A lot of people can’t imagine eating their salad without croutons, cheese, and creamy dressings, but many of these popular salad toppings happen to be pretty unhealthy. If you’re trying to keep your salads on the healthy side, here are some more nutritious replacements that you should try instead.
Creamy Dressings
You don’t need heavy dressings to add creaminess to your salads. Greek yogurt, hummus, and avocados will get the job done, but making your own salad dressings is also an option.
Croutons
The best replacement for croutons in your salad is… well, pretty much nothing since they’re completely unnecessary. If you insist on having them, consider making them on your own with toasted whole grain bread.
Dairy Cheese
Baked tofu and dairy-free cheeses are a great replacement for the real thing—just make sure to check the label since they’re sometimes packed with unnecessary additives.
Salted Nuts
Adding nuts to your salad is all fun and games—make sure they’re unsalted and raw so they wouldn’t be packed with huge amounts of fat and sodium.
Bacon Bits
Processed meats such as bacon beats don’t belong anywhere near your salads, so try replacing them with roasted chickpeas, beans, or tempeh for an epic flavor boost.
