The #1 Thing I Do Every Week So My Family Eats More Vegetables

And it only takes about 30 minutes.

A few years ago, EatingWell interviewed author, chef and actor David Burtka. When we interview celebrities, we usually ask them, “What’s always in your fridge?” And Burtka’s answer was so different from the usual response of favorite condiments or beverages. He said, “A salad bar.”

Oh! What a good idea, I thought. Although I do think that salad kits are a convenient option (and I often buy them at Costco), they’re not my first choice when it comes to making a salad. And I don’t love most clamshells of mixed greens (is it just me or are they already rotten and slimy by the time you get home?). So the idea of making my own salad bar in the fridge really spoke to me.

My husband and I both like to eat salad for lunch, but the idea of making one that was interesting and satisfying in the middle of the workday seemed like a heavy lift. So I decided to try Burtka’s brilliant idea. We sat down and discussed the types of ingredients we wanted to have on hand for making salads. If I was going to spend precious time over the weekend on this project, I wanted to make sure we’d eat the fruits of my labor! Then I got to work.