Salad dressings are one of those things that people like to apply “with love.”
I get it…I love slathering on a good ranch dressing or sometimes I love some catalina dressing. I don’t eat out often, but if I do and order a salad, I do enjoy some dressing that I apply ad lib.
At home, I am not really someone who eats salad often. I generally consume my veggies in other ways. When I do have salad though, I am mindful of portions and I choose something lower in calories. For me, that choice is a balsamic vinaigrette.
I like how they provide a little bit of “tang” and flavor to my salad without breaking the bank on calories.
Some dressings tend to be higher in calories, sometimes packing as much as 150 calories for 2 tablespoons. I am not suggesting you not make room in your nutritional choices to enjoy them. I mentioned up above that I do from time-to-time as well. However, it is not how I choose to “spend” my calorie budget most days. I can eat a lot more for 150 calories and walk away feeling fuller and more satisfied.
My encouragement for you is to become more aware of labels and portion sizes. This is not about calorie fear-mongering. Instead, it is about making more informed choices day-to-day as you strive to make progress towards your goals.
We are not what we do occasionally. We are what we do consistently.
We get closer to our goals by consistently choosing options that align with our goals. In my case, that is choosing a lower calorie option when I consume salads more regularly. On the occasion when I do eat out, it means choosing whatever salad dressing I feel like having at the moment if I do indeed choose to have a salad.
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