Did you know that May is National Salad Month? Established in 1992 by the Association of Dressings and Sauces, this is a time for baby boomers and older adults to celebrate healthy eating with all things green and fresh!
Here’s a brief “salad” history from the National Today website:
–4th century BC: Artistotle extols the virtues of swiss chard.
–1504: The goddess of fertility holds a bouquet of lettuce in a Leonardo Da Vinci painting, the first depiction of salads in art.
–1894: The development of iceberg lettuce heralds in the solution to long- distance lettuce transportation problems.
–1924: The Caesar salad is “invented” by Caesar Cardini, an Italian chef working in Tijuana.
–1939: The first salad bar is established in a Chicago restaurant.
Not a big salad lover? Below are a few suggestions to get started, because all you need is the momentum to enjoy these foods–ripe with fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, color, and flavor!
- A great way to start is with one small change. Maybe one side salad per week in the evening. Or one weekly entree salad for lunch this summer.
- Change out a veggie side dish for a house salad when dining out.
- Even fast-food restaurants provide a plethora of salad offerings.
- Buy a Tower Garden and enjoy fresh produce daily right outside your door. Talk about “farm-to-fork!”
- Prepare a salad in a jar. With a wide-mouthed quart-sized Mason jar, start with dressing and heavy vegetables (beans, carrots, corn, broccoli), and move on to celery, zucchini, fresh fruit, and nuts; top with your favorite leafy greens.
Learn how to build a beautiful, nutritious salad at my upcoming salad-in-a-jar party, June 2, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm, in Temecula, southern California–my home: 40521 La Cadena Ct, 92591. RSVP to discuss what to bring–951 533-2612.