These Thanksgiving Salad Recipes Make Choosing Sides Difficult (2024)

FAQs

Should I serve salad at Thanksgiving? ›

A Thanksgiving salad is a great way to add color to your holiday plate. Plus, who doesn't appreciate a few bites of something light and refreshing between forkfuls of stuffing?

The five basic salads that can be served throughout the course of a meal are starter, accompaniment, main course, intermezzo, and dessert.

Think in layers: Start with your base veggies or leaves, then add a layer of dressing, a layer of crunch (try seeds or nuts), a layer of “bite” (such as cheese, chili, or pickles), followed by another layer of veggies or leaves, and so on. This way you don't have all the best bits at the top.

Among US adults who celebrate Thanksgiving and contribute to making the meal, mashed potatoes are the most likely dish to be made from scratch (72%), followed by gravy (52%), salad (51%), and stuffing or dressing (50%).

If you follow the healthy salad formula and ensure the meal has plenty of veggies, protein and healthy fat, then it can be a great breakfast, lunch and dinner option. Be cautious of eating salad that is exclusively greens or vegetables, as it may be too low in calories, healthy fats or protein to sustain you.

Romaine lettuce is a great vegetable to eat for picky eaters. It has a mild flavor that won't overwhelm the senses, and it's packed with nutrients.

Try veggies with hummus, salad dressing or yogurt-based dips. Add diced veggies such as mushrooms, onions, peppers or carrots to meatloaf or meatballs. Add vegetables as a topping on your pizza. Make a quick lettuce-free salad by adding salad dressing to matchstick carrots or sliced cucumbers.

What vegetables do you put in a salad? ›

The list of salad vegetables includes broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, endive, escarole, green onions, lettuce, mushrooms, peas, bell peppers, chili peppers, radishes, romaine, spinach and tomatoes. Market them well to drive profits to your bottom line.

In India, the Ayurveda belief is to consume salad after serving the entrée to enhance digestion. According to the Ayurveda belief raw food is difficult to digest and should not be mixed with cooked food. This is why raw salads are eaten about 20 minutes before serving the main meal.

Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and romaine are packed with fiber. Fiber is what makes us feel full, so be sure to choose salads that contain these greens. If you don't care for spinach or kale, you can stick to iceberg lettuce, but be sure to add protein to your greens.

The Keys to Crisp Lettuce

Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.

Tomato-free swap: Roasted red peppers, refreshing cucumber slices, roasted beets, and figs are just a few options to replace that slightly sweet, juicy tomato.

Traditionally, the salad follows the main course, but restaurants generally serve salad first, and people have come to believe that the practices of restaurants represent the best service. They fail to realize that restaurants have to work around problems that private households do not.

How many dishes should I serve with the turkey? For 4 people, choose 1-2 appetizers and 3 sides. For 8 people, choose 1-3 appetizers and 3 sides. For 16 people, choose 2-3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

You might think there's no need for appetizers when you're preparing a big turkey dinner with all the classic sides (plus pies for dessert!), but having some easy bites that guests can nibble on when they arrive means that no one notices if it takes a few extra minutes to get the meal on the table.