Mistakes You're Making at the Salad Bar

So you decided to stop by the salad bar for lunch  good for you! Just try to avoid these pitfalls when building your perfect salad:

1. You're adding crunch with calorie bombs.

Whether it's tortilla chips, croutons, fried wontons, or all of the above, the calorie content racks up quickly when it comes to these crunchy toppers. One ounce (that's about the size of a small handful) of any of these fried add-ons adds a minimum 120 calories to your salad. And, because they provide little nutritional benefit, you won't feel more satisfied.
If you're craving crunch, choose nuts like pistachios or walnuts. Both will give you a heart healthy boost. Just make sure you stick to half of the typical 1/4 cup spoonful at salad bars. That way, you'll get a little extra healthy fat, protein, and fiber, which will help you stay fuller, longer.

2. Your fruit is code for candy.

Think those cranberries are a savvy salad bar pick? Think again. Any dried fruit, be it raisins, cranberries, or apricots are a source of unnecessary calories from added sugar. Case in point: One-fourth cup serving of dried cranberries is about 100 calories, while 1/4 cup of seedless grapes is only sixteen. You're better off choosing the whole fruit option, be it sliced apples, orange slices, or those seedless grapes to add some sweetness.

3. You pick the wrong protein.

Crispy chicken, coconut shrimp, breaded tofu, bacon bits, or any protein marinated in sauce means your salad bar protein staples — even those that sound healthier — are chock-full of extra calories. Another sneaky source of calories? Salads with more than one meat, like a Cobb, which typically has bacon, ham, and turkey.
When it comes to your proteins, stick with the basics. My favorites are grilled shrimp or salmon, canned tuna (no mayo!), steamed tofu, chopped egg, or rotisserie chicken. Stick to the four-ounce serving rule, or about the size of your palm.

4. You're confused about veggies.

The biggest salad bar mix-up I see is loading up on all of the wrong vegetables. The bulk of our salads should be non-starchy veggies. Think lettuce, spinach, and kale, cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels, and broccoli, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, snap peas, artichokes, fennel, and asparagus.
Your next step to a satisfying salad: Choose two servings max from the starch category. Stick with one from the starchy veggie category, like potatoes, corn, squash, or sweet potatoes, and one from the legume or grain category, like beans, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, brown rice, or a slice of bread. This way, you've kept your portions balanced and still satisfying, without tipping the (salad) scale.

5. You blow it with the dressing.

The wrong dressing can easily add a cool 200 or 300 calories on top of what you've already got. When it comes to saucing up that salad, you're good to go with calorie-free favorites like lemon juice with salt and pepper, or spicy Sriracha with fresh-squeezed lime.