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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you have in your massive salad

113 replies

Carinattheliqorstore1 · 05/03/2025 12:29

I’m trying to lose weight. I need to reduce sugar and carbs and increase fibre and protein. I don’t eat meat/poultry and have an egg allergy.

To make this easier on me, I have been sticking to salads for lunch, basically random stuff from the fridge. I’m just looking for some inspiration of stuff I can buy in my shopping and just add to salads. So far I have been trying.

himmus
baba ganoush
salad leaves
carrots
peppers
cucumbers
beetroot
olives
edamame beans
quorn fillets
pesto and lentils
mozerrela
cheddar
chickpeas

OP posts:
aftereightish · 11/03/2025 23:27

Only fat people eat massive salads.

Just have normal meals.

I'm not skinny but lower end of normal BMI. Very lucky to have had parents who taught me to eat three normal meals a day. Just do that, moderately healthy food, and you'll be fine. In England in March you need a hot meal.

Mardyybum · 11/03/2025 23:23

Was at a party at the weekend where my friend’s mum had made a gorgeous salad! It was raw brocolli cut into small pieces, cashew nuts, ribbons of carrots, bean sprouts, cabbage and cranberries. It had an egg free vinaigrette dressing and it was just delicious.

I also make a nice pasta salad - a small handful of wholewheat pasta, peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas and feta with red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano.

Whateverwhateve · 11/03/2025 23:20

Snowpaw · 05/03/2025 12:39

I love those jarred artichokes in oil, or olives.

Have never eaten artichoke…how does it taste?

Goatblu · 11/03/2025 23:17

Artichokes, pomegranate seeds and green olives

MedusaAndHerFavourites · 11/03/2025 23:15

Radishes
Raw Red cabbage
Grated carrot
Cheese (Cheshire)
Haricot beans
Bulgar Wheat
Poached salmon and dill
Tuna and red onion
Prawns
Artichoke hearts
Griddled courgettes and asparagus
Cornichons
Capers
Picked red cabbage

floormops · 11/03/2025 23:08

I roast tomatoes, peppers, courgettes and mushrooms with garlic, salt and pepper and herbs in the airfryer, cool and dress with a little bit of olive oil. Added to lots of leaves, seeds and fresh veg and a little bit of balsamic vinegar it makes a tasty salad. Edamame beans and avocado are very calorific (depending on how you are managing your diet), so I avoid too much of those.

Onlyvisiting · 11/03/2025 23:07

I like salads that aren't full of fridge cold stuff, so freshly roasted (or fridged if it doesn't bother you) butternut squash, sweetpotato, peppers, onion etc.
Halloumi- fried
Chickpeas, roasted and spiced.
Toasted pine nuts

A little cooked pasta that's bee lightly coated with pesto
All to be added to whatever leaves you prefer.

I like salads, but this time if year I LOVE soups. Much more appealing way if packing in some vegetables when it's cold and wintery still.

EconomyClassRockstar · 11/03/2025 22:58

My go to SweetGreen order (do you have SweetGreen in the UK? It's like Chipotle but salad) is
Romaine lettuce
Roasted tofu
Warm portabello mushrooms
Apples
Roasted sweet potatoes
Roasted broccoli
Cucumber
Crispy rice
No dressing as it doesn't need it.

MuckFusk · 11/03/2025 22:57

Nuts and seeds. I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds in my salad. Walnuts also go well with greens.
I add some tinned salmon or tuna sometimes.

CheesePlantBoxes · 11/03/2025 22:57

Everything.

Tofu
sweet potato or squash
Butterbeans
Avocado
Cheese
Couscous
Hummus or chickpeas
Olives
Red pepper
Sundried tomatoes & artichoke
Sweetcorn
Celery
Cucumber
Tomato
Spring onion
Broccoli

Dh has picked onions and beetroot

toffeeappleturnip · 11/03/2025 22:52

toffeeappleturnip · 07/03/2025 10:39

OMG that sounds amazing.

Making that today - thank you!!

I made Green Goddess dressing today @Runssometimes
it was delicious and everyone who ate it loved it - it was gone in 10 minutes.

Thank you so much this is going to improve many a salad, many a kofte and many a burrito for many a year!

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 11/03/2025 10:09

Do you eat fish @Carinattheliqorstore1 ?

Protein sources I use in salads are tuna, smoked mackerel, Longley Farm cottage cheese, Merchant Gourmet ready cooked puy lentils, air fried tofu, cashews

ZiggyZowie · 11/03/2025 09:37

Chick peas

Sliced hard boiled eggs

DilemmaDelilah · 11/03/2025 09:36

When I picture a massive salad I see lots of vegetables - it seems a lot of you have anything BUT vegetables in your salads! At least nobody (that I have seen anyway) seems to have those gross American 'salads' with jello or miracle whip etc.

ImAChangeling · 11/03/2025 06:09

Nuts - all kinds

Cashews
hazelnuts
brazils
almonds
peanuts
walnuts

Toast them in a dry frying pan first to bring out extra flavour.

Seeds
Pumpkin
sunflower

Sprouted alfalfa, chick peas, beans.

Fresh herbs:
Parsley
Coriander
Dill
Chervil / tarragon (sparingly)

Whole grains
Spelt
Oat groats
Wheatberries

May need to buy from a health food shop and they take longer to cook than rice or couscous but they are higher fibre and lower GI.

Love salads! Good luck 💐

Theextraordinaryisintheordinary · 11/03/2025 06:07

Make a tabouleh salad. They last for days and are so filling

Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 11/03/2025 06:05

I make a sort of poke bowl.

Rice
Edamame
Pineapple
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Crispy onions
Hoi sin / terrayki sressing

I use chicken and salon but you could mix that part

Also
A new one is watermelon, cucumber, olives and feta with a fruity type dressing.

WhateverWillBeWillBloodyWellBe · 11/03/2025 05:58

Avocado (starter)
Chicken
Salmon
Steak and home made chips
Lamb chop
Pork chop
Boiled eggs
Sliced beef from butchers
Pizza

Downfall is mayonnaise and coleslaw.

Wallywobbles · 11/03/2025 05:54

I roast veg like cauliflower and sweet potatoes decided. Add in chickpeas all coated in spices. Good added to salads.

WhateverWillBeWillBloodyWellBe · 11/03/2025 05:53

CurlewKate · 05/03/2025 12:39

Well, I always have lots of leftovers from my tiny chicken after feeding 6 people at the weekend.....

Are the 6 people not keen on chicken?

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 10/03/2025 22:11

Nuts, quite often. They're good for fibre OP.

Westpoint · 10/03/2025 20:26

Roasted pumpkin (in addition to the seeds) - it's really high in fibre!

CatsWhiskerz · 10/03/2025 19:04

Different leaves including rocket, watercress, spinach, pea shoots
Beetroot, edemame, peas, salmon, red onion, falafel, potato salad, baby corn,

BubblePerm · 10/03/2025 18:59

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 05/03/2025 12:52

I put soy sauce on my lettuce, just to pep it up a bit. Other than that my salads are usually a pile of green leaves of whatever type, tomatoes, cucumber (lots because I love it), chopped onion and I have a herb garden so I'll shove a lot of chopped herbs over the top. Sometimes some balsamic vinegar, but that makes my mouth sore so not often. And whatever I've got hanging around that looks like it wants using up, pomegranate seeds, chopped nuts, some dried fruit, orange slices...

www.rhiansrecipes.com/wagamama-inspired-salad-dressing-vegan-gf/
Vroom, you need this in your life! It's amazing.

Carinattheliqorstore1 · 10/03/2025 16:54

Thanks so much everyone for your suggestions!!! Todays “massive salad”:

tomaroes
cucumber
pomegranate seeds
quorn sausages
Mozzerella balls
pink slaw
sweetcorn salsa
cashews

OP posts: