Effortlessly Upgrade Bagged Salad With The Leftovers In Your Fridge

Bagged salads are the epitome of modern convenience. They're timesavers and a great way to easily get in your daily dose of vegetables. While salad kits come with a variety of ingredients and toppings, they can be lacking in the excitement department. That's where foods that are already in your fridge come to the rescue. Think of leftovers as the genius hack to build your own refrigerator salad bar. It's perfect for avoiding food waste while effortlessly creating new flavor combinations.

There are numerous secrets about bagged salad you'll wish you knew sooner, but one handy thing to keep in mind is that plain bags of lettuce don't have to be eaten on their own. Think of these as a base to build upon using what you already have on hand. Since produce is often fast to spoil, using up leftover veggies from your fridge is the first step towards a more interesting salad. Slice up cucumbers, celery, zucchini, or radishes before they go bad. Shred carrots, purple cabbage, or fennel and throw those in too, along with any fresh herbs that would otherwise turn brown or limp.

Roasted vegetables are fair game too. Last night's cooked and seasoned cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, beets, or sweet potatoes make for an excellent addition to today's salad. Prepared salads are a delicious choice as well; potato, egg, chicken, and pasta salad are all good options. Scoop them onto a bed of your favorite bagged greens for a fancy, composed salad.

Adding protein to bagged salad is the best way to turn it into a filling meal. Since canned tuna only lasts for so long once it's opened, use it up with a bag of spinach, leftover green beans, hard-boiled eggs, black olives, and anchovies for a quick Niçoise salad. Bulk up a Caesar salad kit with leftover rotisserie chicken. Taco Tuesday's leftover pulled pork or ground beef makes for Wednesday's tasty Mexican taco salad on bagged romaine.

A bag of iceberg lettuce becomes a Cobb salad with some extra crumbled bacon, eggs, cooked chicken, blue cheese, and tomatoes. Or make it a chef's salad with leftover sliced turkey or cold cuts. Steak, poached salmon, or grilled shrimp will instantly elevate a bag of dressed mixed greens. Vegetarians can opt for marinated tofu, canned chickpeas, or kidney beans. If you've got leftover nuts, add them in for a satisfying crunch.

Leftover grains are fantastic for adding texture. Toss bagged salad with cooked rice, couscous, or quinoa. Toast yesterday's garlic bread into croutons, or grill it for a version of Giada De Laurentiis' panzanella salad.

You can even make dressing from what's left in your fridge. Turn leftover guacamole into a creamy salad dressing ... it's also an easy way to use leftover pickle brine. Whip up a dressing from your half-empty condiment jars. Blend salsa with mayo, sour cream, or plain yogurt — or try hummus, avocado, lemon, and fresh cilantro.