The Best and Worst Salad Toppings, According to R.D.s

Salads are a go-to healthy lunch choice, but it’s what you pile on top of those greens that separates the hearty from the heavy. “The word salad comes with a health halo around it, so there is a tendency to throw any and every ingredient in without paying attention to portion size, calories, and nutrient contributions,” says Rachel Begun, R.D.N., of Rachel Begun Food and Nutrition Solutions.

The most nutritious (and satisfying) salads are balanced, with around four to five add-ins that each provide different flavors and nutrients. “A salad that has protein in the form of animal meat, eggs, beans, nuts, and cheese is just overkill,” Begun says.

But don’t worry, you don’t need a nutrition degree to build a sensible bowl. To help you stay sane at the salad bar, we asked a few of our favorite R.D.s which toppings you should load up on, and which you should skip to avoid roughage regret: