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How to prepare healthy salads this Christmas season
15th December, 2025 08:35 AM
Amid all the indulgent dishes of the festive season, healthy salads can bring a refreshing and nutritious balance to your Christmas table.
Packed with vibrant colours, fresh ingredients, and seasonal flavours, these salads are not only good for you but also add a touch of elegance to any holiday spread.
Whether you’re looking for a light starter, a side dish, or a vegetarian option, here’s how to prepare healthy, delicious salads that everyone will enjoy this Christmas.
Step by step guide
Choose a base; start with leafy greens like spinach, kale, arugula, lettuce, or mixed salad greens.
Add fresh veggies; chop and add colourful vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, and red onions.
Include a protein; add lean proteins such as grilled chicken, boiled eggs, tuna, chickpeas, lentils, or tofu for a filling salad.
Incorporate healthy fats; add avocado slices, nuts (like almonds or walnuts), or seeds (like chia or sunflower) for healthy fats.
Add a Whole Grain (Optional). For extra energy, mix in cooked quinoa, brown rice, or whole wheat pasta.
Toss in fruits (optional). Fresh fruits like apples, berries, oranges, or pomegranate seeds add natural sweetness and a festive touch.
Make a Light Dressing. Mix olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper for a simple, healthy dressing.
Mix and serve. Toss everything gently in a large bowl, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Broccoli salad
Broccoli
Raw sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
Finely chopped red onion
Grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
Dried cranberries or dried tart cherries, chopped
Honey mustard dressing
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Mustard
Honey
Clove garlic, pressed or minced
Fine sea salt
Instructions
Toast sunflower seeds: Pour the sunflower seeds into a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently (careful, they’ll burn!), until the seeds are turning golden on the sides, about 5 minutes. Pour the toasted seeds into a large serving bowl.
Add the chopped broccoli, onion, cheese and cranberries to the serving bowl. Set aside.
In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and salt). Whisk until the mixture is well blended.
Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until all of the broccoli is lightly coated in dressing. I highly recommend letting the salad marinate for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight in the refrigerator.
Divide the salad into individual bowls and serve. Leftovers will keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, covered.
