You Might Want To Skip These Items At The Salad Bar — Here's Why

When health is top of mind, your first stop at any self-serve restaurant is probably the salad bar. Full of fresh vegetables and lean proteins, a salad bar can be a simple, cost-effective way to cobble together a nutrient-rich, low-calorie meal.

The only issue? Like buffets, salad bars are often breeding grounds for bacteria and, as a result, are linked to food poisoning. But does this mean you should write off salad bars completely? And what about popular to-go salad restaurants?

Food safety experts say you can still frequent your local salad bar and restaurants without getting sick, but there are a few foods to avoid and red flags to look out for.

The top items to consider skipping at the salad bar

According to Trevor Craig , corporate director of technical training and consulting and food testing expert at Microbac Laboratories, the most concerning items on a salad bar are typically the high-protein items like meat and any items with dairy or egg. “These items typically have a very neutral pH and high moisture, so they will grow bacteria quickly when exposed,” he said.

In terms of non-meat products, Craig said he always avoids sprouts, as their ideal growing environment is very warm , making it a breeding ground for certain bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses such as salmonella or E. coli.

“Over the last few years, we have seen a lot of cross-contamination and recalls associated with vegetables, so before consuming items from the salad bar, it’s important to make sure certain vegetables are not on the recall list,” Craig advised.

Food scientist Bryan Quoc Le agrees with this. “Meat, poultry, fish, dairy and egg products are more likely to harbor microorganisms that can cause food poisoning, as these are foods that are likelier to have come in contact with pathogens during processing,” he explained. “They also have the right composition where many pathogens can grow, such as high moisture content and neutral pH. Foods that have come in contact with animal products are also more likely to harbor pathogens that can cause foodborne illness.”

OK, so maybe skip the animal protein options at the salad bar. But Vanessa Coffman, the director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illnesses, is quick to point out that food poisoning can be caused by nearly all foods. “A self-serve salad bar introduces an additional hazard to the food preparer-consumer paradigm: Other consumers who are piling their plates full of delicious leafy greens and toppings,” she said. “While we encourage healthy meal options like salads, it’s important to opt for self-serve locations where using fresh plates for return trips to the salad bar is encouraged, sneeze guards are in place, and food is being rotated or refreshed often.”

Dairy and proteins (like the cheese and eggs seen above) have a neutral pH and high moisture, so they can grow bacteria quickly when exposed.

Do the same risks apply to to-go salad restaurants?

Most people are aware that self-serve salad bars carry some risks when it comes to foodborne illnesses. Do the same risks apply to to-go salad restaurants?

There’s always a possibility that you’ll get food poisoning from a popular salad chain, but it’s less likely. “A salad quick-serve restaurant may be a more controlled environment as it removes the consumer from the role of assembler, but the same rules apply: Hands must be washed, food must be temperature controlled, and cross-contamination avoided,” Coffman said

Le adds that as long as these establishments are following their own state-mandated hazards and critical control points (HACCP) plan, their employees will be able to reduce the risk of contamination. “Additionally, these types of establishments should be working hard to ensure they have limited the possibility of foodborne illness, as low quality control can seriously impact their market credibility as an establishment,” Le said.

Red flags to look out for at a salad bar

Whether you’re at a self-serve salad bar or a to-go salad chain, all three experts agree that certain red flags can tip you off to a greater likelihood that you’ll end up eating contaminated food. “Animal products, especially dairy and meat, should be kept in a cool environment to ensure that they are not left out at room temperature for longer than two hours,” Le said. “Animal products should also be clearly kept separate from other ingredients, especially vegetables and lettuce. Employees should be wearing disposable gloves to ensure they are not cross-contaminating ingredients.”

“The restaurant should clean regularly, even if it is busy,” Craig added. “When refilling, they should be placing older products on top of new products.  Each item they pull should be with its own utensil, and employees should be wearing gloves and changing them regularly. Food should also be separated out with the meats, veggies and dairy items sectioned out.”

Lastly, he said, cold food should be cold and hot food should be hot. If they’re not, that can point to an issue with quality control. “Once you know to start looking for these items, it’ll be all you notice.”

Of course, it’s not always easy to find out exactly what safety practices self-serve salad bars and salad restaurants are adhering to just by looking, so if you’re not sure, ask. If proper food safety practices are in place, the employees will likely be more than happy to share them with you.