Salads are the perfect go-to meal when you're looking for something healthy, light and satisfying. But after a while, eating the same salads can get a bit boring. If you're looking for some new and exciting ways to make your salad more interesting, read on! We've got some great tips for you.

If you're bored of your usual salad routine, it's time to mix things up! There are endless possibilities when it comes to creating new and exciting salads. Start by incorporating different textures and colors. Try adding some crisp apples or pears, creamy avocados, or chewy dried fruit. Nuts and seeds add a nice crunch, while crumbled cheese or chopped hard-boiled eggs provide additional protein. If you're feeling adventurous, experiment with different greens such as arugula, spinach, or kale. And don't forget the dressing! Instead of your usual vinaigrette, try a creamy yogurt-based dressing or a zesty citrus vinaigrette. With so many options, the possibilities are endless! So go ahead and mix things up - your taste buds will thank you!

Deconstructing your favorite dish can help with getting creative. By turning something else into a salad, you can make a dish a fun way to enjoy a favorite meal. It’s especially good for sandwich combinations or other recipes where the elements of your dish are really just fillers. Here's how to perk up your salads with some different flavors and textures, without a lot of extra time in the kitchen.

Get Creative With Ingredients

Think every bowl has to start with a bunch of greens? Think again. Changing the ratio of leaves to other ingredients can make a salad bold and interesting. Try chickpeas, roasted mushrooms, jicama, quinoa, and spiralized zucchini. This creates a bold, color-filled bowl, a heartier texture, and can act as a good base.

*Try this...**Garbanzo Bean & Kale Salad*

Rethink Your Veggie Prep

Chopping up your product saves time when you're making your salad for later. Instead of doing standard dice, reach for a peeler or spiralizer to create thin wide strips of carrots or zucchini.

Add Some Crunch

One of the fun parts about eating salad is enjoying all the different textures. It's fun to experiment with toppings like roasted nuts (almond slivers, walnuts, or anything else you like), crispy pork rinds, or even just raw jicama.

Heat it Up

Adding one or two warm elements to a salad, can switch up the whole salad game in interesting ways. The classic is to make the protein warm: a chicken breast hot off the grill, tossed with lettuce, onions, and toppings--Like this grilled chili lime chicken fajita salad. But you could also add all kinds of warmer mix-ins like roasted mushrooms or sweet potato.

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Pack In More Flavor

A couple of the ways they do this is by mixing fresh herbs into the lettuce base for the salad or drizzling a squeeze of lemon or lime on top. It's also nice to add a little bit of spice--depending on how much heat you can take. It could be as tame as fresh cracked pepper—or something with a little more of a kick, like Sriracha.

DIY your dressing

Surprisingly, this makes a huge difference. By making your own salad dressing, you can add different flavors and herbs to your dressing, like this avocado cilantro dressing or raspberry poppy seed dressing.

What’s your favorite go-to salad? Let us know by tagging your photos on Instagram with @valeriefidan

This article was first published April 2016 and updated by our editors July 2022.