Go for the Green (or: How to Become a Salad Eater)
I love salad greens when they are lined up in neat little rows in my garden beds. The spinach, the romaine, the red cabbage and the Swiss chard… this is the season for an organized garden that is reminiscent of tidy French potagers. But while I love the look of the spring garden, I’ll admit that the spring has not always been my favorite season of garden eating. I’d just as soon leave the greens, and I’ll wait for the peas and potatoes, thank you! Anyone else prefer a steak over cesar? Call me crazy, but I have never been a huge salad lover, and it’s taken me some work to convince myself to harvest and eat the greens in my spring garden.
Yep, we planted that. Bellemeade, April 11, 2024
That said, for the past several years, I’ve been meaning to share my “trick Sarah into eating a salad” strategies, because little by little, they are working. I have grown to love smashing an avocado into a bowl of buttercrunch and almond slivers, and you might even find me munching on arugula while weeding.
Still, like any other habit, making a daily salad has to be easy, joyful, and well, tasty! So here are a few tips.
Harvest early and often
Don’t be afraid to cut your greens. They will grow back! You could take every single leaf except for the “terminal bud” at the center and the whole plant will likely bounce back, and if not, plant more! And while you’re out there, grab some herbs! Dill, parsley, cilantro, thyme. You can mix them into your greens or add to dressing.
Pro tip: Invest in a good salad spinner. I use mine daily. I soak the greens twice in cold water, swish, drain, and spin dry. I even pack it when I visit my parents for the weekend—no shame in the salad game.
2. Stock Your Salad Staples
Keep a few ready-to-go toppings in your fridge each week so that throwing together a hearty salad is as easy as making toast. This is your opportunity for a HomeEdit moment on your refrigerator shelves, so go buy some pretty glass containers and prep some of the following:
Grains: Quinoa, farro, barley, bulgur. Cook once, use all week. These add heft and soak up dressing beautifully.
Beans: Chickpeas, black beans, lentils, or white beans—canned or home-cooked and stored in a jar.
Pickled veggies: A quick-pickled red onion or radish can change everything. Tang, crunch, color—done in 10 minutes.
Proteins: Hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken, canned tuna, or baked tofu all make salads satisfying.
Crunchy things: Nuts, seeds, crispy chickpeas, or crushed pita chips.
Cheese: Feta, goat cheese, sharp cheddar, or parmesan—all add salty depth.
3. Master a Few Easy Dressings
Forget the bottled stuff. Homemade dressings are simple and infinitely better. Bonus: you already have most ingredients in your kitchen—or even your garden.
True story: I once handed my dad a bottle of store-bought Italian dressing and told him to read the label. We walked into the garden and found every single herb listed. That was a proud health-hippie moment.
Here are three recipes I keep on rotation:
Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk or shake in a jar—perfect for tender lettuces.
Creamy Herb Yogurt Dressing
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, chives)
Salt and pepper to taste
Great on hearty greens like kale or arugula.
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & cracked black pepper
Easy, classic, and endlessly adaptable.
Let Your Garden Guide You
Eating seasonally doesn’t have to mean strict meal planning or complicated recipes. It just means noticing what’s fresh and letting it shine. If you need more inspo, I get a kick out of the salad shenanigans over @bakedbymelisssa on Instagram, who has taught me to blend bright flavors that just make sense. Also, as Abi reminded me tonight, everything tastes great on top of pizza :)
Finally, it’s motivating for me to remember that greens are some of the most nutrient-dense foods we can eat. Rich in vitamins A, C, K, iron, calcium, and antioxidants, they support the immune system, detox our liver, and provide fiber that keeps our digestion moving. Plus, after a winter of less sunlight and less movement, eating raw greens gives me an energy lift that feels almost medicinal.
So this spring, instead of watching your lettuce bolt or your spinach fade, make a pact with yourself: One salad a day. Your future self—energized, nourished, and garden-proud—will thank you.
