The Type Of Greens You Should Never Use For A Make-Ahead Salad

Getting into a regular routine of making meals in advance can save you time in the kitchen and ensure healthier choices in the future. The best make-ahead meal recipes are ones that will keep in your fridge without spoiling, getting soggy, or otherwise becoming an inedible mess. With make-ahead salads, you can assemble your favorite ingredients and whip up a simple dressing to store separately until it's time to toss together and enjoy. For a truly refreshing salad, don't use limp greens like most types of lettuce because these are prone to wilting and getting soggy. Examples of these include butterhead, cress, oak leaf, and Little Gem. The types of greens that are perfect for salads prepared in advance are those with sturdy leaves and structural integrity such as kale, romaine, and endive.

You should always use a variety of greens in your salad to elevate the taste, texture, and nutrient content and there are plenty of greens that are up to the challenge to mix with your favorite salad accouterments for an unforgettable meal that will keep fresh until you're ready to enjoy it. If you do intend to add dressing to your make-ahead salad, try a thoughtful layering hack that puts your dressing on the bottom, your crisp vegetables and proteins above that, and finally, your structurally sound greens on the very top so that all you need is a good shake before indulging, ensuring you'll never eat a soggy salad again.

The hallmark of a perfectly meal-prepped salad is maintaining freshness of taste and texture. With the right study greens and a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, cheeses, nuts, and more to choose from, the best make-ahead salads can still use both crunchy and soft additions, as long as the tender elements don't make up the entire base of your salad. For example, an almond-crusted chicken kale salad with cider vinaigrette recipe, pairs crunchy kale and crispy chicken tenders with creamy avocado for a well-balanced dish that won't wilt beyond recognition. Further, if you want to eschew traditional salad greens altogether, try using your favorite firm vegetables as a base for an ideal make-ahead salad that effortlessly balances ingredients of varying mouthfeels.

A great example of striking this balance of consistency can be found in a shaved Brussels sprouts salad recipe, which uses the cruciferous favorite as the salad base, pairing it with Manchego cheese, dates, sunflower seeds, and a simple vinaigrette. Similarly, a sweet and crunchy rutabaga salad recipe puts the root vegetable center stage, pairing it up with crisp apples, roasted chickpeas, shallots, cabbage, almonds, and more.