We all know how important it is to eat a balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. It’s important for brain health, mental health, disease prevention and so much more. But we also know how difficult it can be to strike the right balance among these food groups. Salads are an easy way to do this. When you include chicken, eggs, salmon or another protein; mix in a variety of vegetables and include whole grains when possible, salads have everything you need to live a healthy life.
The problem is that a fresh green salad uses, well, fresh ingredients that can go bad quickly. Instead of letting your lettuce turn slimy, your herbs wilt and your vegetables get moldy, we recommend buying handy kitchen gadgets like Farberware’s salad spinner and Rubbermaid’s storage containers. Your salads will not only taste better, but they’ll also be easier to prepare.
Best Herb and Salad Tool Deals
Whiskware Salad Dressing Shaker
Amazon
Since store-bought dressings often contain added sugars and unnecessary salt, we prefer to make our own when possible. A salad dressing shaker like Whiskware’s comes in handy for just this purpose. With a glass jar and an easy-open spout, all you have to do is add your ingredients, shake them up, pour the dressing on your salad and store the rest in the refrigerator for later.
Farberware Pump Salad Spinner
Amazon
More than 15,000 Amazon shoppers swear by Farberware’s salad spinner, with multiple reviewers praising its efficiency, “large capacity” and “powerful and effective” design. It’s also a tested favorite of ours at EatingWell for the same reasons, with our editors noting that it’s the ideal model if you’re washing lettuce for a crowd. Pro tip: A salad spinner is also handy for washing berries.
Prepara Herb Savor Pod 2.0, Set of 3
Amazon
Whether we’re roasting chicken with thyme or tossing basil leaves with salad greens, herbs are some of our favorite flavor boosters. If you feel similarly but struggle with keeping them fresh for long periods of time, you could benefit from these popular pods. With a water reservoir on the bottom that keeps your herbs hydrated and a hard shell that protects them from getting squashed, these pods will practically pay for themselves after a few uses.
Luxear Produce Storage Containers, Set of 3
Amazon
Lettuce gets slimy when exposed to too much moisture and oxygen. Luxear’s storage containers are equipped with vents to manage this exposure, plus interior colanders to elevate your produce above puddles. Combined, these elements keep your lettuce, bell peppers and more as fresh as possible for as long as possible.
Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Savers, Set of 2
Amazon
Rubbermaid’s FreshWorks line is another popular option. Shoppers swear by its built-in filter, which regulates the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide, for extending the lives of their produce. And like Luxear’s containers, it also has an elevated base to promote airflow and lift lettuce out of pooling moisture.
Zulay Kitchen Lemon Squeezer
Amazon
No salad is complete without a splash of lemon juice. Zulay Kitchen’s citrus juicer is a simple, effective model that does everything you need it to do without any unnecessary bells and whistles. And at just $9, it’s a steal.
Netany Glass Overnight Oats Containers
Amazon
If you’re looking for an easy way to incorporate more greens into your diet, glass jars like these are a great place to start. Simply add your homemade vinaigrette to the bottom of the container, layer on your salad ingredients, starting with your protein or whole grains and ending with your greens. When you’re ready to eat it the next day, all you have to do is shake it up and unscrew the cap. Plus, these glass jars are great for overnight oats.
