Salad Bar Food Is The Worst Thing To Put In Your Cart At Whole Foods, According To Health Experts

February 21, 2024 by Julia DeKorte

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While you may think you’re making the healthy choice by making yourself a meal from the fresh salad bar at Whole Foods, but health experts disagree. Registered dietitians Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Shames both agree that the Whole Foods salad bar isn’t as good for you as it may seem. Keep reading for more information.

Skip The Whole Foods Salad Bar

Dietitians and other health experts have long since warned customers that the salad bar isn’t as healthy as you may think it is. Take a look at some of the reasoning behind their warning:

Salad Bars Can Have Great Growing Conditions For Bacteria

Leafy greens, the main ingredient in a salad and always present at a salad bar, need to be stored in the refrigerator to decrease bacterial growth. The survival and growth of E. coli decreases at lower temperatures, so unless the lettuce at your salad bar is stored over ice (and that ice is replaced often!) it could be a breeding ground for bacteria.

The same goes for protein-based ingredients. Things like cubed chicken contain protein, are moist, and have a neutral or slightly acidic pH, which make great growing conditions for bacteria. You’re much better off buying the ingredients and storing them in the fridge at home.

Salad Bars Can Get Pricey

Dietitians Lyssie Lakatos and Tammie Shames both agree that you can get more salad for your money if you buy the ingredients rather than fill up a to-go container with the pre-prepped salad bar options. "If you want to make it a robust salad stuffed with veggies other than lettuce, you'll pay a pretty penny," they said. "About $8 to $9 per pound, which can easily turn a salad that costs you $5 to make at home into a $25 splurge."

Salad Bars Can Have Less-Than-Healthy Ingredients

Senior food safety educator martin Bucknavage spoke with Insider about the topic, adding that salad bars, especially at Whole Foods, might just be tricking you into thinking you're eating healthy. "That heavenly blue cheese dressing that you just want to drink by the gallon is drowning in sodium and fat," he said. "The candied nuts have 'candy' in their name for a reason, and craisins are crazy sugary as well."

So, it seems like you're better off spending your cash on ingredients to make a salad at home, rather than taking the easy way out and making a salad using the pre-prepped ingredients at the salad bar.

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according to a dietitian, dietitian, nutritionist, salad bar, whole foods, Whole Foods diet

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