Transform Your Body: Salad Hacks for Women Over 50 to Shed Pounds and Gain Strength

Eating a salad sounds healthy, and it can be. However, some salads pack as many calories and as much fat and sodium as a fast-food burger. This blog post shares tips to use when eating out and when shopping for your own salad creations. Take control of what you’re putting in your salad and, in your body, to get the results you’re looking for.

Eating Out

Looking at the salad ingredients on some restaurants menus reads like a list from the junk food aisle; crispy wontons, tortilla chip strips, fried onions, candied nuts, croutons, bar-b-que sauce, ranch dressing and so on. Save yourself the wasted calories and order your salad without ingredients that serve no purpose but to grow your waistline. Here are other hacks to get the most out of your restaurant salads.

• If ordering your salad as your meal, and it doesn’t come with protein, choose a protein add on: chicken breast, salmon, steak, shrimp or tofu.
• Choose a salad with spinach, kale, dandelion or other dark leafy greens to give your lunch a powerful nutritional boost. These greens have more nutrients and fiber than iceberg or arugula. Not only will you get the health benefit, you’ll stay full longer and help your body avoid blood sugar swings.
• Restaurant salad dressings can be full of sugars, seed oils and gums. Opting for a vinaigrette may seem like the healthiest choice, but could be loaded with sugars. Ordering your dressing on the side is your safest bet unless you’re asking for olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.

The goal here is to empower you to remain consistent with your goals. If you wouldn’t buy it and put it on your salad at home, why would you eat it just because it’s offered in a restaurant?

Shopping List

What greens excite you the most? Try different ones to find your favorite. I also love an occasional salad made with a vegetable slaw like broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi etc. Stay away from complete salad meals. Again, you want to avoid the packages of fried add ons and store bought dressings.

Greens kale, romaine, spinach, Swiss chard, dandelion, red leaf, green leaf, napa cabbage, butter lettuce, all offer beneficial nutrition. Buying a whole head of lettuce or a bunch of kale or spinach then taking it home, chopping, washing and spinning will have you in fresh greens for days. I buy organic whenever possible, especially when it comes to foods on the dirty dozen list.

Veggies- add ons like celery, peppers, mushrooms, avocados, roasted beets, grilled asparagus, carrots, jicama, cucumbers can all be washed, sliced, diced or shredded and kept in the fridge for easy additions.

Nuts and seeds- roasted or raw but unsalted seeds and nuts help up your fiber and healthy fat. Sliced or slivered almonds, walnuts, chia, sunflower, cashew and pumpkin are favorites and can add variety to your meal.

Protein- grilled or roasted chicken, hard boiled eggs, wild caught salmon and tuna, sardines, leftover steak, beans, peas and lentils can all make your salad a complete meal. Mix and match to get a powerful punch.

Homemade Salad Dressings

I’ve been making my own dressings for years. Homemade tastes better and brings your salad up a notch plus you can control what goes into your food. Keeping dressing staples on hand is easy. I can shake up a batch in just minutes. Keep a couple empty jars on hand so you’re always ready to create a delicious dressing. 

1 part vinegar or lemon juice or mix of the two. (Red wine, balsamic, apple cider or rice wine all give variety.)

3-part olive oil

Fresh garlic clove, minced (I’ve had the same Zyliss garlic press since the 1990’s)

Dijon mustard

Favorite herbs (Oregano is my favorite for my house dressing.)

Salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. I’ll leave this on the counter for a few days until we use it up. If you keep it for longer, place it in the fridge. I make an amazing Asian inspired dressing using peanut or almond butter, tamari, a few drops of sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Get creative and find flavors you love.

Download my free Weeks’ Worth of On-the Go Recipes to expand your repertoire.

Kitchen Tools to Make Delicious, Easy Salads

Salad spinners make the salad. Once I rinse and spin the lettuce, I store the greens in the spinner. This makes for crunchy fresh lettuce ready at a moment's notice.

Glass jars- having a few recycled glass jars on hand allow you to make dressing and have it ready for busy days.

Storage Containers- Invest in a lunch container so you can make your salad ahead of time or take it with you. You’ll end up saving money and avoid those not so healthy restaurant salads.

A good garlic press- if you like garlic and what’s not to like? Having a good press like the Zyliss garlic press, allows you to have fresh garlic without peeling or mincing by hand. A huge time saver!

In Conclusion

Making delicious salads that are packed with the nutrients you need to fuel your body with protein, fiber and good fat can be fun and easy. Taking your own lunch with you on a busy day can end up saving you time, money and excess calories in the long run. I keep it simple and buy what I know I’ll eat before it goes bad. Then I may switch up my greens and proteins completely, so I get variety and different nutrients. The more you prepare your own food at home, the easier it gets. You might be amazed that you end up liking your own creations better than restaurant or store bought. Bon appetit!