italian, Poppyseed, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Ranch Dressing are a few of our favorites.

Instructions

Salad Meal Prep

  • Prep the vegetables and place in serving size containers. (I use these containers and these containers to store prepped salads.) Add a paper towel to each box to help the produce last longer. Place in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

When Ready to Eat

  • Warm the protein of your choice and chop bite-size, if needed. Add the protein to the pre-made salad greens and vegetables.
  • Add the toppings of your choice. Squeeze lime generously over the salad and sprinkle with salt and pepper, or drizzle with your favorite salad dressing.

Notes

Vegetable Options: any combination of the vegetable ingredients will keep nicely for several days in the refrigerator.
Try topping your salads with these combinations:
  • Carnitas (or pulled pork), avocado, cotija cheese, lime, salt, and pepper
  • Grilled chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing
  • Chicken, berries, feta cheese, almonds or walnuts, poppyseed dressing
  • Tuna fish, strawberries, avocado, lime, salt, and pepper
  • Chicken or bacon, red grapes, shaved parmesan cheese, candied walnuts, white balsamic dressing
  • Taco meat, beans, corn, avocado, shredded Mexican cheese blend, lime, salt, and pepper
Don’t forget to add plenty of crunch to each salad!
Nutritional info will vary – calories are calculated here for vegetables alone. The additional toppings you choose will vary the numbers.

Nutrition

Calories: 50kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 1/7/17 – recipe notes updated 1/24/23}

All the Salad Meal Prep tips!

Love these salads? Check out the eBook for How To Eat A Salad Every Day for more fantastic salad recipes, dressings, and tips to simplify your salad making! (link for the eBook is at the top of this post!)

With this eBook, if you’re grocery shopping, meal planning, or just trying to eat a little bit healthier, you’ll have this information at your fingertips whenever you need it.

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Jordan says

    This helped me lose 20 lbs one summer. I’d always had a hard time eating salads, but the preparation and variety made this possible for me to do. Thank you!5 stars

  2. Shamir says

    Hello Mary Younkin,

    I am Shamir from Singapore. For a person with absolutely no clue on where to begin on how to make salad, the instructions accompanied by the beautiful pictures are absolutely fantastic! It is very, very detailed and specific. Exactly what I am looking for! This will definitely help me as I am embark on a journey of healthy eating. Thank you Mary Younkin, may God bless you!5 stars

  3. Molly says

    Looks great! Do you have a recipe that you used for the carnitas/pulled pork that you’d be willing to share?

  4. Linda says

    Thank you Mary for your recipes I love them, you don’t have to go and buy a lot of product,they are regular household staple food.😀😀5 stars

  5. Bob K. says

    Thank you! This is just the information I needed! I have gotten into the habit of not eating salads with my meals because I didn’t take time to make them. This has changed everything! Again thank you.
    Bob5 stars

  6. Lindsey says

    I hate to break it to you but you didn’t actually have a single salad recipe just tips. Thanks but no thanks. *Zero stars*

    • Mary Younkin says

      It actually does not, Leora. I wash and spin my lettuce. The towel simply absorbs any additional moisture as it sits in the refrigerator. The paper towel ends up damp at best.

  7. Dale Warwick says

    Thank you for sharing these ideas on salads. My favorite type of lunch s salad and these ideas are awesome.5 stars

  8. Maureen says

    These ideas for ad ons are really great as I get bored with the same and usual ingredients. I use paper towels in zip lock bags to absorb moisture in salad greens, zucchini & yellow squash, mushrooms, any high water content veggies. It works wonderful, makes them last so much longer. Do you have any recipes for healthy lofat dressings?5 stars

  9. Lilly says

    When you say that you prep the vegetables once a week, are you assembling them together or separately? (Do you have 5 containers with lettuce and veggies or one container for each and assemble individual salads in the morning or right before eating?) I’m just trying to clarify to avoid a disaster.

    Thanks for the post. These are great ideas especially since they can be modified for individual’s preferences or nutritional needs/goals.

    When I do a taco-related salad, I’ll skip traditional dressing and use a little guac and salsa instead.

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Lilly! When I prep salads, I’ll usually prep the ingredients in one sitting and separate them into Tupperware containers in advance. Either way would work, though; whichever method works for you should be fine.

  10. J says

    A really good (& super healthy combo) we do in our house: mixed greens, pears and or apples, avocado, raw walnuts or pecans (or if you’re not into raw nuts, toasted pine nuts), & add a little olive oil, red wine vinegar & a sprinkle of pepper. If you wanna be extra, you can pan sauté some chicken breasts…gives you antioxidants, healthy fats, protein, iron (if your salad mix has spinach)! 👩‍🍳5 stars

  11. Laura V says

    PREACH GIRL! Fritos are the BEST salad topping ever. I got hooked on the combo of cool crunchy salad and salty Fritos and never looked back! I am taking note of your delicious sounding salad ideas too.5 stars