Chicken avocado salad (1 piece)

Choose an unsweetened olive-oil-and-vinegar or lemon dressing; avoid sweetened dressings, honey, croutons, and candied nuts.

Keep the avocado and chicken portions moderate, and make most of the bowl non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, cucumber, bell pepper, radish, and tomatoes.

Add a small serving of fiber-rich lentils, chickpeas, or black beans if the salad is not already filling; reduce other starches in the meal to compensate.

Include a small amount of seeds or nuts, such as pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, or almonds, for added fat and fiber without adding sugary toppings.

Eat the salad slowly and consider starting with the vegetables and protein before any carbohydrate-containing additions.

If you are pairing the salad with a beverage, choose water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea instead of juice, soda, or sweetened coffee drinks.