This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Fresh Gourmet. All opinions are my own. Create your own salad bar for a picnic, an easy dinner, or for a light holiday meal that allows everyone to customize their own plate!
CREATE YOUR OWN SALAD BAR
One of my most favorite things when friends and family come to visit is to set up a salad bar. It’s a great way to provide a fresh and delicious meal that is light and allows everyone to make their plate just the way they like.
A summer barbecue or rich holiday meal is always wonderful, but sometimes it’s nice to enjoy a meal that isn’t quite so heavy. That’s why I love Create Your Own Salad Bar! I make sure there is something to suit almost everyone’s taste preferences and dietary needs.
FRESH GOURMET
To add crunch and delicious flavor to my salad bar, I always have Fresh Gourmet Parmesan Crisps and Cranberry & Pecan Topping on hand for a super easy salad topper. I’m a big fan of both of these!
Fresh Gourmet Parmesan Crisps are perfect for your salad bar because they’re 100% cheese, totally keto-friendly (low-carb), an excellent source of protein, vegetarian, certified gluten-free, and ready to serve right from the bag with no additional prep. We also eat them as a snack!
The Fresh Gourmet Cranberry & Pecan Topping is super yummy on a salad. Our favorite combination is a mixture of fresh greens and baby spinach sprinkled with the Cranberry & Pecan Topping and then drizzled with either a mildly sweet poppy seed dressing or vinaigrette. So simple and delicious!
Fresh Gourmet Cranberry & Pecan Topping is a great addition to your salad bar because it is all-natural, colorful, the pecans add a nice crunch, and it’s a versatile topping that can also be sprinkled over a fruit salad, yogurt, oatmeal, and more.
We purchased the Club Pack size bags of Fresh Gourmet Parmesan Crisps and Fresh Gourmet Cranberry & Pecan Topping at Sam’s Club so we won’t run out too quickly!
DIY SALAD BAR IDEAS
Here are some great salad topping ideas to use when you’re making your own salad bar:
Base
- Mixed salad greens
- Romaine lettuce
- Iceberg lettuce
- Baby spinach
- Shredded cabbage
- Kale
Veggies
- Cucumber
- Bell peppers (red, green, yellow, orange)
- Sliced tomatoes
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Carrots
- Celery
- Corn
- Broccoli
- Artichoke hearts
- Mushrooms
- Red onions
- Scallions
- Edamame
- Sprouts
- Sweet peas
- Avocado
Fruits
- Mandarin oranges
- Strawberries
- Dried fruit, such as Fresh Gourmet Cranberry & Pecan Topping
- Apples
- Grapes
- Lemon and lime wedges
Tip: Add a fruit salad for a sweet option on your salad bar. The fruit salad pairs nicely with Fresh Gourmet Cranberry & Pecan Topping.
Crunch
- Fresh Gourmet Parmesan Crisps
- Croutons
- Tortilla strips
- Nuts
- Sunflower seeds
Meats
- Grilled chicken
- Tuna
- Pepperoni
- Chopped lunch meat
- Ham
- Prosciutto
- Salmon
- Crunchy fried chicken or fish
- Turkey
- Shrimp
- Bacon bits
Other
- Shredded cheese
- Cheese chunks
- Salad dressings
- Black beans
- Tofu
- Chickpeas
- Olives
- Hard boiled eggs
- Blue cheese
- Feta cheese
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN SALAD BAR
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as much as possible
Do any chopping and preparing of your salad bar ingredients a few hours ahead of serving or even the night before to make it really easy for you when it’s time to serve.
- Prepare the bar
Prepare your salad bar with a tablecloth or by covering your table with a roll of brown craft paper. With the brown craft paper, you can add a label next to each salad ingredient so your family and friends know what the item is and how it can be used.
- Set up the salad bar
Just before it’s time to serve, set out the salad bar items, a stack of plates, silverware, napkins, and drinks. That’s it! You have a delicious, colorful, Create Your Own Salad Bar in a snap!
KEEP IT COOL
Some of your salad bar items might need to be kept cold. To accomplish this, you can fill larger bowls with ice to set smaller bowls filled with the toppings into. Or even fill a small inflatable rectangular baby pool with ice and nestle the bowls of toppings into the ice. This may not be necessary if your salad bar is indoors and won’t be left out too long, but for sure you’ll want to keep ingredients cold if your bar is outdoors in the heat of summer.
MAKE IT EASY!
The very best tip for a Create Your Own Salad bar is to make it as easy on yourself as possible! Stop at Sam’s Club and pick up prepared salad greens, toppings, and of course a big bag of Fresh Gourmet Parmesan Crisps and Fresh Gourmet Cranberry & Pecan Topping. Click this link for more details!
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