How to build a balanced lunch bowl
You can judge a good lunch bowl by eye. Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate gives the proportions: half vegetables and fruit, a quarter whole grains, a quarter protein. Here is how that looks at lunch in Dubai.
What the guidance says
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health keeps it simple. Fill half the plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter with whole grains and a quarter with healthy protein, and use healthy plant oils in moderation. These are rough proportions, not calorie targets. Source: Harvard Healthy Eating Plate.
What it looks like at lunch
Start with leaves and vegetables. Add a grain and a protein. Keep the dressing on the side. Four of our salads start this way:
Nutty Chicken
Mixed quinoa and grilled chicken with purple and white cabbage, shredded carrots, baby spinach and toasted peanuts. Spicy ginger dressing on the side.
Superfood Bowl
Kale and spinach with grilled chicken, edamame, toasted buckwheat, organic hard boiled egg, charred corn and goji berries. Apple vinaigrette dressing on the side.
The Mexican
Romaine lettuce and mixed greens with cilantro, charred corn, avocado, red kidney beans, shredded carrots, baked tortilla and gouda cheese. Cilantro cumin dressing on the side.
Asian Bowl
Mixed greens and purple and white cabbage with rice noodles, shredded carrots, edamame, cilantro, pickled ginger, toasted sesame seeds and toasted peanuts. Asian dressing on the side.
Know what you eat
The calories and macros for every dish, in both sizes, are on our nutrition page. You can also see the full menu, read our longevity guide or visit our UAE page.
Questions
What makes a lunch bowl balanced?
Half vegetables and fruit, a quarter whole grains and a quarter healthy protein, with a little healthy plant oil. That is Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate.
How much protein should a lunch bowl have?
About a quarter of the bowl, according to the Healthy Eating Plate. It is a proportion, not a gram target.
Where can I get a balanced bowl in Dubai?
At SALATA. Our salads start with leaves and vegetables, then add protein, and many add a whole grain. We deliver across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah on Deliveroo, Talabat, Noon, Careem and Keeta.
Is dressing included?
Yes, and it always comes on the side. You get 75ml with a regular and 100ml with a large, so you decide how much goes on.