Salad is a staple side dish at many restaurants. A simple green salad or Caesar salad often accompanies entrees like burgers, sandwiches, steaks and more. While the salad may seem like an afterthought, it can actually make a big difference in your overall dining experience. Here we’ll explore the reasons why ordering a side salad is worth it, and provide tips on how to make the most of salad when dining out.
Nutritional benefits of salad
One of the best reasons to order salad with your meal is the nutritional boost it provides. One cup of lettuce or mixed greens contains:
- Vitamin K – Essential for blood clotting and bone health.
- Vitamin A – Important for immune function and vision.
- Folate – Crucial for cell growth and DNA production.
- Potassium – Helps control blood pressure.
- Vitamin C – Boosts immunity and acts as an antioxidant.
Other common salad ingredients like tomatoes, carrots, onions and cucumbers also add key vitamins and minerals. Going with salad over fries or chips means you get a serving of vegetables, fiber, and nutrients that your body needs.
Salad helps fill you up
Ordering a salad along with your entree can help you feel more satiated. The combination of fiber from the vegetables and protein from ingredients like cheese, nuts and beans helps provide a balanced meal. This may prevent overeating high-calorie menu items.
In one study, women who ate a salad before their meal consumed an average of 100 fewer calories during the meal compared to when they did not start with a salad. The volume and water content of the vegetables helps take up space in your stomach, curbing appetite.
Adds color and texture contrast
Enjoying salad with your meal makes it more visually appealing. The bright colors and varied textures contrast nicely with most entrees. The crunch of the vegetables pairs well with softer proteins and starches. This diversity in taste and mouth-feel can boost enjoyment of the meal.
Customization and variety
Ordering a salad allows you to customize your meal exactly how you like it. Most restaurants offer salad toppings and dressings to choose from. You can go light on the dressing or load up on your favorite fixings like avocado, bacon bits, croutons and more. This freedom of choice caters the salad to your personal preferences.
Salad also brings more variety to your plate. When your meal only consists of a burger, fries and a soft drink, it can get repetitive flavor-wise. Adding salad mixes things up with crispness and tang.
Healthier substitute for fries or chips
Rather than the standard fried side of fries or chips, requesting salad lets you opt for a lighter option. Salads served at restaurants are typically 100-400 calories, while fries and chips can be 500 calories or more. Pairing your sandwich or burger with a salad avoids excessive calories, salt, fat and carbs.
Can be more affordable
At many restaurants, salad is one of the more budget friendly side options. While prices vary, salads often cost just $3-7 as a side. Comparatively, the cost of fries, onion rings or baked potatoes may be equal to or even more than the salad. If watching your spending, salad can be the economical choice to fill up without overspending.
Potential drawbacks of side salads
While salads have many benefits, there are a few potential drawbacks to keep in mind:
- Ingredient quality – Some restaurants use pre-bagged greens and cheap toppings.
- High sodium – Dressings and fixings like croutons quickly increase sodium.
- Small portions – Side salads are usually quite small for the price.
- Food waste – Salad leftovers don’t take home well.
Despite these factors, the nutritional value and satiation salad provides often makes the extra cost worthwhile. Just take care in limiting sodium-heavy ingredients and dressings.
Tips for ordering more satisfying salads
Here are some tips to follow when ordering a salad on the side:
- Ask for dressing on the side – Then you control how much you use.
- Say no to croutons – Slashing 200+ calories and up to 500mg sodium.
- Load up on veggies – Spinach, kale, broccoli, artichokes and avocado boost nutrition.
- Pick a protein – Grilled chicken, beans, eggs or tofu for staying power.
- Get creative with additions – Walnuts, berries, edamame and seed mixes.
- Request larger portion – Many places will serve a bigger salad for just a small charge.
- Share with a friend – Splitting a large salad can give you both enough greens.
Choosing nutrient-dense fixings and avoiding heavy dressings keeps your salad light and satisfying.
Calorie and cost comparison of salad vs. popular side dishes
| Side Dish | Calories | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Garden salad w/ light dressing | 75 | $3.99 |
| Caesar salad | 425 | $4.29 |
| French fries | 460 | $3.49 |
| Onion rings | 640 | $4.99 |
| Potato chips | 365 | $2.99 |
As shown, salads with light dressing provide the lowest calorie options. Pairing your meal with a garden salad instead of fries saves about 400 calories. Cost-wise salad also tends to be budget friendly compared to the alternatives.
The bottom line
Ordering salad as a side when eating out offers many benefits. You get a serving of fresh vegetables along with fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients lacking from fried sides. Salads help fill you up for less calories, provide taste and texture contrast, and allow you to customize your meal. While salads do have some potential downsides relating to portion size and sodium, focusing on making nutritious choices keeps them light and satisfying. Considering the nutritional and satiety value salads add, the few extra dollars they cost is money well spent. So next time you’re dining out, say yes to salad on the side.
Conclusion
Salad is a smart choice as a side dish when eating out for both health and hunger management. The variety of ingredients and ability to customize based on your preferences makes salads a more interesting and wholesome option than fries or chips. Just be mindful of sodium content and balance your add-ins. When paired with an otherwise heavy meal, a salad can provide nutrient-dense foods for better overall diet quality. While you can save calories by skipping it, the vitamins, minerals, and satisfaction salad provides generally makes it worth the cost. Ordering greens on the side can transform an unhealthy meal into a more balanced dining experience.