Shredded Iceberg Lettuce - what's the point?

[begin_within]

It has no flavor. It has almost no color. It has an uninteresting texture. It has almost no nutritional value. All it does is take up space on the plate, take up space in your mouth, and waste valuable chewing time and energy. So why is it in nearly everything?

[JI7]

1. to add crunchy texture is what i hear

these days i try to put spinach in place of where lettuce is usually used. it doesn't have a crunchy texture but it does have nutritious value and tastes better.

[idgiehkt]

2. It's the other vegetable in the American diet.

The first being Ketchup. :shrug:

[Richard Steele]

3. It allows me to eat big gobs of shredded cheddar and ranch dressing with a FORK.

That's a better reason than MANY things have to justify
their existence, knowhutImean?

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Mmm, cheese-delivery vehicle...

[MilesColtrane]

4. It soaks up and holds the red wine vinagerette I put on my tuna sandwich.

[krispos42]

5. Takes the place of more expensive things, like meat and cheese n/t

[alphafemale]

7. Lettace is bland BUT

For some reason it does add color and depth when you are making veggie broth.

Don't know why that is but it is.

I used it when making veggies broths for veggie daughter.

I also now use it if making a stock for the rest us carnivores.

For soup or whatever. It does seem to add something.

Don't know why but it does.

Maybe it has flavors that are only released when boiled.

But yeah...iceberg lettuce is otherwise pretty much crispy water as far as I'm concerned.

[Wiccan Warrior]

8. YUMMMMMM shredded lettuce hmmm notice how it looks

like the Constitution after GWB got hold of it?

[Bluebear]

9. Simple. It is but a vessel for blue cheese dressing.

You're welcome! ;)

[zanne]

10. I used to eat lettuce with sugar on it

When I was a kid, my folks didn't have much, so it was a treat for us kids.

[Left Is Write]

14. I did that - fresh leaf lettuce right out of my mother's garden.

Rinse the leaf off, and the sprinkling of sugar will stick to it.

Yum.

[zanne]

25. And I thought I was the only one! nt

[riona]

11. It's banned at my house

I wish restaurants would get the picture.

[HughBeaumont]

12. Because if you eat Raddachio and Arugula, the terr'sts win.

Then again, do redneck Murkins even EAT salad?

[riderinthestorm]

13. Intro salad ingredient for children

It's a great way to get kids to start eating salad - lots of ranch dressing on iceberg lettuce. Slowly increase the ratio of spinach and other lettuce types. Next add carrots and cheese, pretty soon you have a kid who eats and loves salad with just about anything in it.

After that you can move on to different dressings....

[bleedingheart]

20. my mother fed us escarole when we were little..

it is a harsh intro to greens.

[Left Is Write]

15. I guess people buy it to make tacos or something.

I have never bought shredded iceberg, but I *do* like iceberg lettuce from time to time. A wedge of iceberg with some homemade salad dressing is pretty good.

[NewWaveChick1981]

16. I hear it can be used as packing material.

:P :rofl: :hi: It's filler with fiber. That's all I can figure.

[slj0101]

17. It's a vessel for steak, fries, and crumbled blue cheese.

[pagerbear]

18. I don't like most kinds of lettuce.

I have been known to throw it out the window when it is served as a garnish in restaurants.

[wildhorses]

19. i don't like it pre-shredded but, i do like to buy a head of

iceberg lettuce. i like greens of any kind.

[Elidor]

21. It's for people who prefer to chew their water n/t

[El Fuego]

22. And it's gross when it's wilted. If you don't eat it immediately, you get a soggy sandwich.

:puke:

[xmas74]

23. I don't know.

Ice water tastes better than that crap.

[triguy46]

24. I prefer the "pre chewed" choice.

[grace0418]

26. I definitely judge a restaurant by their lettuce and their tomatoes. If they can't

at least manage romaine (though I prefer mixed greens, arugula or spinach) then they go way down in my book. And mealy, mushy, light pink tomatoes get more marks off.

GACK!

[JCMach1]

27. Iceberg period... NO POINT... NO TASTE

[BarenakedLady]

28. Yuck

That's not lettuce. This is real lettuce



and it's yummy

[Flaxbee]

29. call me weird, but this is one of my favorite meals:

jasmine rice, garbanzo beans, iceberg lettuce and Annie's Organic Goddess Dressing.

You put the lettuce on the bottom of the bowl, then add rice, beans and dressing. The lettuce mostly provides a nice texture contrast with the other ingredients.

I realize it's not the tastiest stuff, but it has its purposes.

For a salad, though, I'll take "spring greens" anytime - radicchio, endive, escarole, spinach. If the meal is to revolve around greens, iceberg doesn't cut it.