The month of May brings warmer temperatures and longer days as well as many delicious fresh fruits and vegetables at their peak. It’s no wonder then that May is also National Salad Month.
Salads can be so much more than just a side dish, as they can be just as filling and delicious as a main course. Depending on your tastes, salads can be customized with even more healthy ingredients – lean meats, beans, nuts, and fruit. Eating salads is an excellent way to ensure that you get the recommended amount of colorful vegetables (and other nutritious food groups) in your diet.
According to Harvard Health’s article, How many fruits and vegetables do we really need?, people who eat five or more servings of fruits or vegetables per day have:
Eating salads as part of a balanced diet also aligns perfectly with one of Blue Zones Project’s Power 9® - nine specific traits that lead to longer, healthier, happier lives. As part of the Eat Wisely category, “Plant Slant” emphasizes the nutritional value of beans. “Beans, including fava, black, soy and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets.” Beans such as garbanzo, cannellini, black, and kidney beans are also great sources of plant-based protein and add an extra boost of flavor and texture to any salad recipe.
With so many yummy and healthy ingredients to pick from, how does one choose just one recipe for Salad Month? Luckily, you don’t have to, as there are tons of tasty options available to make a different one every night! Here are a few of our favorite lists of best salad recipes:
Love and Lemon’s 37 Best Salad Recipes
A Couple Cooks 50 Best Salad Recipes
Ahead of Thyme’s 40 Best Salad Recipes
The Modern Proper’s 30 Best Salad Recipes