Getting more bang for your buck at the salad bar

Tightwad loves the salad bar at Whole Foods. Whenever she eats there she feels like she's done her health a favour. It's sort of like a spa for your stomach. But... it can add up. With lots of experience salad barring (new verb just made up by Tightwad!), she has some tips to help you keep the total down at the check out. The formula is pretty simple. Stay away from those gorgeous whole manzanilla olives that probably run around $.10/unit. Ditto for items such as tomatoes, beets and those ancient grain concoctions. Instead, load up on lightweight super foods such as spinach and then augment your salad with the big stuff. Maybe a few shredded beets and a few garbanzos. Also, put the salad dressing in a separate 2oz container to help offset the weight, and therefore the cost, of your salad.