Say Goodbye to the Same Old Boring Salad

I don't know how your school works, but at mine we usually have the same variation of food every week... #boring. Even when you're trying to live a healthy life, you need to have variation in your meals!

People often assume that I eat salads all the time, and while yes I enjoy salads, I don't eat them for every meal, and not even everyday. However, when I do eat salads I don't eat the same one every time, that would get boring really fast. I don't want anyone to get bored with healthy food, because it can be so exciting! So in this post I want to offer my ideas on how to mix up your meals, and especially dining hall food.

So my school serves salmon at least three times a week, which is awesome because I absolutely love salmon. Even though they often change the marinade, salmon can be boring if you eat it the same way three or more times a week. So to solve this fishy (punny) dillema we must turn to sides. If you pair salmon with different sides every time you have it, you will get a whole different set of flavors from the last time. So maybe instead of salmon with a side of asparagus, you could put your salmon atop a salad or perhaps get broccoli instead. Mix it up. You should be eating fish at least twice a week anyways because it's great for your health. This same rule applies for white meats such as chicken or turkey, mix it up and you have a whole new meal.

Now about those salads... I've actually turned salad making into an art form. It's fun to make a salad bring and colorful, which is why I'm always changing up my salads. The best thing about salads is that you can pretty much make anything a salad. Like for example tacos, a taco salad is my favorite thursday treat at school. I get chicken, black beans, lettuce, and salsa and turn it into a salad packed full of flavor. Dressings also add variety to salads. Obviously, the better dressing choices are the vinaigrettes rather than cream based dressings, but if ranch is what stops you from grabbing a piece of pizza instead, go ahead and use it, just skip any cheese or other heavy toppings (croutons, tortillas, etc.).

But if you're not in the mood for a salad, get out there and explore your options. You know what's healthy and what's not, you know you need a source of protein and some vegetables, and you know you don't need to eat everything on the plate. So explore your food options and make healthy choices, but remember to change it up, because variety is extremely important in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.