The question I often hear murmured at my farmer’s market stand is…
How much salad mix should I buy?
Am I buying enough salad mix?
Maybe I should buy one more bag…?
As the only farmer at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market selling pesticide-free, freshly harvested salad mixes, I hear it allllll the time.
So in this blog post I’m breaking down how to determine how much salad mix you should buy for your party, tips for serving your salad, AND a few reminders about what to do with that salad mix once you get it home from the farmer’s market.
What Kind of Salad Crowd Am I Feeding?
Every party is different. Every crowd is different.
The first thing you should do is think about the party you are throwing.
Consider:
- What time of day is the party being held?
- What else am I serving at the party?
- How long do I expect folks to be at this party?
- How many of them do you *think* will be salad eaters?
All of these factors play a role in ultimately determining how much salad you should buy for your party.
If your party is a lunch time or dinner time shindig and salad is one of 3 sides to your world-famous chicken wings (or steak, or pork roast, etc.) and you think 7/10 guests will add salad to their plate, then you might think of this as a medium salad-eating crowd (more on that below).
But if your party is a late afternoon get-together, sandwiched between lunch and dinner (maybe a weird 3pm Buffalo Bills playoff game), and you plan on having Bison Dip & potato chips, chicken wings, a bunch of tailgate-worthy sides, and a large platter of cookies…then maybe you’re facing a light salad-eating crowd (more below).
>>> Related: How to Eat More Greens
How Much Salad Do I Need?
As a general guide line, you can kind of assume that there are 4 types of salad eating crowds that head to parties:
- Very Light Salad Eaters — aren’t “in” to eating salads, have lots of other options/sides to choose from
- Light Salad Eaters — will eat salads, but if there are lots of options to choose from expect only about 1/4 of the guests to indulge in greens
- Medium Salad Eaters — this is a crowd that enjoys salads/healthy eating, and will eat a decent amount of greens when there is a protein and a few other sides to choose from
- Heavy Salad Eaters — your eat-like-a-rabbit-friends fall into this category, and so will your party if you only have a small sampling of side options
- Very Heavy Salad Eaters — when you combine your eat-like-a-rabbit-friends and feature salad as the main event with lots of accouterments, then choose this choice.
Now that you can picture your party, your guests, and the menu clearly, let’s get down to numbers / ounces—
And since salad mixes are packaged differently here’s a quick reminder from math class:
- 1/4 pound = 4 ounces
- 1/2 pound = 8 ounces
- 3/4 pound = 12 ounces
- 1 pound = 16 ounces
This is the basic “rule” you can use to help you determine how much salad you really need, per person:
- Very Light Salad Eaters – .5 ounces
- Light Salad Eaters – 1 ounce
- Medium Salad Eaters – 1.5 ounces
- Heavy Salad Eaters – 3 ounces
- Very Heavy Salad Eaters – 6 ounces to 10 ounces
So for a party with 10 medium salad eaters, you would need 15 ounces…so 1 pound (16 ounces) would suffice.
Tips for Serving Salad
- If you want or are concerned there will be leftovers, do not pre-dress your salad. Doing so will soak the leaves and it will be to mushy come tomorrow.
- If you are worried about toppings sinking to the bottom of the bowl, leave them on the side, a la Pizza Hut Lunch Buffet. This way they can be added by each guest as they desire.
- Keep salad in an airtight bowl in the fridge before you serve. Leaving the salad mix exposed to the cold fridge without a top on the bowl could make the greens mushy or funky.
>>> Related: How to Store Your Veggies
How to Care for Your Salad Mix
When you arrive home from the farmer’s market and are unpacking your reusable shopping bags…RESIST THE URGE TO WASH YOUR SALAD MIX!
Unless your party is later that afternoon or evening & you’re getting a jump start on party prep, leave your salad mix alone. Put it in the crisper drawer and step away.
Only pull out your salad mix to wash it hours before it’s going to be served.
Why?
Washing your greens introduces extra moisture and potential bacteria, which shortens their life span in your fridge.
Leaving them to be washed and dried before eating will prolong the life of your salad mix.
Would you like more tips for storing your fresh produce the RIGHT WAY?
Download my FREE A-Z Produce Storage Guide to learn how to store veggies, fruits, and herbs the right way in your fridge and freezer.
Schul Farmstead 