Putting together a salad is a great way to add more veggies to your meals. Salads can be a side dish or starter for a meal—or with proteins and quality carbohydrates (carbs)—they can be a diabetes-friendly meal on their own. Here’s some ideas on how to build the perfect salad to use with your eating plan! Building Blocks of Perfect Salads Greens: Many salads start with a base of leafy greens and there are lots of options to choose from! Light green lettuces like romaine or iceberg have a mild flavor. Darker greens like spinach and kale are more nutrient dense and have a stronger flavor.