Regular readers of my blog know that McDonald’s salads, without the high-salt dressings, were a mainstay of my lunch diet over the years. But in 2023, those salads disappeared from McDonald’s menus. victim of Pandemic-related menu changes.
I’ve been searching for a quick-salad alternative ever since, trying Wendy’s and a chain called Zupas among others. I’m adding another option now, a salad at Chicago-area chain Buona Beef, its Tuscan Harvest Chicken salad.
Priced at $11.19, the salad has a nice mix of chicken, cranberries, apples, spinach and romaine lettuce. Eat at a Buona’s and it comes in a real bowl, not a plastic container, a civilizing touch absent at other outlets.
Salt content is a relatively mild 574 msg, if you do as I do and bring your own oil and vinegar to dress it (see my portable bottles in my photo here). But even adding its fat-free raspberry vinaigrette only brings total sugar to 803 mg., well below most fast-food choices.
Why a fast-food salad for lunch? Fast-food outlets are ubiquitous, so if you can;t find something healthy to eat at them you make your search for lunch that much harder. They’re also cheaper than other restaurants where salads these days can top $20.
The one issue with salad at Buona though — it’s an Italian Beef place with great French fries too, not getting those is a constant tempation!
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