Salad bars have a wide assortment of ingredients from which diners can choose.
For people who enjoy a wide variety of ingredients in their salads, salad bars are the perfect dining option. These buffets normally feature a wide array of greens, fresh and pickled vegetables, fresh fruit, meats and fish, prepared potato and pasta salads, as well as a range of dressings and toppings. When preparing to host a salad bar at your next event, ensure that your salad bar suits every palate by including a variety of options.
Lettuces and Greens
A healthy salad is composed of a base of dark leafy lettuces, such as Romaine, butter or Bibb varieties. However, for added flavor and texture, consider including other leafy greens, like arugula, baby spinach, mezzuna, watercress and endive, that can be mixed with the lettuce. These greens are full of folic acid and vitamin C, and are often more flavorful than iceberg lettuce.
Colorful Vegetables and Fruits
To add visual appeal and texture to your salad bar, stock up on radishes, green, yellow or red bell peppers, broccoli, carrots and unpeeled English cucumbers. Although not as healthy as fresh vegetables, marinated and preserved varieties, such as artichoke hearts and olives, are tasty salad additions. To add sweeter or lighter flavors to a typical green salad, consider using fresh fruit, like melon chunks, red and green grapes, and pineapple and apple slices, to complement the savory tastes of the vegetables.
Meats, Fish and Beans
Adding bits of protein to the salad bar is easy and will make salads more filling and satisfying. Consider chunks of roasted chicken or turkey, as well as chilled shrimp or crab and water-packed albacore tuna. If you prefer to keep the salad bar vegetarian, substitute kidney beans or chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, as a protein source instead of meat or fish.
Cheese Choices
Most salad bars feature an assortment of cheeses that can be added to salads. These normally include shredded cheddar, grated fresh Parmesan and crumbled blue or feta cheeses. Add cheese sparingly so that it does not overpower the flavors of the other salad ingredients.
Dressings and Toppings
Although rich, thick dressings like blue cheese, ranch and thousand island may look appealing, lighter concoctions like Italian, Caesar, and oil and vinegar allow the tastes of the other components to shine through and are healthier choices. As you finish building your salad, incorporate crunchy toppings, like crisp croutons, roasted nuts or sunflower seeds, for added texture.
Salad Bar Tips
Most restaurant salad bars let you go back for seconds, so when creating your salad, start small to avoid piling so many ingredients together that their individual tastes get lost. If the salad bar selection includes pre-made salads with pasta and macaroni as their main ingredients, sample them in small portions, as they are very filling and normally the least healthy choices.
Tags: your salad, fresh fruit, salad bars
