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Men and salads

(113 Posts)
Aveline Fri 29-May-26 07:11:49

Is it just my DH who's not a fan of salads? I'm so fed up with it. In this hot weather I'm enjoying delicious crisp, nutty, juicy, tasty salads of all sorts. Often I'll have cold salmon as a base but use other things too. However, DH is always miserable if it's not hot and features lots of potatoes. Last night he made himself a big bowl of lentil soup despite the loaded salad nicoise I had for him. Are all men like this?

Sadgrandma Fri 29-May-26 23:52:39

Aveline

Is it just my DH who's not a fan of salads?

No you’re not alone. My DH hates salad with a vengeance (says it gives him indigestion). To him a meal is not a meal unless it contains potatoes, preferably mashed) and cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and or beans/peas many of which he grows on his allotment. He acts hurt if I sometimes prefer a salad. He does like pasta occasionally but hates onions and anything spicey like curry. He was one of three sons brought up by his widowed mother and, as money was tight, I think potatoes and vegetables were used to fill them up.

Redhead56 Sat 30-May-26 01:22:31

My dad told my mum very often he was not a rabbit who eats salad. My DH says he hates salad but if it comes with a meal in a restaurant or pub he eats it total hypocrite!
Our son and daughter eat alot of salad in various forms because I eat it and gave it to them growing up.

Macaydia Sat 30-May-26 05:54:26

Salads are not a main meal.

Beechnut Sat 30-May-26 07:30:40

I think they can be if you want them to be.

Marmin Sat 30-May-26 07:51:02

Macaydia

Salads are not a main meal.

I guess it depends on how you define 'salad'. Most of the salads I prepare do not include lettuce but certainly meet the requirements of a 'main meal'.

ViceVersa Sat 30-May-26 08:02:15

Macaydia

Salads are not a main meal.

Of course they are. Just depends what you include as part of a 'salad'.

Aveline Sat 30-May-26 08:10:46

They're a main meal to me just not to my DH no matter how much protein and carbs included.

Witzend Sat 30-May-26 08:17:30

ViceVersa

Macaydia

Salads are not a main meal.

Of course they are. Just depends what you include as part of a 'salad'.

Chicken, ham, cheese, hard-boiled eggs….

Chicken and mango is delish, I must do it again next time I have cold roast chicken to use up.

jusnoneed Sat 30-May-26 08:50:11

I make a spicy Coronation chicken using Mango, one of our family favourites. Nice with a salad and with or without a jacket spud.

eddiecat78 Sat 30-May-26 11:59:00

My mother was convinced they would get malnutrition unless they got at least one hot meal a day

watermeadow Sat 30-May-26 13:39:53

I love salads with lots and lots of ingredients but never any dressing. I can’t bear anything acidic and never have. No vinegar, wine, berries.
I know someone who pours vinegar over cooked vegetables.

cc Sat 30-May-26 14:33:42

Mine hates salads, even if it just a garnish on the side of the plate, though he may occasionally eat one if it has boiled eggs, cheese, chicken, sausages, ham etc. on the plate. Basically the lettuce and cucumber have to be completely overwhelmed by the protein.
He won't eat any brassicas at all, or spinach - though to be fair both these make him physically sick.

cc Sat 30-May-26 14:34:38

Macaydia

Salads are not a main meal.

My husband's view entirely

MissAdventure Sat 30-May-26 15:48:23

To my mind, a good salad is not only a meal, buy, probably in the kind of proportions that are reccommended.

keepingquiet Sat 30-May-26 15:57:16

Let him cook and eat what he wants, and you just have a salad with whatever he cooks when its gone cold?

Primrose53 Sat 30-May-26 16:50:56

I am making a Minted Courgette and Potato Tortilla tonight to have with salad. A family favourite, easy to make and delicious.

Sparky51 Sun 31-May-26 13:38:32

My husband likes salads.He needs a bit of bulk in it tho.So i make. A potato salad..with onions..bit of Tuna..and cold pasta..⁰...

Jojo1950 Sun 31-May-26 13:38:48

Yes, Aveline there are. I have one of them! 🙄

monami Sun 31-May-26 13:45:00

my DH called it rabbit meat

AuntieE Sun 31-May-26 14:01:14

I only eat salads if courtesy to my host forces me to, so your husband is not alone.

I do not know whether more men than women find salads a waste of time and money, or whether they are just more willing to say so than women are.

I imagine I am not the only woman in the world to find salads a completely over-rated dish.

cc Sun 31-May-26 14:16:40

AuntieE

I only eat salads if courtesy to my host forces me to, so your husband is not alone.

I do not know whether more men than women find salads a waste of time and money, or whether they are just more willing to say so than women are.

I imagine I am not the only woman in the world to find salads a completely over-rated dish.

No AuntieE you are not, I don't mind a salad if I'm not very hungry not it isn't really a filling main meal. I'm trying to lose weight at the moment and eating salad if we go out for meals, but feel pretty deprived...

ExaltedWombat Sun 31-May-26 14:31:31

Marmin

I wonder if , like me, he was raised on a very english idea of what a salad is. My mother was an exceptional cook but only across a fairly narrow range of dishes. A salad was a lettuce separated into its leaves, tomatoes cut in half and a few spring onions. That was it. No seasoning, no dressing. Not even the ubiquitous jar of Heinz salad cream. I hated them!
Now, I make salads of all varieties, all packed with flavour.
Might I suggest a potato salad as a start? A greek potato salad does not use mayo but packs a lot of flavour as well as potatoes of course!

Yes! THAT'S a salad - lettuce, tomatoes... Not this silly modern idea of bits of limp 'leaf' drenched in oil.

Bobba Sun 31-May-26 14:35:03

My husband felt like yours Aveline, a cold raw meal isn’t a meal even when it’s very hot out. What I found was over the years he’d peer at what I’d made for myself and like the look of it, and gradually he’s become happier with a hefty salad supper from time to time. My enjoyment seemed contagious!

debbiemon123 Sun 31-May-26 14:45:51

I know I am in the minority but I hate salad . I force myself to eat lettuce , I love tomatoes, but any other salad ingredient I loath …… beetroot, spring onion …. Yuk .
I so wish I loved them and have tried but no !!!!!

suelld Sun 31-May-26 14:51:16

Add a large jacket potato to the salad for him … my favourite meals are full salad, tinned salmon, and a baked potato with butter …. Can’t go wrong for men or women imo!