Create this healthy coleslaw recipe in minutes with the help of pre-made coleslaw mix and a simple, tasty dressing.
With its itty bitty shreds of veggies and sweet creamy dressing, coleslaw is basically a salad designed to be loved by kids. And this particular healthy coleslaw recipe is equally designed for YOU, the one in charge of dinner!
So what makes this particular recipe so ideal? First, it uses regular bagged coleslaw mix from your produce department. You don’t have to fuss with whole veggies, though if you’re a stickler for freshness, you can certainly take home a cabbage and go to town with the shredder.
Second, the dressing for this coleslaw is beautifully basic, with just three main whole-food ingredients. (No mayo! No sugar!) So no matter how hectic your next weeknight family dinner is, you’ll be able to whip this recipe into shape and have a fresh, nourishing side dish with a little more zing than frozen peas.
Speaking of sides, let’s talk about pairings. This healthy coleslaw recipe tastes great beside grilled chicken, steak, or baked beans. Or try piling this slaw on top ofInstant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
Like all coleslaw recipes, this one tastes best the day it’s made. So go ahead, have a second serving.
What Makes this Coleslaw Recipe Healthy?
Let’s be real: any time our kids want to dig in to a heap of raw vegetables, we’re psyched. Fresh, crunchy cabbage and carrots shine bright in just about all coleslaw recipes, and this one is no exception. All those veggies serve up super nutrition like Vitamins K, C, and A, plus fiber and antioxidants kids’ bodies need to support long term health.
What makes this coleslaw recipe unique is that you mix up the simple dressing entirely from minimally-processed, whole-food ingredients. That means no mayo or refined sugar whatsoever.
Instead, you’ll whisk together plain yogurt with cider vinegar and a touch of honey to get that trifecta of creamy, tangy, and sweet that a good coleslaw MUST have.
Healthy Coleslaw Connection
If you and your kids really like coleslaw (or are practicing liking it!) check out some more healthy coleslaw recipes below. Both of these recipes are also mayo-free and sweetened without sugar.
Tangy Homemade Coleslaw has a crunchy burst of flavor and texture with every bite. It's made with fresh cabbage, carrots, thinly sliced red onion and a tangy, vibrant dressing.
Thinly slice both green and red cabbage and add to a large bowl. Thinly slice red onion and add to the bowl.
To julienne carrots, use a julienne peeler, or julienne attachment for your mandolin. You can also use a sharp knife and cut each carrot into 3 bigger pieces. Cut each piece in half so that there is a flat side. Place the flat side of the carrot down, and cut into very thin strips. Voila! You have julienne carrots. Add to the bowl with the cabbage.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, honey, vinegar, celery seed, salt and pepper. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss well to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but not longer than 2 hours to let the flavors combine. If you mix it more than two hours before you are ready to serve, the veggies can get watery.
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
Yes, coleslaw can be healthy! The base of coleslaw is shredded vegetables (traditionally cabbage), so inherently coleslaw is vitamin- and fiber-packed and good for you. The issue is the dressing. Most traditional creamy coleslaw dressing is made with high fat ingredients like mayo and has sugar added too.
KFC coleslaw has a sweet and tangy taste, with a creamy texture. The dressing is made with a blend of mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, sugar, and spices, which gives it its distinct flavor. The coleslaw also contains shredded cabbage and carrots, which add a crisp and fresh texture to the dish.
Cup for cup, coleslaw also typically has fewer calories (94 versus 357) and less sodium than potato salad. Either side is loaded with fiber (about 12 to 14 grams per cup) and protein (about eight to 12 grams per cup).
In fact, I would say it's not an ideal food because its high mayo content means it's a "calorie dense" food. In other words, gram for gram, it contains a lot of calories compared to other more ideal foods. Creamy coleslaw would not be on my list of top diet foods. But that's just me.
It's a salad, right, so it must be healthy? But even though it's based on carrot and cabbage, coleslaw is dressed in a mayonnaise based dressing which is high in fat. Check the nutrition information on pack and look out for reduced fat and yogurt dressed versions instead.
The fast food chain was forced to stop selling its coleslaw tubs when a supply issue meant the slaw would have to be served up without the dressing. “We are currently experiencing a supply issue with our KFC coleslaw dressing,” a KFC spokesperson said. The slaw is made up of cabbage and carrots coated in mayonnaise.
Or coleslaws — what's the difference? Really nothing. Technically, coleslaw involves cabbage, whether green, red or napa, while the category of slaws can include all kinds of chopped or shredded crunchy vegetables. The two words are used interchangeably for the most part however.
Coleslaw is a good source of fiber that helps to promote regularity and can also help to lower cholesterol levels. Low in calories. A cup of coleslaw has only about 100 calories, making it a perfect choice for those watching their weight. An excellent source of vitamins A and C.
It's no surprise that the extra crispy tenders don't top the list of healthiest items at KFC. As a battered, deep-fried food, they could contribute to increased health risks like cardiovascular disease.
Sugar or agave nectar are good choices of sweeteners. Flavor wise, chopped pickle relish, celery seeds, a touch of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and sour cream are all common. Just mix everything together and go!
Cole slaw is usually loaded with mayonnaise - and that means a lot of calories. There's not much nutrition in the cabbage. The sauce in the baked beans has calories, but you're getting more nutrients with baked beans than you are with coleslaw. When eating coleslaw, you are taking in more calories with fewer nutrients.
Top those leafy greens with crunchy produce like carrots, cucumbers, or broccoli. Then add a punch of color from tomatoes, bell peppers, beets, or red onion. While you're at it, toss in last night's leftovers, such as roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or asparagus.
Shop bought coleslaw tends to be light on vegetables and heavy on fat-laden mayonnaise. This recipe uses yogurt to give a lighter, healthier variation. And just one 80g serving provides one of your 5-a-day!
The two also have significantly different flavors, textures, and culinary uses. Cabbage tends to be used in cooked dishes and coleslaw, while lettuce is usually eaten raw in salads, burgers, and sandwiches. If you're deciding between the two, cabbage is the more nutritious choice.
Coleslaw contains 160 calories per 100 g serving. This serving contains 11 g of fat, 1 g of protein and 15 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 13 g sugar and 2 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate.
Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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