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We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us how they make their salads feel more exciting, and they delivered! Here are their tips for making salads the best meal of the day:
1. Make an effort to include bright colors, like a mix of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and a vibrant protein like salmon to make it look more ~visually appealing~. Plus, by adding a wider variety of fresh ingredients, your salad will have more interesting flavors.
2. Make the whole thing instantly more appealing with your go-to cheese. It turns out a forkful of fresh mozzarella makes everything under the sky more drool-worthy.
3. Include some meat to add extra flavor and make it a meal that actually leaves you satisfied. Plus, you'll get a nice dose of protein so you can feel energized for the rest of the day — bonus points for mixing it with superfoods like blueberries and avocado.
4. Or! Use a mix of beans if you're a vegetarian. You'll still get your source of protein (according to the USDA, there are 12g of protein in one cup of black beans), and get a bigger range of new flavors and textures.
5. Drizzle a bit of honey onto your salad so your lunch has a ~sweet note~. Mix it into a DIY salad dressing, or find ingredients that already have it, like honey goat cheese or honey-glazed walnuts.
6. Explore new salad recipes based on what's seasonal to ~mix things up~ from your usual routine. It'll help prevent you from feeling like you're in a meal rut — you may even discover a new favorite ingredient!
7. Chop your salad with a U-shaped knife to both create a new texture for your lettuce and make sure your dressing is evenly distributed (making the whole thing more flavorful).
8. Try cooking your vegetables in a new way (like roasting, grilling, or individually spicing) to give your salad a whole different flavor than usual.
9. Aim to include as many "filling" ingredients as you can — it doesn't have to be just your protein. We're talking hard boiled eggs, different kinds of nuts, avocado, or even *several* cheeses. Your belly will be *so* much happier than when your salad was mainly lettuce.
10. Incorporate different temperatures to make it feel like a heartier meal. A bit of warm salmon mixed with Greek salad ingredients and chilled avocado will be a comforting midday treat that leaves you h a p p y.
11. Include *crunchy ingredients*, like nuts, seeds, or your fave croutons to make each and every bite super satisfying. Plus, they'll add new flavor to your dish!
12. Make your own dressing so you can explore new recipes without having to spend money on trial-and-error store-bought dressing. Not to mention, this'll help you get more ~adventurous~ — may I suggest some jalapeño?
13. Or! Find a dressing that you LOVE so you always look forward to eating your salad. It turns out sometimes the only way to eat our veggies is to smother it in dressing.
14. But when in doubt, turn to just about everyone's favorite: good old ranch dressing. Instant happiness.
15. Toss in some "fun" ingredients to make it feel more exciting, like a fruit you've never tried before or even just a new approach to an ingredient you use all the time (hello, buffalo cauliflower). They don't have to be complicated — just anything that takes your salad from boring to flavorful!
16. Plan each ingredient by texture so your salad feels more diverse. When adding something soft, like roasted squash, counter it with some crunchy onions and pomegranate seeds. One easy hack: kale always adds a ton of texture.
17. Squeeze some lemon over your salad at the end for a refreshing kick, or mix it with some olive oil for a zesty dressing. Just this one cheap ingredient can make a world of difference for flavor.
18. Load 👏 it 👏 up 👏. Don't be shy when it comes to adding A LOT of ingredients — it'll make your salad so much more satisfying *and* flavorful! Try to stick with a theme if you're worried about flavors clashing — a big Cobb salad will always do the trick.
19. Switch up your bases so you don't always stick to the same exact lettuce. A hearty mix of your favorite veggies and a grain base (i.e. farro, quinoa, or couscous) can be a welcome break from arugula and spring greens.
20. Spice things up — literally. A bit of hot sauce can introduce an entirely new flavor profile to every single ingredient. Or! Cook your protein in hot sauce before adding it in.
21. Add some fried chicken for a welcome change that seriously delivers both crunch *and* awesome flavor. Whoever said salads are boring has never tried this.
22. Think of your salad by layer to break down what each ingredient contributes — try to plan so that you get a mix of flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy. It'll help your whole salad come together, instead of tossing in whatever you can find.
23. Season each and every ingredient with salt and pepper to really bring out the flavor in everything. It takes a mere second, but makes a huge difference.
24. Include some bacon! It'll bring a mix of salt and crunch to make your lunch extra tasty. Plus, this'll make salads more appealing to die-hard bacon lovers.
25. Mix meat and fruit together for an interesting combo of savory and sweet. They go surprisingly well together, and make the whole salad feel more refreshing.
26. Finally, add something you'll really look forward to so your salad feels like a ~treat~. Start by thinking of your favorite foods, and brainstorm how to transform them into a salad.
Bon appétit!
