From Caesar to the good old garden: Why not all salads are created equal

• 30+ simple salad and dressing recipes to keep up your sleeve

The warmer temperatures and changing seasons means many of us have been looking for fresh salads rather than warming soups.

And while a salad may look exceptionally healthy, a closer look at the options commonly found in food courts and on cafe menus will reveal that not all are as healthy as we may think.

In fact, plenty of healthy-looking salads can pack a solid calorie punch thanks to their heavy dressings and high-fat ingredients.

So, if your go-to light lunch or dinner is a simple salad here are the good and not-so-good options when placing your order.

Rocket, pear and parmesan

One of the most common salads found on restaurant menus, rocket pear and parmesan salad is extremely healthy and a relatively light option calorie wise when it is made with good quality extra virgin olive oil. The only downside is that is lacks the bulk and range of nutrients a salad with a greater number of salad and vegetable ingredients offers.

Roast vegetable salad

A roasted vegetable salad may sound like the healthiest salad of all, and indeed it would be if the majority of vegetables chosen at salad bars and cafes weren't all heavy baked starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potato served with lashings of oil. If you can find a roasted vegetable salad with a range of coloured vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, carrot, capsicum and onion as well as a little potato and sweet potato, with less oil, you will be on the right track.

Caesar

While there are salad leaves in a Caesar salad, the mix of creamy dressing, fatty bacon, cheese and fried bread means that your healthy salad contains at least 20-30 grams of fat per serve. The good news is that you can easily improve the nutritional profile of your Caesar if you opt for dark, leafy greens, skip the bacon and go easy on the dressing.

Tuna Nicoise

A salad with a perfect mix of protein, carbs and vegetables, a tuna niçoise is a meal in itself. While it can be a little high in salt if you go heavy on the olives and anchovies, a Nicoise is an extremely nutritious salad option overall.

Greek salad

Don't let the cheese and olives fool you, a simple Greek salad is one of the best salads you can choose nutritionally thanks to its base of nutrient-rich vegetables, extra virgin olive oil dressing and controlled portions of protein and calcium-rich feta. Team your Greek with some lean lamb or chicken for a filling and well-balanced meal salad.

Pesto pasta salad

The term "salad" is a broad term given to a range of different dishes but it is generally a dish that contains a mix of uncooked vegetables. While pesto pasta salad is extremely popular in food courts, and may even look exceptionally healthy thanks to its deep green dressing, the reality is that pesto pasta salad is a mix of oil and carbohydrates with upwards of 30-40 grams of fat per serve.

Beetroot salad

A superfood in its own right, beetroot is not only a delicious salad ingredient but a highly nutritious one. When you team it with a range of nuts, seeds and white cheese you have a salad mix made in heaven. Plus, white cheese such as goat's is significantly lower in fat than regular cheese and halloumi.

Garden salad

The original and still one of the best salads you can enjoy nutritionally, especially when you pack it full of fresh salad ingredients – think dark leaves, tomatoes, beetroot, radishes, capsicum, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes and a source of good fat from avocado and/or an extra virgin olive oil and balsamic dressing. Team it with lean protein such as chicken, tuna or egg and a source of carbohydrate like sweet potato or corn and you have a complete meal salad that ticks many boxes nutritionally.

Thai beef salad

One of the lightest menu items you can find on a takeaway menu, a Thai beef salad is not only relatively low in fat, it also offers a number of nutrient-rich, low-energy vegetable serves. The trick is to make it with lean beef if you are making it at home.

Susie Burrell is an accredited practising dietitian and nutritionist and holds a master in coaching psychology.