That moment when you and salads become enemies!

AlyssaSupernova
AlyssaSupernova Posts: 45 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone,

If you love salads, please, tell me how. How you're not sick of vegetables. Sick of lettuce, sick of tomatoes, sick of blah dressings.

How do I make myself eat more salads when just the thought of one makes me cringe?

I have been wanting to ditch salads and get myself a greasy slice of pizza but then, I'll be on MFP forever haha. So, salads. How though?

Please tell me what you do to make your salads exciting. And hopefully without feta cheese.


Thank you all for your wisdom!
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    if you're sick of salad dont eat it... you just need to be eating in a deficit.

    and whats wrong with feta cheese?
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    I eat salad almost daily, mostly in an effort to get enough fiber. I don't use "blah" salad dressing though and I think that makes a big difference.

    If you want the pizza, have it. Just work the rest of your intake around so that the pizza fits within your daily allotment and you'll be fine.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    why not try something OTHER than salad then? :-D there are so many lovely foods to choose from that are healthy/tasty and not too calorie laden either.
    I enjoy the odd salad but not in winter...brrr too cold I want something warm in my tummy!
    For salads though have you tried a little olive oil/balsamic vinegar and squeeze of lemon juice? chilli sauce is also wonderful with them..as is pesto. Also add bacon bits to your salads for crunch and lots of flavour.
    Hope you get lots of good ideas :)
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    I would never eat something I don't like ...
  • ceren23
    ceren23 Posts: 19 Member
    i like to add pineapple, apple or strawberries to my salad. It usually consists of lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, arugula and parsley.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    I agree with TavistockToad...if you don't want to eat them don't. I do roasted veggies..I blanch snow peas and green beans then toss with a Dijon vinegrette. I buy broccoli slaw and sauté it in olive oil.
    Stuff zucchini with any number of stuffings and bake. I get so tired of lettuce I have to find alternatives. Spaghetti squash is great roasted then tossed with tomatoes.
    You can still eat your veggies and not eat salads....☺️
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Why not eat foods you enjoy and just fit those foods into your calorie goals?? I lost over 300 lbs. and never once forced myself to eat something that I did not like... Nothing wrong with a slice of pizza and a side of steamed veggies if you can make it fit... Best of Luck
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    edited November 2014
    The best salads are those mixed with my mum's coleslaw mix. We still haven't figured out what she does and can tell when she puts some random shop's own coleslaw on the table instead. :smiley:

    Otherwise, add sliced up beetroot or red onions. I always end up eating the beetroot first as it is so yummy. I have 3 packs in the fridge. Red onions are delicious, too, and add a zing. I often end up nibbling red onion slices first as they're nice, too.

    You could throw chilli flakes into the salad for extra bite: http://amzn.to/1E7TEjl
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
    I love my daily salad! I usually make it myself with romaine lettuce, red cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, radishes and tomatoes with a home made balsamic dressing. It's delicious! I put some type of protein on top, like tuna or ham. Lots of people also put other toppings, like a few sunflower seeds, nuts, dried cranberries...

    However, I agree with others - if you really don't like salads, don't eat them! Forcing yourself to eat something you don't enjoy to lose weight is unlikely to work in the long run.
  • Whiskeytub
    Whiskeytub Posts: 96 Member
    When I'm craving pizza, I usually get out my glass baking dish and throw in:
    One large eggplant, cubed
    One medium zuchinni, sliced
    Then I sprinkle over that:
    about 1/2-3/4 tsp salt
    1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
    Then pour on 2-3 cups of marinara sauce
    Cover the whole thing with a modest amount of shredded romano cheese.
    Cover with tin foil, pierce the tin foil with a fork all over, bake at 350 f for 30-40 minutes.
    This ends up being >100 calories per serving (plus or minus depending how big you want the servings), and I serve it over spaghetti squash which you can throw in the oven right along with the casserole so they're fresh and hot at the same time. If that's not filling enough, mix in some cottage cheese and throw an egg or a bit of sausage on top. This can still end up being lower calorie than certain salads.

    I know you asked for ways to make salad more appealing when you're sick of it. but I fins when salad stops appealing to me it's because my body needs something else, like meat or complex carbohydrates. Still, here are a couple of salad ideas because I know it sucks when you ask a question and get a lot of good advice but no answer to your question:

    Salad add-ons:
    Tuna salad made with hummus instead of mayo - very filling, very low-cal

    Chicken cooked in hot sauce, then serve with a creamy dressing or fresh blue cheese/gorgonzola crumbles

    Shrimp rolled in sriracha and sautteed with fresh garlic, serve with cilantro, shredded carrots and pickled onion, use a sesame based dressing or just toss on some sesame oil and a handful of sesame seeds

    Use chopped cabbage instead of lettuce

    Throw an egg on top for more protein
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    until i became intolerant to lettuce,my salads included maximum variety of ingredients chopped up inc,
    feta cheese,pickles,hoummus,tomato,anchovy filets,onions,toms,cucumber,protein such as sliced turkey,corned beef etc.
    variety is the key.
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
    Hello everyone,

    If you love salads, please, tell me how. How you're not sick of vegetables. Sick of lettuce, sick of tomatoes, sick of blah dressings.

    How do I make myself eat more salads when just the thought of one makes me cringe?

    I have been wanting to ditch salads and get myself a greasy slice of pizza but then, I'll be on MFP forever haha. So, salads. How though?

    Please tell me what you do to make your salads exciting. And hopefully without feta cheese.


    Thank you all for your wisdom!

    You do not have to eat salads to eat vegetables. That's the first thing.

    Now, I LIKE salads a lot, but I live in Northern New England and it is starting to get cold. So, on days when I can, I'll mostly eat hot meals. Soups, sautees, roasted veggies.

    I love salads and they have their place, but they're not mandatory for weight loss, or even good nutrition!
  • Fizz500d
    Fizz500d Posts: 9 Member
    I keep things interesting by mixing up flavours all the time, never just lettuce cucumber and tomato. I try out a lot of veg that I don’t eat very often, like pomegranate. I rarely have it as a main mean unless I’m also adding chicken or mackerel or salmon etc, some nuts, an egg and whichever flavour balsamic goes best with what I have. Have you tried adding a small amount of sweet fruit? That helps me a lot too.

    Having said that as everyone else has said, if you don’t like don’t eat it, try eating fruit and veg in other ways. Roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes are lovely. Or have the pizza AND salad. Either account for a big greasy slice in your calories or work on making your own healthier one so you have a bigger portion and maybe add extra veg on top.
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    I don't like most salad items and am pretty limited on what veggies I like. I do like stir frys (having one tonight) so I throw in lots of shredded cabbage, peppers, onions, corn, and some bean sprouts and that is just yummy.

    I can eat pretty much any veggie if I have it in a soup so some nights I will happily have a dinner with pretty much no veggies but will have a bowl of veggie soup before hand. Gets my veggies in for the day and also stops me feeling too hungry so I don't eat too much of the higher calorie foods at dinner.
  • vamaena
    vamaena Posts: 217 Member
    edited November 2014
    I personally hate iceberg lettuce. Nothing is more blah and unappetizing so I don't eat it. I do, however, love salads. I make mine out of baby spinach, arugula, dandelion leaves, sometimes boston lettuce/romaine lettuce. I like to add cucumbers, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, feta cheese and/or grated cheddar. My mom likes to add zucchini to hers. Basically any vegetable. Bacon bits, if you fit it in (but I'd rather use nuts for crunchie bits)

    For toppings I usually premake a mixture of the following and grab a small handful to add in: whole raw almonds, unsalted sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, dried currants, raisins, oatmeal, flax seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut, hemp hearts, crushed walnuts, unsweetened cacao nibs.

    You can also add croutons if you want but I tend to skip that.

    For dressing, don't use something that you find blah. Yes, vinegraittes in theory should be healthier than a creamy one, but if you only like the creamy ones then practice moderation with it. I'd rather have a homemade dressing than a store bought one. Usually I'll mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar (sometimes used lemon juice instead), I'll crush a garlic clove or two, add some salt, pepper, various spices, and pour on top. Lately I've been mixing equal parts 100% pure maple syrop, olive oil (sometimes safflower oil), dijon mustard, and balasmic vingar to make a dressing.

    Edit: I forgot to add fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apple chunks and boiled eggs!

    Seriously, if you can't stand salads, as other users have said, there are other ways to eat vegetables. I tend to shy away from salads in the fall/winter months because I want warm food.
  • AlyssaSupernova
    AlyssaSupernova Posts: 45 Member
    Thank you all for the overwhelming response. But to clarify: I used to eat and enjoy salads but after a while it started to become a routine and salads I typically enjoyed became blah, bland and tasteless. I know that there are people that enjoy salads a lot and I need to know their secret as to how they don't get tired and bored of it.
  • vamaena
    vamaena Posts: 217 Member
    Thank you all for the overwhelming response. But to clarify: I used to eat and enjoy salads but after a while it started to become a routine and salads I typically enjoyed became blah, bland and tasteless. I know that there are people that enjoy salads a lot and I need to know their secret as to how they don't get tired and bored of it.

    I switch it up.

    I used to only eat salads with iceberg lettuce and got sick of it so I switched to baby spinach instead. I also used to only use italian dressing and switched that as well. For me, it can be the super small changes like that which make a huge difference.
    Changing something once a week or every second day is a good way to not fall into the same routine. Keep your taste buds guessing.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    That would be at birth for me. they arent my thing, so im not bonkers enough to try and force myself to eat them. Hot veg do fine for me.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Hello everyone,

    If you love salads, please, tell me how. How you're not sick of vegetables. Sick of lettuce, sick of tomatoes, sick of blah dressings.

    How do I make myself eat more salads when just the thought of one makes me cringe?

    I have been wanting to ditch salads and get myself a greasy slice of pizza but then, I'll be on MFP forever haha. So, salads. How though?

    Please tell me what you do to make your salads exciting. And hopefully without feta cheese.


    Thank you all for your wisdom!

    You do not have to eat salads to eat vegetables. That's the first thing.

    Now, I LIKE salads a lot, but I live in Northern New England and it is starting to get cold. So, on days when I can, I'll mostly eat hot meals. Soups, sautees, roasted veggies.

    I love salads and they have their place, but they're not mandatory for weight loss, or even good nutrition!

    This. I really love a good salad, but I don't eat them all that often, only use dressings I like (experiment with different ways to make them), often add cooked veggies and always add protein, etc. I get ideas from salads at restaurants that are really good without high calorie ingredients.

    But the vast majority of veggies I eat have nothing to do with salad. Vegetable omelets, roasted or pan fried veggie side dishes, soup are all other options, as well as a stir fry, vegetable heavy pasta sauce, etc.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    I add a boatload of chicken and mix my own dressings. It's not like either is particularly hard or time-consuming to accomplish.
    I've found "less is more" applies to greenery of all kinds. My favorite dressing is olive oil and white wine vinegar. It's very bright for salads lacking in anything of a strong flavor in them.
  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
    Take a break from salads! You will come back to them when you feel like it, and that's OK.

    :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I haven't had salad in ages. I made a taco salad last week but there were more toppings than lettuce... Honestly the last thing I want lately is to have salad when I eat out... Much rather have some meat and veggies. But I have pizza. I was shocked at how much pizza fills me up actually, so it fits nicely in my calories if I want some. I can make a medium pizza for 700 calories and be full for hours (going light on the toppings though, obviously).
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    While i eat what i want in moderation i do love salads too. Salad doesn't just mean lettuce. I make salads with steamed veggies like broccoli or green beans. My faves are green beans or broccoli with scrambled eggs, chick peas, bits of ham, and some cottage cheese. Add a bit of Sriracha or Caesar dressing and it's the bomb. Awesome on macros, too.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    edited November 2014
    Disclaimer: I love vegetables and actually eat less than I'd like on MFP because I'd have no room for protein otherwise. That said, I'd be sick of tomatoes if I were trying to eat supermarket tomatoes and sad iceberg in November. If you can--I know it's not easy or inexpensive depending where you live--find local, seasonal veggies as much as possible for your salads. They taste so much better and that makes a huge difference. (Probably more nutritious too, since they're fresher.) Now that it's past tomato and cuke season, I add dry-roasted pumpkin seeds, pickled green beans, sundried tomatoes, spinach... Really missing the garden greens but a blend of spinach and good-quality mesclun isn't bad, and the winter farmer's market opens this weekend so baby kale is coming!
  • SusanKing1981
    SusanKing1981 Posts: 257 Member
    I eat salad every day at work, boiled eggs, tuna, salami. I always have a big spoonful of pesto as I don't like salad dressings. Plenty of beetroot.
  • redpandora56
    redpandora56 Posts: 289 Member
    have to agree with everyone saying that if you don't like it don't eat it. but if it's just that you're bored of them, check sites like pinterest for salad recipes, you'll find tons of wierd and wonderful combinations. you'll always get bored of something that you eat all the time, so don't think of a salad as a set combination of ingredients, but an opportunity to mix and match all sorts of things. one of my current favorites is spinach, strawberries, walnuts and balsamic vinegar. i had a nice warm salad too earlier this month - it had shredded brussel sprouts, asparagus, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds. it doesn't always have to start with lettuce, tomato and cucumber.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    I am sick of salads too. So I buy a lot of frozen vegetables and eat that. Especially in winter when the last thing I want to eat is cold food.
  • prgirl39mfp
    prgirl39mfp Posts: 3,154 Member
    I add fruits and nuts, cheeses and try new vinaigrettes or homemade dressings. Sometimes I skip the leafy greens and do a mix of veggies and fruits. I have found a ton of salad ideas on Pinterest. I added roasted pumpkin and sweet potato to one recently and it was delish.
  • merisaOct3
    merisaOct3 Posts: 197 Member
    edited November 2014
    Our grocery store sells field greens with fresh herbs mixed in - fresh cilantro, fresh dill, fresh basil, fresh oregano. I love the flavors and it's even turned me on to dill. This may help liven up your greens.

    Also being gluten-intolerant, I'm pretty used to turning an entree or sandwich into a salad. Don't be afraid to mix hot/prepared foods into a salad. I love fajita salads with skillet-cooked onions/peppers/meat, corn and black bean salsa, and a touch of sour cream. Last week I had a spinach salad with a grilled piece of salmon, quinoa, and tomatoes. It was definitely different than the same old "house salad."

    Instead of the same old dressings, try hummus or baba ganouj, salsas, or even pesto or a chilled marinara.

    @redpandora56 had some great suggestions, and I echo the comment about pinterest for interesting options.
  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 843 Member
    i've seen pizza with lettuce on top of it. That makes it a salad, right? Or for that matter, have veggie pizza with extra veggies or maybe try some of the random cauliflower crusts. I think some above also mentioned stuffed zucchini. Use your pizza toppings as the stuffing. Personally italian sausage, mushrooms, cheese, some sort of tomato based sauce in zucchini is really tasty and can be almost pizza like in taste but still low processed carb if that is what you are after.
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