- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- FoodHealthy FoodLifestyle
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every May
- Holiday emoji:
- 🥗
National Salad Month celebrates fresh, healthy eating throughout May. This month-long observance, created by the Association for Dressing and Sauces, encourages everyone to incorporate more nutrient-rich salads into their daily meals. Embrace the opportunity to experiment with new ingredients, support local produce, and inspire others to join the healthy movement.
Want to sponsor National Salad Month? Learn how
Expected National Salad Month Deals
As National Salad Month unfolds throughout May, anticipate a bounty of promotions from grocery stores, meal kit services, and fast-casual restaurants. Major chains like Sweetgreen and Chopt often roll out limited-time seasonal salads and offer discounts on their popular bowls. Grocery retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s typically feature sales on fresh produce, salad kits, and premium dressings, making it easier to stock up on ingredients. Keep an eye on dressing brands like Hidden Valley and Kraft for coupons and special offers. Additionally, many local eateries and health-focused cafes will highlight their signature salads or introduce new, innovative creations. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as May approaches.
Platform Guide for National Salad Month
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalSaladMonth. Share vibrant photos of your homemade salads, healthy recipes, and favorite salad spots. Engage with other foodies and health enthusiasts.
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #NationalSaladMonth. Create short, engaging videos showcasing quick salad prep, dressing hacks, or ‘what I eat in a day’ featuring salads. Challenge friends to a salad-making contest.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #NationalSaladMonth. Share family-friendly salad recipes, host a virtual potluck, or discuss the health benefits of incorporating more greens into your diet.
National Salad Month Hero
Association for Dressing and Sauces
National Salad Month timeline
A restaurant in Chicago opened the first salad bar.
Caesar Cardini, an Italian chef working in Tijuana, created (what else?) the Caesar salad — but his version omitted anchovies and only permitted the use of Italian olive oil.
Iceberg lettuce was developed as a solution to long distance transportation issues related to other types of lettuce.
Leonardo da Vinci was the first artist to paint salad; his piece, “Leda,” depicted the goddess of fertility holding a bouquet of lettuce.
Aristotle writes about the health benefits of Swiss Chard.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Salad Month
Local businesses can embrace National Salad Month by offering special promotions and creative menu items throughout May. Restaurants and cafes can introduce limited-time ‘Salad Month’ specials, featuring unique ingredient combinations or locally sourced produce. Grocery stores can create eye-catching displays of fresh greens, vegetables, and gourmet dressings, perhaps offering bundle deals on salad-making essentials. Even non-food businesses can participate by hosting healthy lunch-and-learn events or sharing salad recipes with their employees and customers, promoting wellness within their communities.
National Salad Month FAQs
When is National Salad Month?
In 2027, National Salad Month will again take place throughout the entire month of May, beginning on Saturday, May 1, and concluding on Monday, May 31. It offers 31 days to explore new salad creations.
How many Americans eat salad regularly?
Studies consistently show that a significant majority of Americans, approximately two-thirds, include salads in their diet on a regular basis. This highlights the enduring popularity and importance of salads as a meal component.
What are the most popular salad dressings?
While Ranch remains a perennial favorite, vinaigrettes (like balsamic and apple cider) have seen a surge in popularity, alongside creamy options such as Caesar and honey mustard. Consumer preferences continue to evolve towards lighter and more diverse flavor profiles.
What is the origin of National Salad Month?
The observance was created by the Association for Dressing and Sauces (ADS) over three decades ago, in 1992. It serves as an annual reminder to embrace healthy eating habits and explore the vast world of salad ingredients and dressings.
National Salad Month Activities
Set up a friendly competition
National Salad Month is all about cleaning up your eating habits and incorporating a healthier food regimen. So this May, take advantage of this holiday and ask friends and family to join in on a little healthy competition. Whoever makes the healthiest changes during the month — and has the most visible progress — wins a prize.
Try new recipes
Buy salad cookbooks, look at Instagram or Pinterest for recipe inspiration, or reach out to friends and family — the ones whose healthy habits you admire — and ask if they have any salad recipes you can borrow.
Do a new take on Sunday Funday’s
Who doesn’t love a Sunday Funday? But they’re typically filled with sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages and unhealthy, fatty foods. So in honor of National Salad Day, reach out to friends and let them know you want to change things up for the Sundays in May by choosing healthier restaurants that offer lots of salad options.
5 Sensational Salad Facts
A cartoon character once triggered strong spinach sales
American growers in the 1930s saw a 33% increase in consumption. A certain sailor named Popeye got the credit.
How spinach got its name
Salty dressings generally season spinach. Thus, the word salad comes from “herba salta” which is Latin for “salted herbs."
Caesar salads could get you arrested
California banned Caesar salads in 1998 (for a short time) because they included a raw egg.
Caesar salad's magical powers
Back in ancient times, Egyptians viewed lettuce as an aphrodisiac, making it scared to Min, the God of Fertility
Lettuce is very popular in the U.S.
In fact, lettuce comes in second as the most popular fresh vegetable in the states — right behind potatoes.
Why We Love National Salad Month
They’re good for you
If kale or spinach is the base of your salad, you’re already getting tons of health benefits. Any protein, additional veggies, or healthy fats are bonuses. Even if cheese, a fatty dressing, or tortilla chips are prominently featured in your salads, you’re still bound to get some valuable nutrients from whatever veggies or protein may be hiding under that all that blue cheese.
It’s an easy meal to pack
Sure, salads are known for being healthy, but they also make on-the-go meals a little easier. The chopping can be done the night before, and thanks to nifty, convenient salad containers that feature built-in dressing compartments, soggy leaves are a thing of the past.
No guilty feelings for grabbing seconds...or thirds
You don’t have to feel bad about indulging since salads are typically a lighter meal choice than say, chicken wings, or french fries. In fact, the more scoops of salad, the more veggies and fiber you’ll consume.
Social Media Tips for National Salad Month
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