How to Choose Party Salads for A Crowd
Salad is one of the easiest foods to make, yet one of the hardest to choose when making a salad. It can be difficult to decide which ingredients are good enough to put into your salad.
When you are having dinner with a big crowd of friends or family, salads are a perfect choice as side dishes especially at a summer BBQ or sitting around a fire pit.
Don’t Overthink It
Choosing a salad shouldn’t be too complicated.
However, choosing a good salad is easy once you understand how to do so. Read through this article to learn more about salads, including how to choose a salad for a party.
Some of the criteria that we use to choose what salads to make for a crowd are
- how popular and universally liked are they
- how easy are the ingredients to source
- how easy are the ingredients to prepare
- Can you prepare the salad or at least some of the main components ahead of time?
Other factors to consider are
How many people will the salad feed kind of budget are you working with?
Do you want something light and refreshing? Or would you rather have something hearty and filling?
Do you like spicy? Sweet? Sour? Savory?
Now let’s talk about what goes into a salad.
The first thing you need to consider when choosing a salad is the ingredients.
What kind of lettuce should you use? What type of dressing would go well with it?

Lettuce Types
When choosing lettuce, you want to look for ones that are sturdy enough to hold up to being tossed around.
Some of the common lettuces include romaine, iceberg, butterhead, and Bibb.
Dressing Options
Another important part of choosing a salad is deciding on the salad dressing and how much per guest?
You want to pick a dressing that complements the flavor of the salad.
For example, if you are using a creamy dressing, you may want to pair it with a crunchy salad.
If you are using a spicy dressing, you may want something milder or a food type that soothes the heat as you eat.
The best make-ahead salads for a crowd or large group we have chosen are
- Cobb Salad
- Potato Salad
- Chicken Salad
- Pasta Salad
- Macaroni Salad
- Plus the classic Garden Salad.
- For dessert, we of course have Fruit Salad.
These party salad ideas are based on lots of catering experience.
Why Is a Cobb Salad Good For a Big Crowd or a BBQ Party
A Cobb salad is a great dish for a big crowd or a barbecue party because it has all the ingredients that everyone loves. The dressing is creamy and delicious, and the lettuce is crunchy and refreshing. This recipe includes bacon, avocado, tomatoes, chicken, and blue cheese.
We also have another series of articles to help you plan and make a Cobb Salad for a big group
- How Much Cobb Salad Per Person for a Big Group
- How To make Cobb Salad Ahead of Time for a large group
- What to Serve with a Cobb Salad for a crowd
Why Is a Potato Salad Good For Big Groups
Do you think potato salad is only meant to be eaten at picnics?
A classic dish that has been around since the early 1900’s, potato salad is a simple side dish that can be prepared ahead of time and served cold.
Potato salads are often used as appetizers or snacks before a meal. However, there is no reason why you cannot serve potato salad as a main course.
I’ve been asked several times about how I choose what goes into my salads. The answer is simple: the more ingredients, the better! It also helps if you have some variety in your salad – different colors and textures will make it look pretty. This certainly goes for potato salad with chives for green and some paprika for red – you can easily create a Christmas-themed potato salad.
See our potato salad recipes for a dinner party – made in an instant pot.
We also have another series of potato salad articles to help you plan and make a Potato Salad for a big group
- How Much Potato Salad Per Person for a Big Group
- How To Make Potato Salad Ahead of Time for a large group
- What to Serve with a Potato Salad for a crowd
Why Is a Chicken Salad Good For Party Crowd
A chicken salad is a delicious dish that is perfect for parties. You can serve it as a starter or as a main course.
It’s made from chicken breast meat, celery, lettuce, and mayonnaise. The dressing is usually made out of vinegar, oil, and mustard.
The ingredients are mixed together, and then the mixture is placed inside a container. This makes it easier to transport and store.
If you are having a party, you should consider serving a chicken salad. It’s a healthy dish that everyone loves.
We also have another series of articles to help you plan and make a Chicken Salad for a big group
- How Much Chicken Salad Per Person for a Big Group
- How To Make Chicken Salad Ahead of Time for a large group
- What to Serve with a Chicken Salad for a crowd
Why Is a Pasta Salad Good For Party Crowd
A pasta salad is a delicious dish that everyone loves. It’s perfect for parties because it’s easy to eat and doesn’t take long to prepare.
But what makes a pasta salad so special? Here are five reasons why it’s such a crowd pleaser.
1. It’s Easy to Eat
Pasta salads are usually made with pasta shapes that are bite-sized. This means that you can easily pick up a piece and eat it.
2. It’s Quick to Prepare
Pasta salads are quick to make. All you need to do is boil water, cook the pasta, add the dressing, and toss everything together.
3. It’s Delicious
The flavors in a pasta salad are simple and classic. The ingredients include pasta, vegetables, cheese, and oil.
We also have another series of articles to help you plan and make a Pasta Salad for a big group
- How Much Pasta Salad Per Person for a Big Group
- How To Make Pasta Salad Ahead of Time for a large group
- What to Serve with a Pasta Salad for a crowd
Why Is a Macaroni Salad Good For Party Crowd
A macaroni salad is a classic dish that everyone loves. It’s perfect for parties because it’s easy to prepare and delicious.
It’s also a crowd pleaser because it doesn’t take long to make. This makes it ideal for large gatherings.
So what exactly does a macaroni salad consist of? Here’s everything you need to know about the main types of components that go to building a macaroni salad for a large group
- Macaroni noodles
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Cheese
- Salt and pepper
We also have another series of articles to help you plan and make a Macaroni Salad for a big group
- How Much Macaroni Salad Per Person for a Big Group
- How To Make Macaroni Salad Ahead of Time for a large group
- Best Ways To Serve Macaroni Salad for a crowd
So let us summarize where we are
The best summer salads are perfect for a large group because they can easily be made ahead of time. They also make great snacks when you’re having guests over.
Summertime means barbecues, picnics, and outdoor parties. And while these events are always fun, they can get pretty messy. So, it’s important to have some healthy food options that won’t leave anyone disappointed. These salads are perfect for any occasion.
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