Friday, May 30, 2008

Random Poll: June ~or~ Good Friday Morning!

*UPDATED*

* If you are stopping by via Musings of a Housewife, I would love to hear your Salad Saga! Thanks for stopping by!*
~~~

As I type it is almost 7:30. I have been up sipping coffee for a couple of hours. 

The kids are still sleeping soundly after a full week of swimming.  

The dog is lying underneath my chair making little huffy breathing sounds every minute or so because she thinks I need to pay attention to her. 

Friday's in the summer....they are beautiful.

So... I have had a question that has weighed heavily on my heart for almost a month now. 

It's about salad. 

I didn't say it was philosophical or of great importance. Although, you never know when it comes to salad.

When I make dinner at night I almost always serve salad.  As a matter of fact, this week we had a little dressing crises as I ran out of our Salad Dressing (Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette). Desperate times called for desperate measures and we used lime juice to dress our dinner salad. 

Uh, lime juice? Not so much.

But I couldn't be further off topic...

Growing up, I always ate my salad first. 

In restaurants, they always serve the salad first.

But for some reason, over the years I switched. 

I always eat my salad last. As does The Mister.

I've been thinking about why I do that, and I can't quite pinpoint the reason I switched. Was it in an effort to eat the main course while it was still hot? Was it because I forgot that the salad was available? Was it because I always serve salad on salad plates instead of family style, and having to switch between plates was just too much effort?

I don't really know.

This is where the epiphany came:

Ask the Blog Gals! They will give the answers!

So here it is...

When you serve salad in your home, do you serve it family style or plated up? Do you eat it before your meal, or after?

17 comments:

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

We eat lots and lots of salad here. I serve it on the same plate as our main dish. I usually eat mine last too, but if I'm in a restaurant, I eat it first. Weird, I know.

Hey...my most favorite salad dressing is Lily's balsamic vinaigrette. It is tasty!!

Here's a question for you...what do you put in your salad?

Lori Lynn said...

Ok, this is a great query!! There's just two of us, kids grown and gone. I serve salad with every meal, in it's own salad bowl. My husband eats his periodically during the meal as if it were part of the meal, not a starter. I, however, start in on it and if I don't finish it before I take a bite of my 'hot' food, I won't. I can't mix a cold, tangy dish with hot and savory. My tastebuds just won't allow it.

flyinjuju said...

We eat it first and in a separate dish. I usually serve it before the meal is done and quite honestly alot of times we eat it standing at the bar. :) Kind of weird.
I just started reading your blog. The fact that you love coffee and live in AZ make me smile. I don't live in AZ, but used to so it is dear to my heart. :)
Julie

Unknown said...

How fun it is to see new "faces".

A big La Vida welcome to llyn m and flyinjuju! I loved your salad answers!

mer,
I will have to check out Lily's dressing!

On my salad: of course some kind of green leaf. I usually buy a head of red leaf, romaine and green leaf lettuce (occasionally kale, but nobody here likes it but me.) If I can find Spring Mix that looks good, and deosn't require the selling of my oldest child, I throw some of that in too. I usually wash, chop and bag the lettuces together and make my own mix. I don't like bagged salad. I know, i am weird!,

Then I always have chopped carrots, cucmuber, tomato, feta cheese, and chopped sweet peas (raw, in the pod). Occasionally mushrooms....I think that's all. And Dressing. Every once in a great while I throw some croutons on to make it looks fancy.

In the summertime, I will use other stuff if it is available: bell pepper, jicama, spinach, kale...

I guess I like some "stuff" on my salad!

Who knew I spent so much time on Salad-ology?

Anonymous said...

I hardly EVER serve salad. but when I do, it's usually as a meal. And when I eat it at a restaurant, I like to eat it first. At home, if I save it for last, I usually just bypass it and throw it out. I serve it in separate bowls if it's a side dish. Was that answer confusing enough? LOL

Anonymous said...

Happy Friday! If it's just the family, I normally serve it on the same dish as the main meal. If we are having guests, then I serve it in separate bowls/plates. I eat my salad at the same time as my meal, but if I'm out, it's normally first.

Such a thought provoking question on this Friday!!! :)

Anonymous said...

We're big salad eaters here too. So much so that the kids frequently can be heard complaining, "salad again?". It's one of the easiest and tastiest oways to get the veggies in 'em though so whatever.

We serve it up in salad bowls, with the meal. I always eat it last to keep my main dish from getting cold. Now if I were fancy shmancy I'd keep the meal warm in the oven and do the salad first but I'm so not fancy.

I don't like bagged lettuce either. Ick. It tastes like plastic. Be careful with those lettuce heads though; you never know where they've been! :)

Mrs. Moofish said...

We serve it salad bar style, with little ones around, there's always someone saying, "I don't like that!" So, this way everyone gets what they want. Usually, we use separate bowls/dishes and usually we eat the meal first then everyone gets there own salad. We always have some greens, including spinach (my 5-year-old loves spinach! Crazy, huh?), then various other veggies. Broccoli, grape tomatoes, pea pods, carrots and anything that is interesting at the store and on sale! The kids all love Kraft's Caesar Italian with Oregano. I like almost anything that is oil/vinegar type, but I don't really like creamy dressings. Mr. Moofish, as with just about any food, will eat everything that is available ! He says eating salad after a meal is what the French do! The Girl should love to hear that! Who knew what an interesting question this would be. It's fun to see all the variety of answers!
Dana

Anonymous said...

We rarely have salad, because we rarely cook. But when we do, it is served in a big bowl. In fact, sometimes I put little side dishes with it, so if you hate onions, for example, you don't have to have them in your salad.

I eat mine along with the meal.

Lara said...

Salad? What's salad?

Chel said...

Are you serious? Your kids eat salad?! I might as well serve kryptonite to Superman. Pu-lease. Salad. My kids run shrieking from lettuce as if it were going to eat them instead of the other way around.

Anonymous said...

Cute post -- never really thought about salad like that. Thanks so much for sharing and looking forward to reading more of your blog.

XO,

Rosalyn-SUe

Michelle@Life with Three said...

We're big salad eaters, too. I serve it with dinner on a separate plate and let everyone decide in what order they want to eat it. I usually eat mine last because, like Darcie, I don't like the main dish getting cold. I rarely serve it family style, as that requires an extra bowl and I'm all about limiting the amount of dishes I have to wash! :) (My daughter loves Newman's Light Balsamic, btw!)

Anonymous said...

I am an absolute wacko. (hanging my head in shame) I don't eat salad.

I don't care for the jumbled nature of salad. I like most of the ingredients but don't like them togther...Weird, I know.

And I don't eat condiments of any kind. That includes salad dressing.

Food freak, I know.

PS Kellie, a certain person was spotted wearing her APRON at the store yesterday.

meh said...

So does covering salad in cheddar cheese and Ranch dressing negate all health benefits? Cause that is how we eat the stuff around here. Oh, and usually on our main plate with the meal unless the main dish is kind of messy or runny and then I get fancy with a salad plate. Have a good weekend!

cdub said...

i vote eat the salad last. if you eat it first, you run the risk of filling up and not being able to complete a tasty dinner. i'd rather not have room for the rest of my salad than not have room for the rest of my hamburger. priorities, right?

The Buntens said...

That's my favorite dressing too!
I serve it on the side and we eat it with our meal.

Sometimes when I have company over - I serve it first.