Rather than grab a packaged salad with unhealthy ingredients, Lee suggests looking for certain foods for your salad while avoiding others. “In general, fresh vegetables and the addition of grilled proteins is always a good rule when it comes to picking or creating salads,” Lee said. “Proteins in a salad are also important as it is the macronutrient that will keep you full. So look for a serving of at least 15-20 grams of protein per serving of the salad to achieve satiety.”
You can customize a Subway turkey breast salad by adding cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and extra turkey for a 120-calorie salad with less than 2 grams of fat, almost 3 grams of fiber, and 21 grams of protein. However, you’ll still get a ton of sodium — 1,600 milligrams of it.
Chick-fil-A’s Market Salad with grilled chicken comes with mixed greens and fruits and some granola and almonds. The salad has 550 calories, 31 grams of fat, and 6 grams of saturated fat. It’s relatively high in sodium, coming in at 1,010 milligrams, and you’ll take in 26 grams of sugar. However, the 5 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein will keep you full until dinner.
“Avoid candied nuts and crispy/crunchy carbs that are offered or added as those are usually packed with calories,” Lee said.