The Verdict: Eat Me! Salad

Welcome to The Verdict, Flyby's newest advice column!

After living at Harvard for officially 82 days (88 if you count FOP; big shout out to FOP 12!), I can finally say I am happy with my meals here. I have figured out to get exactly what I want out of every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Everyone complains about the dining hall food, many for good reason; but if you search a little harder and spend five more minutes curating your plate, there’s no reason not to be satiated and, dare I say it, satisfied.

Tips and Tricks for Crafting a Quality Salad:

1. Make your own dressing. I cannot stress this enough. There are so many different oils, vinegars, and sauces to choose from. Do not be afraid of proportions—it’s all about experimentation. Get a little dish to put it in while you are up there, and pour it on your salad once you sit down and are ready to eat!

Options:

Dressing #1 (my go-to)
Sesame Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Lemon Juice

Dressing #2
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Juice

2. Chop your salad. This is a biggie. Everyone likes chopped salad better; it’s fact. I swear it only takes you max 60 seconds if you focus and then voilà! You can get a little of everything in each tasty bite.

3. Order grilled chicken and an egg (ask for “well done”) or egg whites to chop into your salad. You need a little protein in there.

4. Toppings, toppings, toppings. Fill 'er up! Beans (of the kidney or black variety), edamame, chickpeas, peppers, cucumbers, tomato, beets… the choice is yours (so don’t screw it up). Opt for three or four toppings on a bed of lettuce and you can’t go wrong.

5. Finally: Oregano, flax seeds, ginger powder. Try something new tomorrow. Give one of these a little shake above all your veggies. It may add that extra kick you have been craving.

Bonus Time: You don’t have to wait in line for hot food!