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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What can I put in salads that will make me feel more full?

115 replies

toomuchhistory · 26/03/2018 23:56

I was going to post this in weightloss but actually it's not about weightloss but about eating to be healthy, even though I would like to see an effect on my weight.

I've been reading lots of books which basically advocate a daily diet of something like: avocado on toast, eggs, green salad with feta, nuts and grains, lots of almonds/walnuts/cashews in between meals, as much fruit and veg as possible, chicken/fish salads.

Every time I eat a salad for a meal it feels like a snack. I feel like it is my pre-meal snack! I don't know if this is a habit I've got into or whether people who genuinely eat like this feel hungry still after a salad?

This evening I had rocket, feta, avocado, walnut, tomato and olives with plenty of olive oil. A big portion. But I did not feel full. I've just had to eat three pieces of toast before bed to even feel like my stomach is full...

What can I put in salads that would make me feel more full?

OP posts:
HermionesRightHook · 27/03/2018 00:24

Ooh and what puffycat suggested is great too - a hot meal can make you feel fuller, so rather than salad with a lot of oil, what about roasted veg with a little chicked or melted cheese? You could easily miss out the carby things like potatoes and have carrots and broccoli and that sort of thing instead.

marchin1984 · 27/03/2018 00:24

nuts. lots of nuts.

Puffycat · 27/03/2018 00:28

I have found the best ingredient to add to a salad to make you feel full is lard

babydreamer1 · 27/03/2018 00:28

You could add steak and chips to your salad, that would fill you up Grin

Things like couscous, beluga wheat, rice, butternut squash, potato. Not bread or pasta. Then increase the protein with chicken or salmon.

SarfE4sticated · 27/03/2018 00:38

Add at tin of mixed beans OP they fill me up maybe some vinegary tuna. I'm with you though, would be very unfulfilled after that salad. something hot as PP mentioned would be good

Strokethefurrywall · 27/03/2018 00:38

I ate a salad today and it consisted of:

Spinach
Bacon
Sliced almonds
Avocado
Cabbage
Red onion
Shredded carrot
Shaved coconut
Red wine shallot dressing

Normally I add 2oz chicken breast but trying to lay off meat so had 2 boiled eggs.

That kept me pretty full up but in fairness it was big.

Saracen · 27/03/2018 02:13

I like loads of different things in my salads. The more ingredients, the better. Each ingredient is in there in such small quantities that it is a treat to discover one. For example, I might include eight pistachio nuts and half a dozen tiny cheese cubes. Then I can hunt them down, decide which tasty bits to eat first and which ones should be saved for last, try to work out whether there is still one more pistachio lurking somewhere... it's fun.

Saracen · 27/03/2018 02:15

A drizzle of chili oil is fun. Did you know that chili peppers stimulate your brain in a similar way to chocolate? Really cheers me up.

And my mouth knows something has happened at lunchtime, so I feel more fed.

halfwitpicker · 27/03/2018 02:18

Chicken
Almonds
Cheese
Oily dressing
Chickpeas
Hard boiled egg
Tuna
Ham
Cottage cheese
Tinned lentils
Pine nuts

A combination of these mixed with loads of leaves then loads of veg. The plate should be massive and you should feel full. I'd have a chicken fillet, a hard boiled egg and some cheese in a salad, for example and I'd feel full.

MrsDrSpencerReid · 27/03/2018 02:28

Grilled chicken breast
Baby spinach leaves
Cherry tomatoes
Carrot
Mushroom
Green capsicum
Gherkins
Cashews

Then I ruin it with a bit of Aoili or Mayo Blush

newmumwithquestions · 27/03/2018 02:29

M&S do a ‘Fuller for longer’ range. I was dubious but it works!

Why not steal some ideas from them if you have one near you.

But to agree with previous posters - lentils / beans / chickpeas are good.
I know you had nuts but some pulses help fill you up.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 27/03/2018 02:32

Cottage cheese, with cubes of cucumber, halved baby tomatoes, celery, raw carrot and watercress. Sometimes some chopped up ham, or left over chicken, or a handful of peanuts/cashew nuts. You can put that all on lettuce as well.

I usually have it just like that, but sometimes I’ll have it with oatcakes or crackers, maybe even a piece of toast (I’m not keen on cottage cheese with soft bread). It just depends how I feel!

Octave777 · 27/03/2018 02:33

Add some brown rice or pasta.

There's no carbs so I'd be hungry too.

LiquoriceTea · 27/03/2018 02:37

Oooh. Posting to read when its mornin!

thegreatbeyond · 27/03/2018 03:03

Grand Big Mac

myshinynewusername · 27/03/2018 03:11

Couscous
Kidney Beans
Cucumber chunks
Carrot sticks
Sardines
Chicken chunks
Tuna
Rice
Hard boiled egg

PragmaticWench · 27/03/2018 03:54

Broccoli roasted in oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice is great in a big salad, or kale done the same way.

Smoked mackerel is my current favourite with beetroot, feta and some seeds.

BigGreenOlives · 27/03/2018 04:03

You don’t actually need to go to bed feeling full if you are trying to lose weight. Feeling hungry means you are eating less, which is what you want.

Jobjobjob · 27/03/2018 04:28

I've got a big thing about edamame beans at the moment, are they a good option?

mathanxiety · 27/03/2018 04:47

Forget salad. Have home made non creamy soup that includes lots of veg, beans, meat, and a grating of parmesan. You can even snip your rocket and throw it in.

thiskittenbarks · 27/03/2018 04:54

Quinoa, bulgar wheat, beans and pulses, and of course cheese!

mostlymindblown · 27/03/2018 04:55

Loving these ideas!

SlowlyShrinking · 27/03/2018 05:10

Op, you sound like you’re trying to do low carb high fat? If so, there’s a transition period while your body gets used to being fuelled by fat rather than by carbs/glucose. During this period you need to eat more fat when you’re hungry, not carbs like toast. Google low carb high fat and keto diet. There’s loads of information out there. Good luck!

liminality · 27/03/2018 05:51
  • Vietnamese-style noodle salad with rice noodles, lettuce, carrot, fresh mint and coriander, cucumber, your choice of chicken, prawns, beef, tofu or more veg
  • I roast up a tray of pumpkin, squash, potato, or broccoli and chuck that into salads to bulk them out
  • big scoop of hummus
  • seeds - sunflower, pepitas, sesame are all good, and nuts of course
  • aldi does individual frozen salmon portions - i keep them in the freezer, defrost and fry with garlic and capers, and chuck onto a salad of iceberg, cucumber and sprouts with balsamic dressing - it's awesome
AND make interesting dressings, they go a long way towards making you feel fed cause they taste so dan good! Try...
  • tahini, lemon, olive oil, s & p, honey to sweeten if you like
  • classic balsamic, olive oil, little bit of soy sauce
  • apple cider vinegar, olive oil, s&p - get the organic stuff with 'mother' in it
  • honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, capers
claraschu · 27/03/2018 05:51

Small chunks of fried tofu with a bit of soy sauce, walnuts, sunflower seeds, grated raw beets and carrots, feta, red pepper, and lots of greens.