You HAVE to See These Photos of Reinvented Salad Bars During COVID-19

They don't have salad, but they will make you laugh.

Generally, people fall into one of two camps with salad: You either adore it and much on it for at least one weeknight meal, or you fall into the Parks and Recreation Ron Swanson group (to quote him, “this is the food that my food eats”).

But love ’em or hate ’em, you must’ve noticed how salad bars have changed since the pandemic started. Namely, they’ve changed because there aren’t any: because of restrictions on self-serve food items, salad bars in many places have shifted to pre-packaged meals. But some places have found other uses for that space — and they’re sure to bring a smile to your face. Check them out!

They’re Creative and Hilarious

How can you look at these and not smile? For example, take this Dierbergs Markets store in Missouri, which switched out the salad bar for a booze bar (we certainly approve).

And there’s another one that made the “salad to alcohol” transformation. It still advertises its $6.99 salads… while stacking the display with White Claw.

Not a big drinker? That’s okay, because this store has you covered with all the Mountain Dew you could ever want. Seriously. It’s a wall of Dew, and we’re obsessed with it.

Someone has a healthy sense of irony at this store, since they switched out salads for various cakes and desserts, one of which looks like a giant burger. We’ll take that instead of the salad, it’s totally fine!

They weren’t the only ones to go from a salad bar to a candy bar. Check out this Schnuck’s, which stacked its dedicated salad space with peanut clusters and almond chocolate bars (hey, nuts are healthy, right?).

And, lastly, this must’ve been a beautiful sight during the dark, toilet paper-less days in March and April.

Here’s How To Make An Awesome Salad, Minus the Bar

If you miss being able to stroll down the aisle and pick whatever you wanted from those shiny silver trays, never fear — you can make just as great a salad at home. Get one of the best types of lettuce, and check out these tips for making this classic dish; it’s your guide to types of dressing, topping ideas and even storage!

Emily Hannemann
Emily adores both food and writing, so combining those passions as a writer for Taste of Home makes perfect sense. Her work has also appeared in Birds & Blooms and on TV Insider. When she’s not eating peanut butter straight from the jar, you'll find her running or birdwatching. Emily is currently a journalism graduate student at the University of Missouri.