We usually use salad as a side to a meal. Tonight, I am looking at a recipe book for heavier salads. The book suggests salads as a meal.

Do you use a salad as a main course or as an all in one dish?

Absolutely. I had a 'chef salad'  recently with greens and veggies and some meat and cheese. It's delicious and refreshing if it's really hot.

I do both over here. I generally serve it as a small side every night, generally speaking, but sometimes I do entree super salads or table top build it yourself salad bar. Those are one of our favorites. You can get a complete and filling meal out of an entree salad if things are paired properly for nutritional balance. They also can be a great healthy meal if the right stuff is offered in the salad. Entree salads are great, very delicious health nut ones over here! What did you end up with?

budgetwise:

Absolutely. I had a 'chef salad'  recently with greens and veggies and some meat and cheese. It's delicious and refreshing if it's really hot.

 

btw mom and cindy (cheapchic) do the same thing like you do and so do I.

 

All joy to the greatness of yummy salads.

 

The possibilities? ENDLESS

I have salad fever from one ear to out the other. I dream of salads, ha. No seriously, they are a big favorite here and staple. I am just not fond of junk salads and heavy dressings. A light drizzle toss with evoo is perfect for us and our favorite way to dress. Unhealthy dressings or ingredients can kill a salad and the moment for us so we stick to a fresh variety and love a good ole' evoo drizzle!!! lots of black pepper and fresh herbs of choice too! Avocado anyone? a must here!!! Salads, soups and sandwiches are my funnest and most creative dishes!!! They are clay in the sculptor's hands LOLLLLLLLLLLL

We do salads both ways at my house. If it is really hot and we have leftover grilled chicken or leftover grilled steak I will slice it up thin and place it on top of the salad and just make it a meal. Another thing that is good is to slice up chunks of Italian salami, drain and rinse some canned beans and add it to the salad with an Italian salad dressing for a meal.

Riley, don't forget the leftover broccoil beef salads!

I do both. We eat salads as sides for the entree, or I make the salads the entree by making them a little bigger and adding cheese and some kind of cooked meat.

Jill

 BB, you need to bottle your food enthusiasm.  I'll be first in line to pick up a gallon or 2!!!  :D

 Generally speaking, salads are a side dish for the family.  I pack slightly more elaborate salads for school/work lunches most days, along with a sandwich, fruit, etc.  Dinner side-dish salads are a basic mix (greens, carrots, celery, others as available) with some add-ons (olives, marinated artichokes, cheese shred or chunk, etc) set out for folks to use.  They're more likely to eat salad that's "customized", it seems.

 Once in a while, particularly during a hot spell, salads are a main dish item for family meals.  I don't often make non-greens salads (potato, macaroni, etc)...I enjoy them but just never get around to it.  We get our fix at pot lucks & church picnics!  :P

  I have a small side salad daily. I top it with lite blue cheese dressing. Salad is not my favorite thing, but I think it is an important part of good nutrition. I do enjoy a dinner salad on occasion. I top it with maybe a hard-boiled egg, cooked beans or a touch of cheese for protein. You have to be careful with what you add to your salad. It could be a healthy choice or a diet landmine. That being said, it can definitely be refreshing on a hot summer's day.