Content warning: healthy eating, body dysmorphia, ED. I’m not a medical professional, dietitian, or even a professional chef. This is just my experience.
I have a complicated relationship with “health,” at least how social media defines it.
I was a piss-poor athlete growing up. And while my parents did their level best to feed us healthy, balanced meals at home, we were a far cry from an almond family. In fact, my best friend used to love to come to our house because we had real microwave popcorn in the bags, something that was verboten in her parents’ house. (Funny enough, I am now the one who recently told my mom that I don’t need to buy Skinny Pop at Costco because I got an air-popped popcorn maker as a wedding gift.)
My point is that I am, like any good 21st-century American, a creature of comfort. If a healthy habit doesn’t taste good, feel good, or amuse me, I’m much less likely to do it consistently. I will probably never be the kind of “Instagram healthy” person who chugs a tumbler full of disgusting green powder or hot lemon water first thing in the morning before CrossFit.
However, throughout my adult life, I’ve had to experiment and struggle to find healthy habits that I actually enjoyed doing. It took me until just a few months ago to finally find a workout I loved (Pilates Princess 4 lyfe <3). One habit that I figured out pretty early in my 20s was how to make a salad that didn’t feel like a chore to eat. So for a fun, lighthearted post after last week’s slightly ranty one, I’ve compiled my top salad tips to implement in your kitchen.
Massive disclaimer: I’m a DINK with a lot more free time than most parents reading this and who also happens to love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. I get that not everyone is like this. When I quote Ina Garten and say store-bought is fine, I actually mean it. If pre-packaged salad or bottled dressing is a better fit for your budget or your family or is the thing that is the most accessible to you or will actually get you to eat your vegetables, that’s fantastic. This is just a list of things that have made salads more enjoyable for me, but if you already like them, to quote Cogsworth, if it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it.
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