Lots of restaurants have salad bars. Lots of people think they are a good choice. After all, they are fruits and vegetables. Right? Are they really a better choice? Let’s take a moment to look over the items on the salad bar before you fill your plate.

Leafy greens are usually found at the salad bar. This is a good choice. Try to fill about 3/4 of your plate with the greens. The darker the color of the green the more nutrients.

Macaroni and pasta salad contains a good bit of mayonnaise (which provides around 100 calories per tablespoon). A cup of macaroni or pasta salad with mayonnaise can mean several hundred calories.

Croutons can add about 90 calories per cup. Select a few and crush them to extend the flavor. This way you get the crunch without so many calories.

Cheddar cheese is also a popular item at the salad bar. Just 2 tablespoons adds 114 calories to your salad. If you can’t say no to the cheese, make sure that it is shredded so it is easier to mix through your salad.

Some good choices for your salad would be beets, peppers, red cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, sprouts, onions, peas, and mushrooms.

Good fruit choices for your salad would be cranberries, tangerine sections, sliced strawberries, apple slices or red grapes.

The salad dressing can also add lots of calories. Lots of people don’t use the standard two tablespoon serving. If you need to get your serving under control use tablespoons at home until you can visualize an accurate serving size. Dipping your fork into the salad and then spearing some of your salad is also a good way to cut down on the amount of dressing you use.