He can’t even bear to smell the vinaigrette you put on your own salad? Everyone at the table has to have a non-vinegar dressing?

i suspect that OP’s husband likes bottled Ranch or Blue Cheese. Just try thinning it with a little water and lemon juice and use sparingly. If he has similar dislikes for grains and vegetables, it is unlikely you will really be able to make a “healthy” salad. My husband thinks spinach, kale, arugula, etc. in a salad is too close to grass. He is a fan of Bob’s Big Boy Bleu cheese and scoffs at my raspberry vinaigrette. If your husband will only eat Romaine with a creamy dressing, maybe just have him skip the salad.

Anonymous wrote:I eat salad all the time and just… don’t use salad dressing. I hate them. Salads are healthy as long as you don’t put in bacon or croutons. Mine yesterday had romaine, cucumber, chicken, strawberries, sunflower seeds.

Same. We don't eat salad dressing. I add nuts, seeds, feta crumbles, dried or fresh fruit if appropriate, and regular salad add-ins like cucumber, pepper, carrot, celery. We don't eat bacon either but I think it's fine on a salad so long as it's not more cheese and bacon than veggies.

I eat salad all the time and just… don’t use salad dressing. I hate them. Salads are healthy as long as you don’t put in bacon or croutons. Mine yesterday had romaine, cucumber, chicken, strawberries, sunflower seeds.

Anonymous wrote:Olive oil, a little bit of salt, and maybe a sprinkle of herbs is good enough for me.

+1 this is my go to

Olive oil, a little bit of salt, and maybe a sprinkle of herbs is good enough for me.

I don't think there's a "one size fits all" replacement. I'd select based on the salad components. Such as a taco salad mix up some salsa with sour cream and toss with lettuce and the rest of your ingredients. Honey mustard works great with grilled white fish and spinach. Caesar works for well for kale and chicken.

You can make a yogurt sriracha dressing, ranch (with greek yogurt/sour cream, herbs, and a touch of lemon or vinegar or use water instead to thin it), or honey mustard?

My DH, who cannot have dairy, likes thousand island. Nothing vinegary about it if you leave out pickle relish.

Oh sorry I just saw lemon is a no go. Maybe a goddess dressing.

Lemon vinaigrette -- https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/lemon-vinaigrette/

https://hellolittlehome.com/lemon-olive-oil-dressing/

Some similar recipes are going to have a small amount of vinegar but if you use a tiny bit of apple cider vin or white wine vinegar, it shouldn't be offensive to DH. I looove vinegar and balsamic can be a bit much so I feel him.

Anonymous wrote:Is it the act of pouring the vinegar at the table that bothers him? Or if you mixed and dressed the salad in the kitchen for you + kids, he’d still complain?

OP here - I should have been more clear! He hates the smell of vinegar (any kind, balsamic being the worst culprit).

Is it the act of pouring the vinegar at the table that bothers him? Or if you mixed and dressed the salad in the kitchen for you + kids, he’d still complain?

Ask him to pick a dressing he likes, and use it on his salad - the rest of the family can eat vinaigrette!
I think most salads need a bit of acid like vinegar or citrus to brighten the taste, but if that's not to his taste, how about a buttermilk-based dressing? Mix buttermilk, greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic (grated on a microplane), salt and any herbs of choice - I like this with roasted vegetables/ grain bowls.

I grew up eating salad with every meal and always used a simple olive oil/vinegar dressing and would like to get in that same habit with my kids.

But DH HATES vinegar....he can hardly be in the room when I am eating a salad.

Can you share your favorite healthy salad recipe that doesn't use vinegar? Lemon is even too close to vinegary for my picky DH but I can give it another try! Thank you.