OnePoll conducted a survey on behalf of Fresh Express that looked into his Americans eat their salad. The poll of 2000 Americans found that the participants prefer iceberg lettuce (31%) over kale salad (23%).
The study also showed that the average participant has about four salads weekly. Moreover, the salad was a part of their usual diets for 62%. Many participants put effort into making a good said, with 48% saying there was such a thing as the perfect salad.
How Americans make the perfect salad
For many respondents, the ultimate salad included toppings (51%). The topping had to in life things like roasted vegetables (52%) and fruits (57%). The perfect salad had to be topped with dressing (60%) and chopped (78%).
The participants believed that while making a salad base, a gold salad should be loaded with romaine (13%), spinach (14%) or iceberg lettuce (15%). Savoury toppings would then be added to the salad. This included things like cheddar cheese (45%), seeds (45%) and eggs (46%). Crunchy toppings like almonds (33%), walnuts (33%), and croutons (36%) would then be added.
The ultimate salad also included vegetable toppings like carrots (16%), cucumber (17%) and tomatoes (18%). It also requires good dressing like ranch (11%), blue cheese (12%), and balsamic vinaigrette (13%).
Different generations showed varying salad preferences
The poll also shows how favourite salads would be different with each generation. For instance, Gen Z preferred strawberries (22%) and blueberries (22%) as fruit toppings. The other age chose to use croutons, with Gen X showing their highest preference (47%) over millennials (43%) and boomers (43%).
Gen Z also held other different opinions on salads. For example, they believed that salad could be eaten as the main dish (56%). The other generations considered it a side dish. Most of the respondents, regardless of the generation, believed a complete salad required a topping (69%). The average respondent used a minimum of three toppings. Another 65% considered dressing the most crucial part of a salad.
The respondents used different methods when it came to dressing. Others would drizzle it onto their salads (34%), while others would mix it (35%).