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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!
I’m sharing all of my salad meal prep tips here today: the salad base, the proteins, the toppings, and all of the salad dressings in one giant blog post. I promise you now, that if you give it a try, this just might rock your salad-eating world.
This salad meal prep was first published almost 10 years ago and it immediately became one of the most popular posts I’ve published here on this site. I’m updating the post today to answer some of the more frequently asked questions.
Eating Salad Everyday
“How To Eat Salad Every Day And Like It!” could also be called “My FAVORITE Salads a.k.a. the Fritos Every Day Diet.”
While I’d like to say that I’ve always been a fan of salad, that hasn’t always been true. 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.
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.
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.
Salad Meal Prep
There are countless ways to make a fantastic 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 or come up with new lunch salad ideas each day.
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.
When I originally photographed this post, I used these square containers to store the prepped salads. But I’ve since found that I prefer these less expensive and sturdier deli containers and I use them endlessly in my meal prep now. (You can see them in the video below.)
Notes on Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Salad spinner – I’ve had my salad spinner for over 10 years now and what a salad-making game-changer it has been. I balked at buying one for years before I finally did so, and man, if you’ve ever considered one, let this be the nudge you needed.
- Storage containers – I swear by these containers for all of my meal prep. They are freezer safe and you can’t beat the price.
Vegetables for Salads
Any combination of these vegetables 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
Proteins for Salads
The proteins can be made just for the salads or simply be saved as leftovers from dinners through the week.
- taco meat
- pulled pork or carnitas
- slow cooked chicken: shredded or chopped bite-size
- grilled chicken thighs: sliced thin or chopped bite-size
- ham: diced
- hard boiled eggs: chopped
- canned tuna fish or chicken: drained well
- chili lime shrimp
- mojo salmon
- beans: black, kidney, or pinto beans
Salad Toppings
- cheese: shredded, diced, or crumbled
- avocado: sliced or diced
- fruits: diced apples or pears, orange slices, grapes, 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, White Balsamic Vinaigrette, and the absolute BEST Homemade Ranch Dressing are a few of our favorites.
Your frito idea seriously changed my salad loving life! I adapted it probably a year ago and before that, I used to hate the idea of a salad. Now I can literally eat it for every meal! With minimal oil and vinegar too! It’s the gateway to salad loving! Thank you!!
Make Ahead & Storage
I made a video to show exactly how I meal prep my salads each week. So, be sure to check it out in the recipe card below. There are a lot of different salad ideas here and so many delicious ways to keep things interesting when you’re meal prepping salads.
Make Ahead: Prep all the vegetables and toss them together. Line your containers with paper towels and fill each one with the salad mix. Place a second folded paper towel on top of the vegetables and close each container to make it airtight.
How to Store: Store the prepared salads in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Use: When ready to use, remove the paper towels. Add the protein of your choice to the pre-made salad greens and vegetables. Add the toppings of your choice. Squeeze lime generously over the salad, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Or toss with your favorite salad dressings.
More 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
The paper towel in the container with the prepped vegetables absorbs moisture and helps keep the lettuce fresh for longer while it is in the refrigerator.
You’ll want to store the proteins separately, so that you can are able to warm them before adding them to the cold salads.
I keep the toppings separate until I’m ready to eat each salad. I warm the proteins separately and add them right before eating and then I add whichever toppings I want at that time so that everything stays nice and fresh.
Yes. They are required. Just kidding. Of course not, but personally, I rarely skip them. The crunch and flavor they add makes every salad even better.
Salad Meal Prep
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 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.
Video
Notes
- 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 1/7/17 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/26/26}
So good! I’ve always loved salads, but I love them even more now. I also like to add fruit and nuts or seeds to my salads. Blueberries and strawberries are my favs. Sunflower seeds or pine nuts also give it a nice crunch.
Do you store all veggies together on top of the greens or do you store all of them separately?
I understand now after reading twice thanks
Thank you for the ideas !! I wanted to share that cheezits are Amazing on a salad!!
Love, love, love the paper towel idea! I’ve been a salad-lover for years, but found that I wasted a lot of lettuce greens and other ingredients after a few days because of moisture. I am definitely going to try this with individual and even larger containers. The single-serve packages of salmon (my favorite) and tuna on supermarket shelves make it so simple to add these to salads for your protein. No draining, no fuss! Thanks again for all of your salad recipes!
I’ll have to try this, but something I think you should add to your arsenal of salad is…. red grapes. I know that sounds weird, but you put Fritos on a salad, it adds a burst and pop of sweet to a savory meal.
I love salads with fruit and grapes are great too!
Love this way of prep for weekly meals.
These all look delicious! My mother-in-law introduced me to using Fritos (although I prefer Old Dutch brand) years ago as a major component of taco salad and I LOVE it. The taco salad I make at her house (everyone assembles their own plateful) has Romaine lettuce, Fritos, ground beef (with or without taco seasoning), salsa, sour cream, mozza or cheddar, tomatoes. YUM! (My MIL enjoys shredded coconut on her taco salad which is something I tried only once – not for me lol!) At home the taco salad I make for myself has iceberg lettuce, warmed taco shells broken up, chicken breast grilled w/ bbq sauce diced (or plain poached chicken diced & reheated in frying pan), roasted corn kernels, cilantro & salt, diced avocado, sour cream and/or ranch dressing, mozza or cheddar. YUM again! But I could go on and on about meal salads – I love salads!!
I have loads of fresh veggies from the garden and these would make a nice quick lunch for a hot summer day! I wonder if you have seen the easy way to slice cherry tomatoes? Just use two lids from your salad containers. Place as many tomatoes you can fit on a lid, place another lid on top of those tomatoes and use a long knife and slice through the tomatoes. Voila! An entire handful of tomatoes sliced in one pass! (you have to hold the top lid down).
Hi probably a stupid question but where do you put the paper towel that you talk about and when do you remove it???
I usually line the bottom of the containers with the paper towels, but you can also place the paper towels on top. When I have the paper towel on top, I typically store the containers upside down, so that the paper towel can absorb as much moisture as possible.
Thanks for sharing, I really need yummy food when i do some home workout and become sweating but most of time i don’t eat because of calories. Your article hope very helpful for me.
This is so welcome for someone trying to include a salad every day. Keep these great ideas coming please.
Hey! I am prepping both my husband and me some salads for this coming week! 🙂 I was just wondering, how do you keep your avocados from browning? Thanks!
I do not slice the avocados until ready to eat them. Enjoy!
I’m starting a two week diet which need salads in it so so this works great for me all these different ideas
Can you tell if I don’t add onion the taste will be the change??
Thanks for sharing all these ideas with us. I.’ ll give it a try. Frito we go…
My daughter (college student) BUYS her salads from a gal (her friend that does it as a side job) that does meal preps. The salads look amazing but I’m still reluctant to buy them for myself and my hubby. I always think “I can make those, I just need to figure out a way to make amazing salads” but never put that thought to use. And in my search of “salad recipes” what do I find?? Your blog!!! BAM!!! You are my savior!! I love, love, love.. did I say love? all your salad ideas!! THANK YOU!!! I am soooo going to start making these for my hubby and I!!