Raising the bar: Healthy salad bars in Vancouver
Eating well on the go is tough with our busy lives and hectic schedules. But in health-conscious Vancouver, we’re lucky to have fresh salad bars bursting with seasonal produce and supplemented by protein-rich add-ins like cheese, nuts, tofu and eggs. Take charge of your own healthy eating with these custom-salad take-out joints.
Green Leaf Salad Bar
560 Bute St, Vancouver, BC V6E 3M1In an ideal spot for those office workers on the western fringe of the financial district, Green Leaf Salad Bar on Bute and Melville offers a typical pay-by-weight salad bar, overflowing with fresh produce and fruit and rounded out with tubs of cottage cheese, tofu, boiled eggs, pasta and nuts. Fresh and friendly, they have a nice selection of hot Lebanese dishes to choose from as well: chicken shawarma, falafel and of course tabouleh salad.
Fraser Valley Juice & Salad Bar
113-1689 Johnston St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9This long-standing food stall at Granville Island’s Public Market offers a slightly different take on the salad bar. Rather than composing your own, you choose from a variety of pre-made salads like bean, pasta, potato, quinoa, couscous and more. Their combo plate is your best bet with three different salads and a pita for only $7.95. Pair it with one of their freshly made juices or smoothies and your midday meal is both satisfying and extremely healthy.
Leafy Box
1155 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2R8Known primarily as a juice bar in Yaletown, the health-conscious couple behind Leafy Box are huge proponents of the juice cleanse and everyday healthy eating. Which is why their salad bar option is gaining in popularity for those looking for something a bit more substantial than their admittedly delicious liquid fruit concoctions. You’re also likely to do some celebrity spotting here, as some of the Canucks are regular patrons, and Andie MacDowell recently stopped by.
Whole Foods Market
510 8th Ave W, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1C5This frenemy of a grocery store doesn’t get the nickname Whole Paycheque for nothing. But whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny their pay-by-weight salad bar is a thing of beauty. Aside from the abundance of fresh, organic produce, add satisfying scoopfuls of tasty pre-made selections to your custom lunch. Homemade dressings are also delicious with many to choose from. All ingredients are listed and a bonus: the containers are compostable. This is a better $15 salad than any restaurant.
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