Summertime is the perfect time to serve up a salad. Check out some of these great summer salad recipe as well as tips for saving money on your ingredients.
Salads make perfect summer meals. They’re cool, can easily be made ahead, and typically make good use of summer produce.
Not only that, making homemade salads over the summer can save you money. Say what?
True story.
I know this, because I love salad. A salad girl I am. A must-have on my menu plan is one big meal-size salad every day. I even ‘gram it.
So, as an established salad connoisseur, I can guarantee that you will save money making salads at home.
How can you save money making your salads at home?
Let me count the ways:
The commercial alternatives are costly.
For example, restaurant salads range from $10 to 20; cheap take-out salads are $6 minimum, but more likely in the $8-9 range. However, you can buy salad ingredients for a week for the same price as one restaurant salad.
Salads generally don’t use a lot of one ingredient.
As a result, you can use up little bits of veggies, cheese, meats — even bread for croutons! — that might otherwise go to waste. Using what you have will certainly save you money.
Summer is the time for salad.
During the summer months fresh produce is abundant and favorably priced, therefore, the ingredients for summer salads are incredibly affordable.
Vegetables are fragile.
Since veggies are a quick turn-over item, you will likely find sales when the produce needs to be sold quickly. Look for bargains at farm stands, markets, and the grocery store.
Veggies are easy to grow.
Yep, you can grow your own salad ingredients! Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs are all easy to grow yourself.
What do you need to make a great summer salad?
A Summer Salad has a lot going for it. For instance, consider these delicious components:
- crisp veggies, such as lettuce, spinach, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and corn
- hearty proteins, such as chicken, ham, or hard-cooked eggs
- tasty dressing, such as ranch, Italian dressing, or raspberry vinaigrette
If you can find your veg fresh from the garden or farm stand, so much the better.
How can you speed up your summer salad?
These are all things you can prep yourself, but you can also take some shortcuts to speed up your salad making and still save money.
Consider some of these convenient salad ingredients:
- lettuce prepped in bags or pre-rinsed baby greens
- grape tomatoes, no need to chop!
- shredded carrots and purple cabbage – these add great color
- rotisserie chicken
Above all, don’t skimp on the dressing. To really enjoy your summer salads, it’s better to make the dressing yourself than to buy it in a bottle.
Kitchen equipment
Good knives – It’s imperative to have a good set of knives for chopping, dicing, and slicing. You don’t have to buy a full set; you can do quite well with a chef’s knife, a serrated bread knife, and a paring knife.
Big cutting boards – Protect your blades as well as your counter tops by cutting on good counter tops. I have a variety of boards in different colors so I can prevent cross contamination between raw meats and vegetables.
A salad spinner – I prefer to cut my own salad greens, so having a salad spinner really helps. It gets the excess water off the lettuce so they don’t get soggy. This is great, especially if you want to make several days of lunch salads in advance.
Plastic containers with lids – These are awesome for packing salads for lunch. I’ve bought several sets for my husband to take to work or for me to pack my own lunches in advance. They are as durable as glass, but they’re disposable, so you don’t have to worry about them too much.
Are you looking for something cool and crunchy to enjoy this summer?
Check out these delicious salad recipes:
Ham and Gruyere cheese add rich flavor to this hearty salad that evokes tastes of France. This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and tastes great! This Chicken and Prosciutto Salad was inspired by one at an Italian restaurant. It comes together very quickly and is great for packing. Just make up a big batch of chicken, crisp the prosciutto in a pan, and blend up the dressing This Rice and Black Bean Salad is a great dish for making ahead. In fact, if you serve hot cooked rice for dinner one night, make double so that you can mix up this salad and stash it in the freezer. Serve it up as a hearty side dish or as a meatless main. Blend all your favorite antipasto flavors into a convenient pasta salad. This recipe blends spicy salami, tangy parmesan, hearty garbanzo beans, and the crunch of fresh vegetables. For this Italian Chicken Pasta Salad, I took some of my favorite Italian salad toppings, grilled chicken and vegetable pasta and mixed it together. It’s easy to make ahead for those busy nights. Enjoy a cool and easy lunch or dinner with this Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad. It’s full of chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. Since I love blue cheese, avocado, and bacon, Cobb Salad is one of my very favorite salads in the whole world. I’ve tweaked the traditional recipe by letting ham and turkey cold cuts stand in for chicken and leeks for their close relative, the onion. So good! This Spinach Salad with Chicken and Strawberries will make you happy. It’s easy to make and the chicken, strawberries, and other fruit just make it sing. The dressing will probably have you licking your plate. Tender chicken, juicy raspberries, and tangy goat cheese get together to party in this simple yet flavorful Chicken & Raspberry Salad. No need for a cafe salad today when you’ve got this going on! Enjoy all the flavors of the season with this easy-to-prep, low-cook meal that’s perfect for those nights when you want something light yet nourishing. This Grilled Vegetable Couscous Salad is just the ticket. Couscous is an easy grain to prep quickly AND it makes a fantastic base to all kinds of cold salads. Make this super simple Couscous Salad this week! Enjoy a simple, delicious chicken salad loaded with apples and almonds in this easy recipe for Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps. Salads never need to be boring, especially when you top them with your favorite flavor combinations. Curried chicken and apple make a great combo. Enjoy a lunch or dinner packed with flavor with these Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps. This meal is delicious, make-ahead, and evokes all-around feel-good feelings. Salads never need be boring when you've got a salad and wings mashup on the table! Liven up your salad plate with spicy chicken and tangy Blue Cheese dressing in this Buffalo Chicken Salad. Enjoy fresh fruits, spicy scallions, crunchy almonds, and tender chicken in this delicious and refreshing Orchard Chicken Salad recipe with apples. Perfect for sandwiches, salads, or lettuce wraps. Enjoy an easy supper or side dish with this make-ahead Pesto Pasta Salad with Cranberries & Feta Cheese. It’s packed with flavor and makes a colorful addition to your buffet. Looking for quick dinners that will bring comfort and nourishment without a lot of hassle? This meatless Vegetable Pesto Pasta is hearty without being heavy. Liven up your next pasta dinner with this Southwest Pasta Salad. It’s got all the fun south-of-the-border flavors with the ease of a noodle salad. Enjoy a quick and delicious Tortellini Pasta Salad full of fresh veggies and a vibrant dressing. It’s perfect as a packable lunch, a fast main dish, or an easy side. Cool off tonight with a delicious make-ahead easy Greek pasta salad with feta, tomatoes, and kalamata olives. It’s hearty without feeling heavy. Summer salads are a great way to eat well on these hot summer days. Try out this Cannellini Bowtie Pasta Salad that comes together in a flash. Enjoy a restaurant-quality entree salad at home with this Baby Greens Salad with Turkey, Cranberries, and Blue Cheese. Super easy, simple, and delish! I This Santa Fe Salad is super easy to pull together. Signature corn and black beans get added protein from shredded chicken and other tasty toppings. Entree salads are a great one to enjoy delicious flavors without spending a lot of money. This Chicken Caesar Salad recipe is made from scratch quick and easily and tastes fantastic! Brown bagging it will taste amazing when you pack up a Black Bean Taco Salad. These stay good for several days in the fridge, so make a bulk batch! Cool off with this super easy, super make-ahead Asian Chicken Noodle Salad. It’s full of crisp, crunchy veggies, hearty chicken, and a delectable dressing. Enjoy this Tuna Macaroni Salad as a cool main dish this summer or as a substantial side dish at your next barbecue. It packs super well for lunch on the go. A typical chef’s salad boasts hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, and meat on a bed of dressed greens. This garlicky anchovy vinaigrette adds some punch to the mix. Want a Quinoa Salad that will make you swoon? This would be it. It’s one of my favorites to make for a hearty, protein-packed lunch, and it's absolutely delicioius in a salad loaded with beans, feta, and cilantro. The best part of a sub sandwich is the meat and veggies and abundant Italian dressing. You have all those in this tasty Submarine Salad, so good you won’t miss the bread! Keep your cool with this easy Asian Cabbage Salad with Chicken and Mandarin Oranges. It’s delicious as well as very make-ahead! Dotted with sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and tangy feta, this delicious Greek Orzo Salad comes together quickly with a handful of ingredients. Want to eat a little more healthfully? Enjoy this hearty Chicken Strip Salad full of vegetables and topped with blue cheese and pumpkin seeds. T Freshen up this season with dinner salads. Try this Italian Salad loaded with vegetables and topped with crispy prosciutto. 35 Super Summer Salad Recipes
Ham and Cheese Salad
Chicken and Prosciutto Salad
Rice and Black Bean Salad
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad with Chicken
Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
Turkey and Ham Cobb Salad
Spinach Salad with Chicken and Strawberries
Chicken & Raspberry Salad Recipe & Other Salad Tips
Grilled Vegetable Couscous Salad
Make this Super Simple Couscous Salad this Week
Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Curry Chicken Salad With Apples
Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Buffalo Chicken Salad to Liven Up Lunch
Orchard Chicken Salad Recipe With Apples
Pesto Pasta Salad with Cranberries & Feta
Vegetable Pasta Salad with Pesto: A Very Quick Dinner
Southwest Pasta Salad
Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe for an Easy Meal
Easy Greek Pasta Salad
Cannellini Bowtie Pasta Salad
Baby Greens Salad with Turkey, Cranberries, & Blue Cheese
Santa Fe Salad with Chicken, Corn, & Black Beans
Poorman's Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
Black Bean Taco Salad
Asian Chicken Noodle Salad - Very Make-Ahead
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Chef's Salad with a Garlicky Anchovy Vinaigrette
Quinoa Salad to Make You Swoon
Submarine Salad: You Won't Miss the Bread!
Asian Cabbage Salad with Chicken and Mandarin Oranges
Greek Orzo Salad
Chicken Strip Salad with Blue Cheese & Pumpkin Seeds
Italian Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
Judith
This Greek-inspired quinoa salad is my go-to all summer long. http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/greek-inspired-quinoa-salad Along with this corn & black bean salad: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/corn-and-black-bean-salad
Jessica Fisher
Thanks for sharing them!