With warmer weather on the rise, try these five light bites that function as a healthy meal

In the next few months, many of us will be looking for lighter alternatives to the sandwich, jacket potato or hot soup and roll, for lunch or dinnertime. But, instead of turning to those mayo-laden packed pasta salads or the minuscule lettuce, tomato and cucumber ones you find in most shops, why not make your own delicious version? The following salads not only look and taste incredible, but are also packed with nutrients that will keep you alert and energised throughout the day. All recipes serve 4 – Enjoy.

Avocado, grapefruit and red onion salad
4 ripe avocados, sliced
2 medium red grapefruits, segmented
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 handful pumpkin seeds to garnish

Dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp honey

Each serving provides 356 calories and 31g fat. Although this seems quite high in fat (mostly from the avocado), over 58% of it is monounsaturated, the ‘good’ kind of fat that protects against heart disease. This salad is packed with antioxidants like vitamin C and one serving provides all the vitamin C you need for the day.

Peach, goats cheese and mixed leaf salad
200g goats cheese, cubed
200g mixed leaves (rocket, lambs lettuce and frisée)
150g peaches, stoned and halved
zest of one orange
1 handful cranberries
1 handful mint leaves to garnish

Dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp raspberry vinegar

Each serving provides 195 calories and 15g fat. This salad is a great way to get calcium (from the green leaves and goats cheese) into your diet, which is important in the formation of strong bones and to help lower our risk of osteoporosis. One serving provides around a fifth of our daily calcium requirement.

The peaches are rich in beta carotene, a type of vitamin A which helps us see in the dark, and functions as an antioxidant nutrient that helps fight against heart disease and some cancers. Leafy greens are also a good source of folate, a B vitamin that is essential for pregnant women, as it reduces the risk of the birth defect spina bifida in unborn babies. Folate is also considered to be important for reducing our risk of heart disease. One serving of this salad provides around a fifth of our daily requirement of folate. It is also a good source of vitamin C, providing around two thirds of the daily requirement.

Pear, apple and pecan nut salad
200g young spinach leaves
2 medium dessert pears, cored and sliced
100g pecan nuts, toasted
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 handful chopped mint to garnish

Dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Each serving provides 280 calories and 27g fat. Although pecan nuts are high in fat, a small amount makes for a great protein substitute, and provides the important antioxidant, vitamin E, needed to fight heart disease and some cancers. Spinach is packed with the mineral iron, which is important in the formation of healthy blood, and one serving of this salad provides around a sixth of our requirement of iron. Combining spinach with pears (a source of vitamin C) increases the availability of iron for absorption by the body. Spinach is also a great source of folate, and one serving of salad provides just under a half of our daily requirement for this important B vitamin.

Salmon, apple and fennel salad
400g salmon, grilled seasoned with black pepper
2 red delicious apples, cored and sliced
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
1 handful fennel tops
1 handful of chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Dressing
3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp lime juice

Each serving provides 249 calories and 14g fat. Many of us don’t eat enough fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, trout or tuna, and these are packed with a type of fat called omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces our risk of developing heart disease. This salad provides one of the two servings of oily fish recommended per week to protect against heart disease, and contains an important antioxidant called selenium, which helps fight against some cancers. One serving of this salad fulfils over half of our daily selenium requirement.

Prawn noodle salad
400g cooked prawns
50g peanuts, roasted and crushed
450g cooked wholewheat noodles
100g bean sprouts
100g carrots, shredded
2 spring onions, sliced 1-inch lengths
1 handful chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Dressing
3 tsp soy sauce, or shoyu (low in sodium)
2 tsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Each serving has 314 calories and 12g fat. Prawns and shellfish are low in fat so they make a good alternative to meat, if you’re not watching your cholesterol levels. Shellfish are a good source of zinc, a mineral which is needed to boost our body’s immune system, to heal wounds and increase our ability to fight infection. One serving of this salad provides just under a half of our daily requirement of zinc. This salad is also a great source of carbohydrates provided by the wholewheat noodles, which are full of fibre and help keep our gut healthy, and important B vitamins needed to help our body release energy from foods. The soy sauce provides vitamin B12, needed to make healthy blood. If you are a vegetarian, replace prawns with tofu for a great vegan alternative.