Lunch often feels like an afterthought; a mild inconvenience during a busy day. But registered dietitians say it’s an underrated tool that can help you power through the rest of your day (or leave you feeling depleted by 3 p.m.). Sometimes, lunch staples can destroy your energy—they can also give you life.
“Lunch can be a big deal when it comes to energy,” explains Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD, a registered dietitian. “Every time I skip and think I’ll just wait for dinner, I’m left hangry because I don’t have any gas left in the tank.”
Sauceda shares that lunch is doubly important if you skipped breakfast (missed alarms happen), as it gives you the nourishment you need to win the rest of your day. Unfortunately, sometimes, we make what seems like a healthy lunch decision only to feel like we’re dragging anyway.
“There will always be times when we choose a food that isn’t the healthiest option, and that’s OK,” she adds. “The difference is awareness, and that is why foods with health halos or slick marketing can be so deceiving. We might think we’re choosing the best option, but it’s not actually [the healthiest choice].”
To raise awareness of a sneaky energy vampire, we asked registered dietitians: “What’s a healthy lunch that can leave people feeling sluggish?” Scroll on to see their surprising answer for the ‘healthy’ lunch staple that’s secretly destroying your energy.
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The ‘Healthy’ Lunch Staple That’s Secretly Destroying Your Energy, RDs Say
“A salad marketed as ‘healthy’ may not always tell the full story,” warns Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN, a nutrition consultant. “Just because you’re eating a salad doesn’t necessarily mean it’s balanced and provides the proper nutrition and fuel.”
Indeed, Brownstein and other registered dietitians agree that store-bought salads often contain too many energy-zapping ingredients (like added sugar in dressings) and too few of the nutrients you need to ward off an afternoon slump.
“Some salads may be too small or lack the proper balance of fiber, protein and healthy fats needed to keep you feeling full and satisfied,” she says. “Other salads may seem like a healthy choice, but instead are packed with calories, come in large portions or are less nutritionally dense than you would imagine.”
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Another registered dietitian echoes these sentiments, adding that she understands why it’s tempting to reach for the seemingly healthy store-bought salad.
“Store-bought salads are convenient, and there are certainly better and worse options out there,” points out Meaghan Ormsby, MS, RDN, an intuitive eating and wellness travel expert at The Nutrition Travel Exchange. “My hesitation isn’t with the salads themselves. It’s with the assumption that all packaged salads automatically provide the variety of nutrients we get in more robust salads. Many store-bought salads are designed for visual appeal and shelf life rather than genuine nourishment.”
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Why Store-Bought Salads Can Zap Energy
Store-bought salads lack nutrients, like fiber, and contain more added sugars than you might think. Registered dietitians say that both of these pain points can lead to energy declines later in the day. Let’s start with the fiber issue.
“Fiber is one of the most important and under-consumed nutrients in the American diet,” Ormsby says. “It slows the digestion of carbohydrates, which keeps blood sugar stable and energy consistent rather than spiking and crashing.”
She adds that fiber also feeds good gut bacteria, protects immune health, supports digestion and keeps you feeling satisfied for longer. The problem?
“Many use iceberg lettuce as the base, which has a satisfying crunch but very little nutritional substance or fiber compared to romaine, arugula or mixed greens,” Ormsby says. “Portions are another issue. Many packaged salads are sized as side dishes, not full meals, so even if the ingredients are decent, there simply isn’t enough volume to make a meaningful fiber contribution.”
Plus, Ormsby notes, salads often include extras, such as candied or sugar-coated nuts. Speaking of which, she says that some store-bought salads come with salad dressings with added sugars—”sometimes more than you’d find in a small cookie.”
“When you consume a meal with a significant sugar load and not enough fiber or protein to buffer it, your blood sugar rises quickly and then drops, leaving you tired, foggy, and reaching for something sweet an hour later,” she explains. “That crash is real, and it’s your body responding to an energy spike it couldn’t sustain.”
Ditto for the lack of protein many store-bought salads suffer from.
“A lot of the time, these salads will include some protein but not enough, and that can be a problem,” Sauceda tells Parade. “Protein is what provides you with the biggest feeling of fullness, and not having enough of that will leave you feeling hungry soon after. Combining the lack of protein with too much added sugar will mean you’re going to have an energy crash later that afternoon.”
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Wait—Can I Never, Ever Have Store-Bought Salads?
Not all store-bought salads are created equally, Sauceda says.
“The salads that are simply a blend of different greens and lettuces are great to always keep on hand,” she points out. “Since these salads are washed and ready to go, it makes incorporating them into your week very easy.”
Sauceda shares that you’ll often find these salads in the produce aisle in bags. They’re not always a full meal—they often aren’t, actually. Instead, she describes them as a potential “foundation of a well-rounded salad with protein and extra fiber foods or even stuffed into sandwiches or wilted into soup.”
“The store-bought salads that are ready-to-go are the ones that you don’t want to be eating too often,” she clarifies.
These are the salads that come with high-sugar dressings and even ingredients with too much saturated fat (like bacon bits—sorry, fans).
“Too much saturated fat in your diet is detrimental to your heart health, particularly if your diet is lacking fiber, which has cholesterol-lowering effects,” Sauceda notes.
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How To Choose a Better Store-Bought Salad
If cravings or convenience call for a store-bought salad, there are ways to keep it on the healthy side. Registered dietitians share four tips to find a store-bought salad for lunch that won’t deplete your energy.
- Read the nutrition panel. Sauceda says this simple but effective step can help you make lunch choices that feed your energy levels. She focuses on added sugar, fiber and protein.
- Look for a dark, leafy base. Ormsby says that spinach, arugula, kale or mixed greens have way more fiber, vitamins and minerals than an iceberg-based salad, explaining, “The color of your greens is a quick indicator of nutritional density.”
- Choose or skip the dressing. You’ll repeat step one here. Ormsby suggests looking at the dressing’s nutritional panel, which may be on the packet and different from the salad’s, sharing, “If the included dressing lists sugar among its first few ingredients or contains a cream base, either use half the packet or swap it for olive oil and lemon if you have access and if your taste buds approve the swap.”
- Look for a protein source. Protein is an energy-stabilizer, right alongside fiber. “A salad with grilled chicken, hard-boiled egg, legumes or a quality cheese will keep you fuller and more energized than one that’s all produce,” Ormsby says. “If the salad doesn’t have one, pair it with something that does.”
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Sources:
- Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD, a registered dietitian
- Meaghan Ormsby, MS, RDN, an intuitive eating & wellness travel expert at The Nutrition Travel Exchange
- Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN, a nutrition consultant
- Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. CDC.
- Saturated Fats. American Heart Association.
