Candle salad means: A children's dish, composed of leaves of lettuce, pineapple rings, a banana, a cherry, mayonnaise, assembled to look like a lit candle in a candleholder, popular in mid-century United States.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. This is a food-related word and harmless in itself. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.