LisaKinVA Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I'm trying to come up with a menu I can produce within regulations. This will be for my son's Eagle Project (we need to raise between $5,000 and $10,000 dollars). My main dish will be fried chicken (it's not available on the base). I know I'll be making some homemade buttermilk biscuits. I need another COLD side dish. Which do you think my target population (mostly men, mostly active duty Navy) would prefer? I have not listed a green salad, because of the time necessary to dish that up properly. I want a COLD side (it's summer after all), and I don't want to have to worry about power. Whatever side we do needs to be COLD, and needs to just require a spoon to dish up. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnia Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I always take black bean/corn salad to summer potluck gatherings, and it always goes very fast. Everyone seems to like it, it gives an alternative main dish to any vegetarians, and it's very easy. Win/win. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I personally would prefer the bean salad. But because you said fried chicken I selected potetoe salad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiden Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I voted for potato salad, as I think it's what most people would prefer. However, for me personally, fried chicken and biscuits require cole slaw. I grew up with KFC most Sundays, so I'm all about fried chicken, biscuits, slaw, and baked beans ... maybe also some green beans if someone was on a health kick. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I voted for potato salad, as I think it's what most people would prefer. However, for me personally, fried chicken and biscuits require cole slaw. I grew up with KFC most Sundays, so I'm all about fried chicken, biscuits, slaw, and baked beans ... maybe also some green beans if someone was on a health kick. Same here. I'd prefer cole slaw but voted potato salad as what I think would be most popular. The local grocery stores that offer a (usually fried) chicken dinner meal usually include chicken, rolls, and 2 sides with potato salad being very popular (based on how many boxes of potato salad vs cole slaw I see in the deli). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 See, my experience with Potato Salad has been not as good -- it's been the thing that gets left over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiden Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I can't quote on my phone, but, Cinder, I wonder if maybe we have it backwards? Maybe you see a lot of potato salad in the deli because it isn't selling, whereas the slaw flies off the shelves? Lisa, if you're experience is that there's a lot of potato salad left over, I'd go with slaw instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 See, my experience with Potato Salad has been not as good -- it's been the thing that gets left over. Could it be that when people make potato salad they make a humongous bowl of it but a batch of cole slaw tends to be smaller? That's generally how I see those two salads presented. And then since people usually take just a scoop of salad more of the potato is left over? If your hunch is that cole slaw would sell better then just go with that. I personally like the contrast in flavor that cole slaw brings to the meal. I just usually see more potato salad at events. Maybe we're all on the Road to Abilene: everyone really wants cole slaw but thinks everyone else wants potato salad so that's what they agree on. But in reality no one really wanted potato salad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I can't quote on my phone, but, Cinder, I wonder if maybe we have it backwards? Maybe you see a lot of potato salad in the deli because it isn't selling, whereas the slaw flies off the shelves? I meant more space is allotted to potato salad. I figure in a grocery store that means that's what they sell more of, right? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 If you are going to the deli to buy the potato salad, what I used to do was take my serving bowl and a roll of saran wrap to the deli. Then just hand them the bowl and say "Fill it up with potato salad" They would zero out the scale with the bowl on it, and fill it up. I'd cover it with saran wrap, and they'd stick the price sticker on the wrap. In the lab I worked at in college there were many Korean students and we'd have potluck picnics every now and then. The potato salad was a huge hit. Particularly among the non-Koreans to cool down the heat of the Korean food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 As a vegetarian, I'd prefer the black bean/corn salad because I could make a meal out of it, but I think coleslaw or potato salad would be more popular. My question would be keeping the food - will it be out in the heat for hours? I'd lean towards something non mayo based if that's the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I'm picky about cole slaw. I pretty much only like KFC's. And if you have left over potato salad I would say you need a new recipe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I don't like potato salad personally, but after working in a deli in my late teens, it is absolutely the most popular. Potato salad or macaroni salad are the two top sellers for picnic or bbq style events. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Whatever salad I have will be kept in a cooler until ready to serve. Nothing will be sitting out. I'll have it portioned out, so that I just use one pan to dish up from at a time. Nothing will be sitting out for hours. My family is full of low-carbers. They all like cole slaw. I don't like slaw at all -- prefer potato salad. The recipe is really good (has some bacon in it, too), but everyone feels guilty eating potato salad. KWIM? They will take a small bit of potato salad, because they like it -- but a huge serving of cole slaw (my family only likes KFC's cole slaw, too) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Other- pasta salad. Easy, fast and cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Other- pasta salad. Easy, fast and cheap. I always skip over the pasta salad at picnics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I LOVE potato salad. Darn low-carb. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Whatever salad I have will be kept in a cooler until ready to serve. Nothing will be sitting out. I'll have it portioned out, so that I just use one pan to dish up from at a time. Nothing will be sitting out for hours. My family is full of low-carbers. They all like cole slaw. I don't like slaw at all -- prefer potato salad. The recipe is really good (has some bacon in it, too), but everyone feels guilty eating potato salad. KWIM? They will take a small bit of potato salad, because they like it -- but a huge serving of cole slaw (my family only likes KFC's cole slaw, too) I'm not sure that food guilt is an applicable motive with a group of military guys. I'd have vats of potato salad on hand. Still, cole slaw is SO easy, I'd be tempted to do both. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I vote for both, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I voted cole slaw, because I need something that qualifies as a vegetable, but I think your target group may prefer potato salad. Now, I want both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strange_girl Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 With fried chicken, I voted coleslaw, just because it's quicker and easier to make, and goes perfect with chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 As this is not a "healthy" meal [ :001_smile: ], I voted for the potato salad as being the stereotyped "expected" side dish. I was raised not to serve potatoes and bread (in this case, biscuits) simultaneously; however, the other choices listed are not, typically, lunged for by the average man. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Well, I could skip the biscuit altogether and just serve potato salad and slaw... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I voted for potato salad. In my experience, it's the most popular. Me personally, black bean and corn salad would be my choice so I would probably have a smaller side of that, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleJumper1 Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I voted potato salad since I could only chose one but in reality I would say both potato salad and cole slaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Well, I could skip the biscuit altogether and just serve potato salad and slaw... I change my vote to THIS option. Travels better. Easier all around (in bulk). Can be made a day or two ahead. It's a winner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Well, I could skip the biscuit altogether and just serve potato salad and slaw... YES! at least if I were going to your dinner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 As an aside, what's the proposed eagle project?? $5-10K?!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Fried Chicken = Potato Salad. They just go together. However, I do love black bean and corn salad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Well, I could skip the biscuit altogether and just serve potato salad and slaw... Yes! (Although I am a die-hard fan of northern biscuits! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 As an aside, what's the proposed eagle project?? $5-10K?!!! Renovating a pretty sad dog park at a NATO-Italian-U.S. park here in Naples. Most people don't know it's there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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