Easy & Healthy Tossed Green Salad | Weight Watchers Recipes (2024)

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Weight Watchers Recipe of the Day: Simple Tossed Green Salad

I made this cheap and easy tossed salad for lunch today.It's my first attempt in a long time at really tuning into my spending and what it costs to eat healthy.

Nothing fancy, yet incredibly cool, crunchy and satisfying, this cheap and easy tossed green salad is just chopped romaine, with sliced scallion, radish, cucumber, celery and bell pepper tossed in a little light balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Easy & Healthy Tossed Green Salad | Weight Watchers Recipes (1)

Cheap & Easy Tossed Green Salad

Here's a simple chart outlining what I spent on ingredients:

ItemStoreTotal Cost$ Per Unit
Romaine Hearts (3 Heads)99 Cents Store$1.00$0.34
Cumbers, Persian (5)99 Cents Store$1.00$0.20
Celery Hearts (15 stalks)99 Cents Store$1.00$0.07
Peppers, mini (16 peppers)99 Cents Store$1.00$0.06
Scallions (6 large)99 Cents Store$1.00$0.17
Radishes (10)Sprouts$0.59$0.06
Newman's Salad Dressing
(16 oz /32 T)
Bashas$3.28$0.10

Which means that according to my calculations, it cost me about $1.33 to make two large servings of this cheap and easy tossed salad or $.67 cents per serving.

And only *1 Weight Watchers PointsPlus or *2 WW Freestyle SmartPoints!

Why this sudden interest in my food budget?

It all began with thispost on Snack Girlwhere Lisa interviewed a 26 year old from Great Britain who had just completed an experiment living on $18 worth of healthy food for one week.

He got the idea from a BBC article which had suggested that "it's possible to live on as little as £12 (about $18) a week on food alone, but estimated the cost of doing so to be double that amount, due to a lack in our nation's culinary skills."

Somehow that led me to thisArizona SNAP Challenge website, where you can sign up to take part in a challenge the first week of September to live on the average food stamp allowance of $4/day for 5 days.

Which got me thinking about the 1940s Experiment blog, where Carolyn has put herself on a diet of 1940s UK wartime rations in an attempt to lose 100 pounds and led me to this interesting articlethat explores how a modern British family got healthier when theyvolunteered to go back in time and spend nine weeks surviving on austere rations for the series The 1940s House. All the adults lost weight and showed modest health improvements by the end of the experiment.

All this reading forced me to face the fact that I'm spending way too much money on food, all under the guise of doing it for my health and weight maintenance. It's time to get my budget under control. I'm spending more than I'm making, which is never a good thing.

My grandmother, who lived through the depression and World War II, stayed frugal forever in all aspects of her life, including what she spent for food. Was this part of the secret to her long life?

For quite some time I've had a strong sense that the key to lasting health and weight loss is inextricably linked to our past and it's simpler recipes and smaller portions. To what and how we cooked, ate and lived. And I'm not talking about the trendy, distant, caveman/paleo past, but the more recent, less trendy, past of our great-grandmothers and grandmothers.

So, I'm beginning today, by paying attention and limiting my spending to what I need instead of what I want. It's time to get real. Get frugal. Get thrifty.I think Nana would be proud!

How Many Calories & Weight Watchers Points in Simple Tossed Green Salad?

According to my calculations, half of this simple green salad has about 84 calories and:

2 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
1 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

To see your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

Are You Ready To Firmly Plant YourselfOn The Path To Lasting Weight Loss Success?

If you've made this Simple Tossed Green Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Easy & Healthy Tossed Green Salad | Weight Watchers Recipes (3)

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5 from 2 votes

Cheap & Easy Tossed Green Salad Recipe

A simple refreshing tossed salad of chopped romaine, celery, scallion, radish and cucumber!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Servings (adjustable): 2

Calories: 84

Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

  • 1 romaine heart, washed, dried and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 mini yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 Persian cucumber chopped
  • 1 radish, sliced
  • 1 scallion, sliced
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons light dressing of your choice (I used Newman's Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the romaine, celery, pepper, cucumber, radish, and scallion.

  • Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

  • Toss well to combine and coat lightly with the dressing.

Recipe Notes

2 *SmartPoints (Green plan)

2 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)

2 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)

1 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

Click hereto see your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.

Nutrition Facts

Cheap & Easy Tossed Green Salad Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 /2 the recipe)

Calories 84Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Carbohydrates 10.1g3%

Fiber 2.5g10%

Protein 1.3g3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheap salad recipe, easy green salad, simple romaine salad

Did you make this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving on Instagram and tag #simplenourishedliving - we love to see your creations!

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

More Cheap & Easy Salads for Weight Watchers

  • Italian Arugula Salad
  • Simple Lentil Salad
  • Tuna and White Bean Salad
  • Brussels Sprouts Salad
  • Apple Carrot Slaw
  • Shredded Romaine and Dill Salad

Easy & Healthy Tossed Green Salad | Weight Watchers Recipes (4)Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.

A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.

She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.

More about Martha McKinnon

This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!

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Easy & Healthy Tossed Green Salad | Weight Watchers Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the healthiest ingredients for salad? ›

leafy greens such as romaine, arugula, kale and spinach. whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and bulgur. chopped or shredded vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, cabbage, and beets.

What to add to salad for weight loss? ›

Instead, make sure you're always adding at least 15 grams of protein such as chicken breast, shrimp, ground turkey or beef, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, beans, or lentils. Listen to your body – Even when it comes to a healthy salad, it's still important to listen to your body and take notice of when you're getting full.

What are good carbs to add to salads? ›

Whole grains add an extra level of crunch and nutritional balance to a salad. There are so many different grain options to choose from for your salads including farro, quinoa, brown rice, wheat berry, and more.

What can I add to salad to make it better? ›

You can use any fresh vegetable you like. You can use roasted vegetables. Toasted or candied nuts and dried fruits like raisins or cranberries add interest. Fresh apples or pears go well in a salad with blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles.

What are the healthiest vegetables to put in a salad? ›

Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers").

Will I lose belly fat if I eat salad everyday? ›

Salads are loaded with fibres, and when you add a good amount of fibre in your daily meal plan, it can definitely target your belly fat and help it move away faster.

Can I lose weight if I eat 3 salads a day? ›

Can you lose weight by eating a salad every day? "Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

Is it OK to eat salad every day for weight loss? ›

Eating salad can help with weight loss

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Fruits and vegetables typically contain more fiber and water than more processed, high-calorie foods. This means that you can eat more fruits and vegetables while staying on a low-calorie diet.

What is the healthiest carb to eat? ›

The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.

What salad dressing is healthy? ›

If you like a creamy dressing, try adding Greek yogurt or avocado for healthy, natural fats. Or if you prefer a vinaigrette, consider adding your favorite citrus juice or zest for a pop of color. “I love a quick homemade vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon, fresh garlic and lots of oregano,” Allers notes.

What are the best carbs for weight loss? ›

What are some of the best sources of healthy carbs? Romito suggests these foods: Whole grains: Farro, quinoa, whole-grain breads and pastas, bulgar wheat, and brown or wild rice. Starchy vegetables: Potatoes (preferably with the skin), green peas, corn and winter squash like butternut or spaghetti squash.

What is the healthy salad formula? ›

The healthy salad I share with nutrition clients makes it simple: Greens + Veggies + Protein + One High-Calorie “Extra” + Simple Dressing. Here, I break it down in more detail. You'll get the most nutritional bang for your buck if you choose dark, leafy greens like kale or spinach as your base.

What is the healthiest lettuce? ›

While all lettuce is going to provide you with healthy vitamins and minerals, romaine lettuce is the most nutrient-dense, says registered dietitian Danielle Crumble Smith. “It's going to have the highest amount of vitamin A, K, C,” she says.

Are salads healthy to eat everyday? ›

"Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

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