Salad Bar Poll

How Do You Feel About Salad Bars?

March 30, 2009

Last Friday I got into a discussion with TeamSugar about salad bars. I was on my way back from the salad bar across the street, which has an assortment of raw and cooked options and charges by the pound, when I ran into her. She outlined her reasons for disliking them. "Aren't they unsanitary?" she asked. "They seem so dated." I told her that while they can seem unnecessarily expensive, I love the convenience and variety of them. How do you feel, dear reader?

45 Comments

tlsgirl 4 years

Unsanitary. They gross me out.

hippiecowgirl 4 years

Love 'em! They usually have a good variety and I can get exactly what I want and in just the right quantity. I do agree that you have to know which ones are safe and which aren't.

marie-lee 4 years

Most "fast food" salads, either from a salad bar or pre-packed that I've come across are awful. I prefer to make my own. Then I know exactly what is in it and how fresh the ingredients are.

herfallingstar 4 years

Do you really want to eat the same food that some person with a cold has just sneezed all over? Yuck... There'll be so much bacteria in the air. Plus, people always taste the food using the scoop/spoon. Just not a nice thought for me.

herfallingstar 4 years

Do you really want to eat the same food that some person with a cold has just sneezed all over? Yuck...There'll be so much bacteria in the air. Plus, people always taste the food using the scoop/spoon. Just not a nice thought for me.

jhig 4 years

I don't trust a category food that the general public has complete access to. The idea of a Salad Bar is wonderful, the reality of a Bar is an horrid one. Giving the general public "free rein" is the reason I don't eatout till this day. An unmanaged Bar is disgusting, knowing the general public does not wash up before supper. I'm sure, if a black light was fanned over the Bar, it would look something of a Tween Rave - filled with neon glow without the glow sticks and colored stringies.

chiefdishwasher 4 years

Keep your own dressing in your fridge at work. That way you don"t pay $7 a pound for dressing.

msshellokitty 4 years

the only salad bar i go to is schnucks once a month.it's expensive but the salad is always so good.

opentypeA 4 years

If only the stuff on most salad bars looked as fresh as the picture!

AbbyHintz 4 years

I love it for lunch (my cafeteria has one), and I love the one at Whole Foods. I don't eat dairy or meat on my salads. I know that salad bars probably unsanitary -- but, really, it's not like the all-you-can-eat bar at Golden Corral. **shudder** Salad bar patrons are typically pretty clean. As for why I don't buy my own veggies -- because I'm lazy and it's worth the money to not prepare myself. :)

tuscanstellina 4 years

Why not save yourself tons of money and just buy your own veggies for a salad? Unless you are on vacation and the hotel has a fabulous and immaculate salad bad, then I avoid them.

Seka21 4 years

Now and then when im in a rush i get one (3x a year maybe) and im always appaled by the price and quality!

aimeeb 4 years

Overpriced and usually gross looking.

Swedeybebe 4 years

sweet tomatoes is my salad bar of choice! can't beat the freshness, or the fab soups (chili and tomato soup!) and the fresh baked muffins and breads. i eat there at least once a week.

pharm_chick 4 years

i like them but they are pricey. and i once found a bug in my salad. eek.

Dana18 4 years

I love salad bars. I go to one almost everyday for lunch. They have so many things to chose from. I can have a little bit of everything.

laellavita 4 years

the only salad bar i go to is the one at whole foods either after my workout or when i'm really in a pinch for a healthy lunch.

ELLEHUDSON 4 years

BLUEBELLKNOLL & LIMELINDSEY!! you totally took the words out of my mouth - sweet tomatoes!!!! absolutely, hands-down BEST buffet (of any kind) if you ask me! If anyone hasn't tried it.. see if there is one in your area.. Sweet Tomatoes OR Souplantation. YUMMMM

ELLEHUDSON 4 years

BLUEBELLKNOLL & LIMELINDSEY!! you totally took the words out of my mouth - sweet tomatoes!!!! absolutely, hands-down BEST buffet (of any kind) if you ask me!If anyone hasn't tried it.. see if there is one in your area..Sweet Tomatoes OR Souplantation. YUMMMM

medenginer 4 years

I'll eat a salad at restaurant occasionally but usually not at a salad bar. I do a walk by if it's clean enough I will. If it looks questionable I just skip it and eat something else. I'll grab a pre-made salad for work sometimes if I'm in a hurry. I prefer to make my own at home especially during summer.

mdamsky 4 years

I don't usually do the salad bar in restaurants, in fact, I cant remember the last time I went to a restaurant that had one. But when I am getting lunch at work, sometimes I go out to salad bars for lunch, but usually only ones that I know are safe. As ilanac said there are some places in NYC that would make your skin crawl. A nice alternative, albeit an expensive one, are the places like Salad Spinners, where they make your salad for you with whatever toppings you like and whatever dressing you chose a la Coldstone for those of you who are too creeped out to go for the do-it-yourself options.

mdamsky 4 years

humangirl 4 years

I don't eat at salad bars at restaurants, but I do like a well-stocked salad bar at the market. They're expensive, but I think buying all the veggies separately would cost just as much in the end, and since I'll be the only one eating it... it's less likely to be wasted if I just make a big two-day lunch salad.

Spectra 4 years

I like them for the most part. I like the fact that I can make my own salad with whatever I want on it. I can put whatever dressing on it that I want and there's usually a nice selection of veggies that I don't normally put on my salads at home.

amybdk 4 years

Case-by-case basis. Some are kept well, and I'll nom from those, but other ones freak me out and bring out my inner Howard Hughes. That's hilarious, not to mention pretty much how I feel!

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45 Comments