Best salad mix: The 13 Absolute Best Packaged Salad Kits, Ranked
The 13 Absolute Best Packaged Salad Kits, Ranked
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
By Judy Moreno/Jan. 9, 2023 11:13 am EST
Many associate salad with health. Many also associate salad with sadness. If your idea of a salad is a small bowl of lackluster, wilted lettuce with maybe a few watery cherry tomatoes and a synthetic-tasting dressing, then we completely understand. Those “salads” are indeed sad and don’t actually offer much in the way of nutritional value. But don’t give up yet. Some salads can be full of healthy ingredients and also taste like a robust, delicious meal. When you pick up a high-quality salad kit, you get all the benefits plus perhaps the greatest advantage of all: convenience.
Life is busy, and it can be hard to set aside time to wash lettuce, chop cucumbers, and make a dressing, particularly when you’re already hangry. You’re less likely to want to consume a nutritious bowlful of vegetables when so much work goes into it.
Cheesy microwave burritos start looking even more appealing. So, don’t make yourself sad by making yourself a sad salad. Instead, simply tear open a bag, pour in some fresh ingredients, and enjoy a hearty yet nourishing meal with no sacrifices.
To ensure that no yellowed iceberg or mealy mushrooms still haunt us (or you), we went out and purchased a wide selection of salad kits to taste and rank. Starting from the bottom and making our way to the top, here are the absolute best ones.
13. 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Spicy Sriracha Ranch Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
365 by Whole Foods Market’s intriguing Organic Spicy Sriracha Ranch Chopped Salad Kit read our minds: spicing things up is one of the best ways to eat your vegetables. Our primary critique of the greens is that they’re boring. When the bag promises to help an already-confident blend of green onion, radicchio, and pepitas become even bolder with the flavor of sriracha, we were excited.
As you’ve probably noticed, not every salad kit includes cheese — in fact, we were a bit surprised by how few included it — so we automatically gave some bonus points to any cheese findings. Cheese is great as it also adds a bit of a protein source. None of the kits include more substantial protein options like sliced chicken or hard-boiled eggs, and when they’re marketed as full meals, it helps when they have more staying power to get you through the 3 o’clock slump. But the white cheddar in this bag was an odd choice. It’s tasty but felt a little random on 365’s flavor profile. White cheddar and sriracha? Green onion and pepitas? This was a haphazard creation with disparate individual components, but it works in a pinch.
12. Fresh Express Kickin’ Bacon Ranch Chopped Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Fresh Express Kickin’ Bacon Ranch Chopped Kit promises a party, but would it be a dud? First of all, let’s be clear that ranch dressing can be anything from delicious to disastrous.
This one avoids any such extremes and stays solidly within the range of “decent.” It earns some points for the jalapeno, a pepper that makes things nice and spicy but doesn’t add much to the flavor. This kit is way more focused on the “kickin'” salty toppings than what gets drizzled on top. The cheddar tortilla chips were the surprise star of the show. We thought the cheddar would be kind of a ruse, but they pack a major wallop of flavor! No matter how tiny the crumb that ended up in our bite, we were pleased to taste the cheddar still.
We expected the best part of the kit to be the bacon but found the bites to be slightly on the grisly side, with one or two sticking in our teeth. The chopped cabbage, carrots, green onion, and basic green leaf lettuce are all suitably crunchy, but the dressing was only okay, and we wished for more of those spitfire tortilla chips.
11. Fresh Express Pesto Caesar Twisted Caesar Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Fresh Express offers a Pesto Twisted Caesar Chopped Salad Kit, a simple mix of lettuce, croutons, cheese, and dressing.
Everyone describes parmesan cheese as having “nutty” flavor notes, but it’s never more apparent than when scattered across something as simple as lettuce leaves. That toasted, sweet yet salty essence is enough to elevate greens from forgettable to fancy and bland to bold. It’s perfect here, and we’d gladly eat every bite when it’s dusted with the snowy flurries of one of Italy’s finest exports. We were surprised by the silky richness of the dressing, like something that would come on a restaurant salad. A little went a long way, but if you’re someone who likes a nearly 1:1 ratio of salad to dressing, you’ll be in heaven.
We could imagine upgrading the salad from solely lunch fare, buying a few bags at once to putting it in a big, pretty bowl when having guests over for dinner. We’d definitely add some luscious homemade pesto — because with the salad taken care of, now we have the time to whip some up. Honestly, this salad needed some additional accouterments. Iceberg and green leaf lettuce are, unfortunately, the dullest choices.
10. Little Salad Bar Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Aldi is the king of budget-friendly staples, so why not reward yourself for saving some money by choosing a salad with no labor-intensive steps? You could buy the lettuce, toppings, and dressing separately, then wash, chop, and portion. Or you could skip all that and buy a kit like this Little Salad Bar Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit, which we plan to do more often. Kale gets a reputation for extremes: Extremely good for your body but simultaneously extremely bad for your taste buds.
Honestly, we feel that the latter claim is highly exaggerated, but understand if you truly despise consuming forkful after forkful of the dark-green, often ferociously tough leaves. One way to make the experience much more enjoyable is to try it chopped. Another is to try it blended with other greens. This clever salad kit does both, plus wholesome nutty seeds and chewy dried fruit.
The poppy seed dressing is a tad lackluster, neither rich nor bright, and without discernible flavor, but it does the job of holding everything together with some creaminess. Overall, it’s a decent basic salad, but we found out that you can do a lot better.
9. Eat Smart Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
We made it a point to pick a couple of similar salads just so we could pit the two against each other and determine a champion. This is the Battle of the Sweet Kale Salads, and yes, we have a winner! Eat Smart Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit will give you a mood boost for the simple way you feel great about yourself for picking it up.
Salads usually lean one of two directions; sweet or savory, with savory taking the lead. In our opinion, many of the more memorable salads we’ve tasted find creative means of achieving both. Brussels sprouts need to sneak their way into more of our salads. Yes, we said what we said.
With their almost flaky texture, brusque flavor notes, and all that filling fiber, they do plenty of heavy lifting whenever they show up to the party. We loved that this kit made good use of them, and the sprouts pushed Eat Smart ahead of Little Salad Bar.
Different kale types, in all their many-splendored varieties, don’t seem to have naturally sweet notes. But poppy seeds and dried cranberries certainly do, meaning that the simple dressing and fruity topping are great for balancing and bringing the “sweet” to this “Sweet Kale” kit. The downside? There’s not enough of them in this bag! We recommend eating this fantastically crunchy, somewhat sparse salad accompanied by creamy soup like tomato bisque or a homemade broccoli cheddar.
8. Good and Gather Buffalo Ranch Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Good and Gather Buffalo Ranch Chopped Salad Kit has one specific strong point: We want the buffalo-seasoned croutons to get sold in giant Costco-sized bags ready for snacking all by themselves.
They’re a super fun, snappy addition that earned the overall salad a higher spot on the list than it otherwise would have. The dressing is fine, but we feel that it could have used a sharper ranch flavor rather than just its “buffalo sauce, but make it creamy” persona. We’ll probably swap it out for a decadent homemade ranch dressing that puts all store-bought versions to shame.
We’d like it more if, as one taste tester suggested, the shredded Monterey Jack cheese was replaced with some good sharp cheddar. The bold flavor profile of Good and Gather’s Buffalo Ranch Chopped Salad Kit would just hold up better against the rest of the ingredients. Monterey Jack cheese is also a miss on salads since the dish is chilled, while this is a cheese that thrives when melted. It was basically decor at best. But the cheese is really the only place this one went wrong, and you can’t have everything. Or can you?
7. Little Salad Bar Sunflower Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Aldi’s Little Salad Bar Sunflower Chopped Salad Kit impressed us! Bacon makes everything better unless, of course, you’re vegetarian.
The “bits” form keeps it simple — no grease splattering the stovetop. These bacon morsels taste almost as good as if you’d fried it up yourself on Sunday morning. And they’re much better than a bag of the usual rubbery stuff you find at the store (probably because it’s designed to be the focal point of the dish). Wherever they are, they get into the little curl of lettuces, which leads to the drawback. We’re big fans of the luxury, but there’s not enough of it.
Despite the little indulgence of bacon, the salad ends up nutrient-dense and wholesome. The base includes a wide variety of greens, like gut-benefiting cabbage and heart-nutritious kale. Tender green leaf lettuce balances out the rougher veggies, and carrots (which are full of micronutrients) provide extra color. We could enjoy the greens even if they were served with a drizzle of olive oil. Luckily, though, we also have added sunflower seeds that bring nutty flavors. Then the dressing, oh gosh, this dressing was divine. Both creamy and light, bright with a touch of umami, it was a pure delight.
The unique factor was strong.
6. Dole Bacon Caesar Chopped Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
After much debate, we decided that the Dole Bacon Caesar Chopped Kit is a step up from the Fresh Express Kickin’ Bacon Ranch. Here are the pros and cons. The lettuce itself, rather than a melange, is plain old romaine. Nothing to see here — literally, when we picked up the bag, all we could see was a field of romaine lettuce. Not the most appealing. Some of us found it entirely reprehensible. Other taste testers never cared much about the lettuce to begin with. Some see the dressing and toppings as the whole reason to eat any greens in the first place. Keep your salad personality in mind while deciding for yourself!
Next, the big ticket difference is caesar versus ranch dressing. Both are creamy and hearty, but caesar has an added richness from the eggs, while the flavor of the ranch is primarily due to the herbs stirred in. Again, take your pick based on your preference: Either way, it will be thicker than a vinaigrette.
But the toppings on this one are far superior to the Fresh Express. We loved how the wake-up call of black pepper and garlic (maybe not ideal if you have an in-person meeting) always brings full-meal vibes, especially in buttery crouton form. The bacon was also less rubbery. Decide whether you value lettuce or toppings, then buy.
5. Good and Gather Thai-Style Chili Mango Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
It’s time for our next face-off. The Battle of the Thai Chili Mango salads begins! Starting off with the Good & Gather’s Thai-Style Chili Mango Chopped Salad Kit. We just knew that this was going to be a delicious contest. The zesty flavor of chili jazzes up greens splendidly, and this salad was no different. Though light and obviously full of bright flavor notes, it still tasted quite hearty, thanks to the added substance of the shredded broccoli stalks, cauliflower, and other texturally complex ingredients.
The dressing was a nice balance of spiced and sweet, but we were hoping for more Thai flavor.
Dried mango beats cranberries or raisins, and we got hooked on the crisp quinoa! The flavor, nutty without any nuts involved, brought a savory flair. Crumbled cauliflower was also a rare find and a unique way to incorporate the ingredient. This is evidently a very nice salad, but its competition just had more flavor confidence and a bigger impact.
4. Trader Joe’s Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kits
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Trader Joe’s Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kits deserve to be in your life. The romaine lettuce stays crisp and refreshing, the perfect complement to all the other rejuvenating elements that play off each other so well. Crumbled feta, as opposed to the briny squares you find on every store shelf in the summertime, tends to be dry and less flavorful, suitable more for salty purposes than any particular tasting notes. But this feta pops out between chickpeas and shredded broccoli with a wink and a smile. There’s nothing like it on a salad: Cheddar, gorgonzola, or even parmesan doesn’t have the same revitalizing quality.
It’s one of the few kinds of cheese that doesn’t add heaviness to the meal.
Obviously, feta is the perennial favorite on classic Greek salads, but Greek salads have nothing on this Mediterranean kit! Tomatoes, especially out of season, get way too watery, often harming the greens rather than helping them. A lot of us tend to avoid them on our salads. Sun-dried tomatoes are the perfect workaround if you love the summer flavor of these vegetables — sorry, fruits — and it contributes a deeper profile than anything but a fresh-picked farmer’s market harvest could do. And we don’t even have time to gush over the seasoned flatbread strips! Overall, Trader Joe’s Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kit is ideal for getting the fresh flavors of Greek salad (plus some major upgrades).
3. Taylor Farms Thai Chili Mango Chopped Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Taylor Farms Thai Chili Mango Chopped Kit features some fun ingredients that captured our attention.
It had every element we enjoyed so much in the similar Good & Gather salad kit; only this one tasted fresher, crisper, and the zesty Thai sweet chili vinaigrette had a more pronounced flavor. Mango is an unconventional fruit to pair with salad dressings: usually, you’d see raspberry vinaigrette, lemony options, or possibly apple making an appearance. But when paired with other Asian-inspired ingredients like cabbage and carrots, it makes a ton of sense.
The spices were well-balanced and not overpowering, but they still provided just the right amount of pizzazz. We agreed that the wonderful textural contrasts happening all throughout the salad were reason enough to rank it high. The salad reminded us of the inside of a spring roll, with this tangy dressing playing the role of dipping sauce. We tasted summer in every mouthful, which kept us coming back for more, even when we had lots of other salads on the docket. We all decided it all worked beautifully.
2. Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Chopped Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Chopped Salad Kit capitalizes on the forever ongoing dill pickle craze.
But considering that dill is a key herb component in nailing the ideal ranch powder recipe, using it as the crux of a whole salad isn’t too much of a leap. And — surprise, surprise — the dressing in this kit is a creamy dill pickle ranch! Brilliant, if you ask us. One taste tester, an admitted pickle aficionado, was over the moon, particularly when ignoring the salad-y part and just dipping the dill-speckled brioche crouton crumbles directly in the dressing.
The remainder of us did indeed love the rest of the salad, too. Getting some wide slices of crinkle-cut radish was a score because the tanginess only added to the plethora of garden-fresh flavors. The only thing that might have improved the salad is some bacon bits! I guess you could say we are just always looking for a bit more bacon. If you want a great side, try making your own perfect dill pickles. It’s astonishingly simple! Or, if it’s really just that flavor you’re after, slip some into this dill pickle hummus recipe and pile it on everything your heart desires.
1. Trader Joe’s Veggies and Greens Salad Kit
Judy Moreno/Tasting Table
We probably don’t even need to tell you that we love Trader Joe’s. We love it when it’s full of festive fall treats during pumpkin spice season, and we love it when it’s full of healthy vegetables as we later find ourselves craving some balance. Naturally, TJs didn’t fail us when it came to interesting spins on salad kits. Trader Joe’s Veggies and Greens Salad Kit was a surprise find and a dark horse winner. More vegetables equal more nutritional value, but they also translate to a richer texture and more diverse flavor profile. It’s a lot harder to get bored when every bite is different.
The sweet, zinging ginger-spiced vinaigrette transforms the salad into a chic cafe-style dish. It warmed our palates and danced on the tongue. With its notes of honey combined with the crumbled dried pear, it tastes even more like a treat. We also just felt so fancy eating it, as though it couldn’t possibly have come out of a bag.
Unique, special touches really add to the work-lunch experience, and we couldn’t ignore the joy factor when compiling our ranking. And pistachios? Wow, Joe, you’re spoiling us over here. It’s elegant special effects like this that put the kit in this first-place position. This is a meal that is a nutritious choice, tastes utterly delicious, and transports you to a pocket of luxury in the middle of a normal day. We give it a 10/10.
We Tested 5 Salad Kit Brands—Here Are the Best Ones
Salad kits—you see them in the produce section of your supermarket, but are they worth the buzz? We sampled five of the most popular brands to help you decide for yourself.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
When it comes to desk lunches, bagged salad kits are among my favorite. There are few options that are as quick, affordable, healthy and satisfying. I’ve been known to indulge in boxed mac and cheese and air-fried chicken nuggets on my lunch break every now and then, but salad kits are a midday meal I can always feel good about.
Plus, they’re mindless in the very best way. Simply open the bag, dump the ingredients into a bowl and toss together. No slicing and dicing needed.
They make an awesome side dish, too. Talk about speedy! I grew up loving “Mom’s salad” with tortilla strips and creamy dressing. Little did I know she was simply stirring up a store-bought salad kit. Now, when making my own dinners, I employ the same trick. Hey, everyone knows homemade meal accompaniments, like these amazing summer salads, aren’t always in the cards.
So whether you’re looking for a light lunch shortcut or a potluck side dish, salad kits are your answer. I sampled the most popular brands so you know which bagged salad kits are best suited for you and your family.
What Are Salad Kits?
For this article, I tested bagged salad kits, not to be confused with salad bowls or individual salad kits. As the name would imply, the latter are single-serving. Bagged salad kits, on the other hand, typically contain 3-4 servings, and they’re an all-in-one deal.
Open up the bag, and you’ll find the salad base, typically made of cabbage, lettuce, carrots and the like; crunchy toppings, such as nuts, seeds or crushed chips; cheese; and, of course, salad dressing. (These are our favorite healthy salad dressings.)
How We Tested the Salad Kits
To make things fair, I tried the same salad flavor from each brand: Southwest—or a similar variation. (Love Tex-Mex? Try these recipes, too!) But salad-kit selections extend so far beyond this beloved classic. Just look at Good & Gather’s Nashville-Style Hot Salad and Fresh Express’ Thai & Cashews Salad, for example.
When testing each salad kit, I combined all the ingredients, including the dressing, and took a couple bites, ensuring each one was chock-full of goodies. (I also tried each salad dressing on its own to get a real sense of the flavor.) I paid special attention to each salad’s appearance, texture, freshness and taste.
Trader Joe’s Southwestern Chopped Salad
Annamarie Higley/Taste of Home
Trader Joe’s standout salad serves four and is available year-round.
Each bowl is brimming with green cabbage, romaine, green onion, carrots, radish, cilantro, Cotija cheese, roasted pepitas and tortilla strips. There’s clearly no shortage of flavor here, and that’s before I even introduce the Spicy Southwest Avocado Dressing.
This is certainly the most unique take on the quintessential Southwest salad I tried, and it totally worked for me. Interestingly, this was the only salad without a cream-based dressing; the vinaigrette was light and delicious, tasting similar to a salsa verde.
All the flavors really shined through in this salad, particularly the nuttiness of the pepitas and the cool tanginess of the Cotija cheese chunks, which also lent a nice textural contrast amid all the crunchiness.
Because of the brown dressing, this salad was probably the least visually appealing, but the mouthwatering flavors make that fact easy to look past.
Pros
What we liked about the Trader Joe’s Southwestern Chopped Salad
- Authentic ingredients, such as Cotija cheese, roasted pepitas and cilantro
- 4 servings per bag, as opposed to the other brands’ 3 or 3-1/2 servings
- Distinctive dressing
Cons
What to consider about the Trader Joe’s Southwestern Chopped Salad
- Little visual appeal due to salad’s brown dressing
- Less availability compared to other brands’ salads, which are sold in a number of different chain stores
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Dole Southwest Salad
Annamarie Higley/Taste of Home
Available internationally and containing 3-1/2 servings, the Dole salad was the only one I tried that wasn’t a chopped salad.
Because of this, the base was overwhelmingly lettuce, rather than cabbage. This one is definitely for the straight-up salad lovers.
In addition to the lettuce, there were radishes, carrots, red cabbage, tortilla strips, white cheddar cheese and Taco Ranch Dressing. (If you’re a serious fan of ranch, you’ll want to read these ranch-related fun facts.)
Although I personally missed the freshness that, say, green onion or cilantro would’ve provided, I really appreciated the crisp and earthiness of the radishes, which were left in quite large chunks.
The dressing was the most striking in color, with a bright orange hue, likely from its bell peppers. It was garlicky and smoky, and it packed a ton of tasty Tex-Mex flavor without being spicy. (Psst! Find out just what “Tex-Mex” means.) But be careful not to overdress the salad—I found the lettuce was more prone to wilting than the sturdier cabbage of other salads.
Pros
What we liked about the Dole Southwest Salad
- Widely available
- Vibrant-colored dressing
- Universal appeal due to its lack of heat and more contentious ingredients, such as cilantro
Cons
What to consider about the Dole Southwest Salad
- Easily overdressed
- Slightly less hearty than the others
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Good & Gather Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
Annamarie Higley/Taste of Home
A Target exclusive, this Good & Gather salad has 3-1/2 servings and a base that’s very comparable to its competitors.
Think green cabbage, romaine, carrots, green onion and cilantro with a Creamy Cilantro Pepita Dressing. The crunchy toppings include pepitas and tortilla strips. Notably, this is the only salad without any cheese.
Now, if you’re not a cilantro fan, don’t be deterred by the dressing. (Here’s the scientific reason why some people think the herb tastes like soap.) I tasted little cilantro but, rather, a pleasant sweetness from the neutral-colored dressing’s pepitas and lime juice.
Overall, this bagged salad checked all the boxes. The pepitas lend nuttiness, the dressing adds tang, the cabbage contributes earthiness, and the cilantro and green onion bring brightness.
Pros
What we liked about the Good & Gather Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
- Great balance of ingredients and flavors
Cons
What to consider about the Good & Gather Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
- Only available at one store: Target
- No cheese
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Fresh Express Southwest Chopped Salad
Annamarie Higley/Taste of Home
When it comes to Southwest salads, this is the prototype.
It has all the components you’d expect, and it delivers on quality and freshness. Serving three, the Fresh Express bagged salad has green and red cabbage, lettuce, carrots, green onions, tortilla strips, 4-cheese Mexican blend and Greek Yogurt Jalapeno Dressing.
This salad was just as pleasantly crunchy as the rest of ‘em, thanks to the tortilla strips and cabbage. Although the texture was great, I found the flavors of most the ingredients, even the cheese and green onions, to be overpowered by the dressing. With visible bits of chopped jalapenos and seasonings, this dressing had quite the kick, so much so that I’d advise anyone who doesn’t like spicy food to try another option. But if you’re looking for that trademark Tex-Mex zip, then this is the salad for you. (Discover 40+ other fiery recipes.)
Pros
What we liked about the Fresh Express Southwest Chopped Salad
- Widely available
- Quintessential Southwest salad
- Colorful ingredients
Cons
What to consider about the Fresh Express Southwest Chopped Salad
- Spice of dressing outshined some of the other flavors
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Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad
Annamarie Higley/Taste of Home
This bagged salad kit, which can be found at ALDI, is—believe it or not—the exact same salad as the Fresh Express one listed above.
After some research and the realization that my taste buds weren’t deceiving me, I came to find that Fresh Express salads are sold under multiple names, including Little Salad Bar. So the review from above applies here.
All toppings are the same, as well as the base and dressing. The only difference is that this kit contains slightly more salad and 3-1/2 servings, rather than 3.
And I choose to think of this copy-and-paste-type situation as a good one—now, if you shop at ALDI, you don’t need to bother with going elsewhere for a top-notch salad kit, and vice versa. (Find out our favorite things to buy at ALDI.)
Pros
What we liked about the Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad
- Quintessential Southwest salad
- 3-1/2 servings rather than 3
Cons
What to consider about the Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad
- Spice of dressing outshined some of the other flavors
- Only available at ALDI—but you can still buy the same salad at other supermarket chains under the name Fresh Express!
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FAQ
Are bagged salad kits good for you?
Salad kits are a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, which is never an entirely bad thing.
But all the toppings that make these salads taste so good also bump up the saturated fat, sugar and calories.
Our senior food editor and registered dietitian nutritionist, Peggy Woodward, suggests looking for kits that pack, say, plain nuts and seeds rather than sweetened dried fruit and candied nuts. Another way to save on calories and added sugar is to skimp on the dressing. “Either add less dressing or bulk up your kit with more greens, preferably dark greens like spinach, so you get more servings per package,” she says.
What is the healthiest salad kit?
As Peggy suggests, the healthiest salad kits are going to be those with few calories and those that are low in sugar and saturated fat. Reach for salad kits with vinaigrettes, rather than creamy dressings; plain nuts and seeds; unsweetened dried fruit; and dark leafy greens.
It’s also easy to customize salad kits to boost their nutritional value. Ease up on the dressing; exclude some of the less healthy toppings, such as cheese and corn chips; or supplement with your own greens, vegetables and proteins.
“Turn it into a main dish by adding cooked shrimp, chicken, beef or chickpeas,” Peggy says.
Is it cheaper to buy salad kits?
It depends. If you like variety, salad kits are a good way to enjoy different types of salads without having to stock up on loads of toppings. But if you don’t mind eating the same salad for while, then buying the ingredients in bulk could be cheaper. Once you buy the cheese crumbles, nuts, dried fruits and greens, your tab will be higher than a single salad kit, but you’ll get more salads out of it. Just remember to eat it all before it goes bad—there’s the increased potential of food waste with this option.
(While you’re at it, check out the best potato salads as well.)
How Bagged Salad Kits Compare to Other Salads
In my opinion, salads from bagged kits can hold their own against those from restaurants, likely because many of them are developed by professional chefs.
The fun and creative ingredient combinations far surpass any I could muster on my own and are much closer to a dish I’d find on a restaurant menu.
(Want to try your hand at homemade? Here’s how to make a salad that’s anything but boring.) For example, my all-time favorite salad kit includes funky toppers like toasted quinoa, roasted sunflower seeds, dried edamame and more things I simply never have in my pantry.
The only way in which bagged salads might fall short to other salads is that many of them aren’t filling enough to be considered a main dish. Even so, adding shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, cubed ham, flaked tuna, drained beans and more can fix that in an instant. (See our inspiration.)
Final Verdict
Although my overall favorite salad kit from this taste-test was the one from Trader Joe’s, it all comes down to personal preference.
Those who crave authentic Mexican foods, like me, will enjoy the salads from Good & Gather and Trader Joe’s. If you’re a lettuce lover, don’t care much for cabbage or just want a light side, look to Dole’s salad. And if you can handle heat, the Little Salad Bar/Fresh Express bag is your best bet.
More generally speaking, Trader Joe’s and Good & Gather are experimental yet intentional with the ingredients in their salad kits. I’d recommend their salads to adventurous eaters. ALDI’s salad kits (aka Little Salad Bar kits) are straightforward yet high-quality and tasty. I’d recommend them to families with timid eaters or to groups with a wide range of preferences. And then there’s Dole and Fresh Express: two respected brands that can be found in pretty much every produce section across the country. I’d recommend their salads to anyone who doesn’t have access to the aforementioned not-so-ubiquitous stores—I promise they won’t disappoint.
Where to Buy
You can find bagged salad kits—all ranging between $2.50 and $5—in any grocery store. Good & Gather salads can be found at Target; Little Salad Bar salads can be found at ALDI; and Trader Joe’s salads can be found at—you guessed it—Trader Joe’s.
Fresh Express and Dole are available at most national supermarket chains, including Walmart as well as Kroger and Albertsons.
They’re also in many local and regional supermarkets. For added convenience, though, order online through Instacart to ship your salad straight to your door.
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Salad mix – a mixture of different types of salads. It contains bitter Carmesi, sweetish Aficion, piquant Frisse, mustard Rucolla, juicy Lollo Rossa and other leaves. The set often includes vegetables: white cabbage, radish, carrots. Salad mix can be prepared independently or simply bought ready-made. Belaya Dacha, Fit&Easy and other manufacturers offer a wide range of delicious mixes.
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March 03, 2013, 21 :32
Beet salad with goat cheese and arugula. Catalog: Vegetable salad0003 Salad with salmon
Catalogue: Fish and seafood
20544 10 min. 4 31 61
ksyusha
January 28, 2010, 15:48 64598 15 min. 23 60
ksyusha
March 05, 2010, 18:23
Green salad with bell pepper, avocado and shrimps
Catalog: Vegetable salad
16855 10 min. 1 5 9
Tatyana M.
October 28, 2014, 13:49
Salad with beets, mozzarella and tomatoes.
Catalog: Vegetable salad
12615 17 25
lil-8888
March 20, 2014, 20:53
Salad with cod liver, poached quail eggs and pesto sauce
Catalog: Cod liver salad
28590 30 min. 2 43 64
fanny
April 11, 2011, 04:05 am
Salad with parmesan dressing.
Catalogue: Vegetable salad
10870 15 min. 4 13 15
byrenka
March 02, 2014, 18:02 27 3008 10 min. 1 1
magicfood
November 26, 2019, 16:56
Zucchini casserole with smoked salmon and green salad
Catalog: Fish and seafood
6790 5 12
lil-8888
06 May 2015, 18:37
Light salad with beets, radish and feta.
Catalog: Radish salad with sour cream oh and peaches
Catalog: Fruit salad
7691 20 min . 4 16 15
fanny
July 18, 2014, 21:15
Warm salad with fried beef and almond petals.
Catalog: Salad with beef
35974 34 35
mama tasi
04 April 2012, 23:08 truffle oil)
Catalogue: Meat
10860 45 min. 20 19
fanny
February 13, 2014, 22:30
Baked Balsamic Onion Salad
Catalog: Vegetable Salad
28128 900 27 30 min. 4 10 14
Kretsu
March 05, 2015, 03:49 pm
Green salad.
Catalogue: Vegetable salad
9207 10 min. 2 20 15
Haruka
March 10, 2013, 10:29
Persimmon with salad mix.
Catalogue: Fruit salad yu and avocado
Catalog: Pancakes
13826 30 min. 4 13 910 min. 1 3 9
Elena M
July 27, 2016, 11:59
Dietary salad mix with pine nuts with original dressing
Catalog: Diet vegetable salads
900 02 6804 7 min. 4 0 2
With Grandfather at Lunch, 18:07
Salad with smoked chicken
Catalogue: Salad with chicken and corn
18466 20 min. 4 27 57
fanny
January 20, 2010, 02:52
Juicy crispy salad with chinese cabbage, radish and cucumber
Catalog: Vegetable salad
9 0002 3669 15 min. 1 0
HomeRecipes
April 14, 2021, 19:35
Light salad with farfalle “between us girls”
Catalog: Fruit salad
6865 10 min. krisenok 0027 13443 34 38
azzurro07
March 29, 2012 , 20:43
Vegetable salad with mushrooms
Catalog: Salad with fried mushrooms
34633 11 25
Zhenya
25 March 20 12, 12:00
Spring mood salad
Catalogue: Vegetable salad
16054 20 min.
25 45
Irina 211978
March 28, 2012, 23:02
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Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with salmon, grapefruit and cucumber
Such a dish , in my opinion, can be a great breakfast.
It is better to cut the pulp from a grapefruit directly above a bowl of salad – so
Julia Vysotskaya
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Recipes
Salad with beef steak and corn 900 03
REDMOND
Recipes
Beetroot and goat cheese salad with honey dressing
Violet dream
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with sweet beets, apples and dried cranberries
The longer this salad sits, the juicier it will be. I usually cut apples rather than grate them so that they do not turn into porridge. Instead of cranberries, raisins are suitable; they are also good friends with apples. You can
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with white beans, brie cheese and capers
banks, the main thing is that it be of good quality.
Feel free to replace capers with olives, chopped pickled cucumbers or a soaked apple. You can take pumpkin seed oil or any
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Caesar salad with oyster mushrooms, chickpeas and capers
I propose a rethink to read “Caesar” – today we have a variation on the theme. Instead of dried bread, add chickpeas – it gives the same filling, the same starchy content as croutons. You can take not oyster mushrooms, but
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Capri salad with apple, radish and cucumbers
Vegetables and an apple should be cut very thinly so that their freshness and juiciness in combination with the salad mix will shoot out first. You can add green onions, parsley, basil. koi
I love vinaigrettes, I love beetroot pies. Beets are good because they are perfectly preserved during the winter – like a pumpkin, like a potato.
I have chestnut honey, it goes well with cheese. If
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with goat cheese, cranberries and pine nuts
I like salads, which allow you to experiment, for example, add nuts, raisins to a salad mix. Any fresh pickled cheese will do here – mozzarella, young suluguni – but butter is good
Julia Vysotskaya
PP Burgers
Elena
Recipes
Zucchini with stracciatella
Elena 900 03
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with avocado, shrimp and basil
This salad is just health, beauty and taste, most importantly, no compromises with the ingredients, everything is only the best! Avocado I like to cut it thicker, I like it when you can taste it,
Yulia Vysotskaya
11.2022 09:25:00″> November 05, 2022
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Alicante green salad
This is a salad where everything is green, I wanted to give it something unusual name, and unexpectedly found in the salad mix the luxurious word “Alicante” – in my opinion, sounds the best.
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipes
Salad with smoked chicken breast and grapes
Crispy lettuce leaves and nuts, sweet juicy grapes and savory chicken breast combine to create an unusual, sparkling kaleidoscope of flavors and textures in this salad. Ideal for a festive table or
Eat at Home
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Summer salad with radish, cucumber and mustard dressing
I’m ready I love such a country salad, as soon as seasonal cucumbers and radishes begin, a couple once a week – that’s for sure, so I always want to try new options.
What else is good about this salad – it will not become
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with salmon, baked beets and quail eggs
In this salad and mackerel will be good, and trout. Boiled beets are also suitable, but, in my opinion, they are tastier baked. Salad can be decorated not only with sprouted peas, but also with soybeans – in these
Julia Vysotskaya
coy
Salad with baked sweet potatoes, pumpkin and carrots
Lettuce goes well with any baked vegetables, so you can add sweet peppers, celery root, zucchini, eggplant… Instead of tarragon, it’s a good idea to sprinkle this salad with mint, cilantro or
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with ham and grapefruit
it’s so delicious, so interesting! If you’re not a fan of ham, add quail eggs instead.
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with orange, apple and celery
This is a delicate, absolutely girly garnish p, the main thing is that the beets and carrots are not fodder, but juicy and sweet. Mint works great here, and if you tear it with your hands, then aromatic oils from leaves0003
Recipe of the day
Feta, mandarin, cranberry and walnut salad
daiquiri
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Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with beans, red fish and poached egg
Lightly salted fish will suit any – salmon, trout or even herring. Asparagus and beans can be replaced with carrots, and apple cider vinegar can be used. I boiled new potatoes in their skins, but they are actually quite good
Julia Vysotskaya
12.2021 11:00:00″> December 31, 2021
Recipes
Light holiday salad with shrimp
New Year is on the doorstep! We are sure that your preparations for it are in full swing. We offer to add a little variety to the festive menu and prepare a light bright salad with shrimp. Chef
Eat at Home
Recipes
Salad with warm halloumi cheese
Very bright and beautiful salad. Great for decorating the Christmas table!
@portnova_yulia
Recipes
Salad with caramelized shrimp and tangerines
Fish&More
Recipes
Trout and Orange Salad
A quick refreshing salad recipe.
You can use any fish: salted or smoked – to your liking.
We also use salad to taste, I had a mix of frisse, radicchio and arugula.
Lina
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Pork schnitzel with colorful salad
very festive! You can also use ordinary breadcrumbs, but I like the panko crust more – it is
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with turkey, cashew nuts and young peas om
Salad, in my opinion, is always an improvisation, if I don’t have some ingredient from the recipe, I replace it or simply don’t add it! Here is the same story: any tomatoes, even dried ones, will do for the breast
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe of the day
Baked beetroot salad with tangerines and herbs
9 0002 VictoriaS
Recipe of the day
Salad with tongue and pear
Olga
10.2021 13:48:39″> October 20, 2021
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Grilled salmon with potato wedges and salad
Any firm boneless fish will do, zander or cod will also work well here . Potatoes love salt, so add salt to your taste, the main thing is not to overdo it! We don’t need egg yolk,
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe of the day
Trout salad with green sauce
gapapolya
Recipes ami — treat yourself to a very tasty, hearty and healthy breakfast.
Recipes a!
Own Native
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Salad with ham, figs and goat cheese
A smoked turkey can be used instead of ham ka or dried meat with layers (in Belarus it is called “polendvitsa”), yes and thinly sliced chicken breast will work well here.
Vegetable oil
Yulia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Mediterranean Mackerel Salad
Sweet peppers can be of any color, tomatoes can also be of any color, as long as they are not watery, but honey for dressing is suitable only with a delicate aroma, without harsh notes. Concerning
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipes
Salad with avocado and tuna quite replaces the whole dinner. You can also add a handful of green olives to it. Suitable for low carb diet.
daiquiri
Recipes enriches the dish with pure protein.
daiquiri
Recipe of the day
Salad with pears and fried halloumi
Svetlana Gorelova
9 0949 August 06, 2021
Recipes
Vegetable salad with eggs and tuna
A very hearty salad, almost an independent dish — bright, multi-component and at the same time easy to prepare.
daiquiri
Recipes
Warm chicken liver salad
Elena 21
Recipes
Turkey salad with nectarines, blueberries, nuts and feta
Summer in plate! Salad with nectarines, a handful of blueberries, fresh herbs, feta and turkey fillet, seasoned with sweet and sour sauce, is your summer mood and satiety for a long time.
daiquiri
Recipes
Fusilli salad with vegetables and sheep cheese
Pasta and vegetable salads are perfect for a summer lunch or dinner.
Svetlana Gorelova
Recipes
Warm salad with chicken liver and plums
Delicious salad for a hearty lunch. Feta can be replaced with any soft cheese.
Svetlana Gorelova
Recipes
Hot smoked cod salad recipe
Delicate hot smoked cod salad is suitable for a light lunch or dinner.
Smoky sweet fish, fresh vegetables and spicy sauce make this dish bright and unusual.
Eating at Home
Recipe of the Day
Norwegian Roman Salad
Nicole
Recipes
Warm salad with chicken liver and champignons
Mushroom rainbow
beets with quail eggs, croutons and smoked brisket
You can bake carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, but, in my opinion, it is the beets that go fantastically with the smoked taste of bacon and eggs! As for the eggs themselves, they cool down very quickly when
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya
Nicoise salad with asparagus and artichokes
A hearty salad for breakfast is not only tasty, but also healthy! The recipe is good because it allows various combinations of ingredients: you can use only beans or only asparagus instead of chicken eggs
Julia Vysotskaya
04.2021 00:00:00″> pear and dorblu cheese
Del Monte
Yulia Vysotskaya’s recipe
Salad with avocado, pistachios and dried cherries
Dried keys can be added here kwu, dried apricots, raisins or chopped prunes, nuts in this salad will also be absolutely appropriate any. As for the dressing, it seems to be a combination of honey and lemon juice
Julia Vysotskaya
Recipes
Greek gyros with chicken and tzatziki sauce
A versatile snack for any audience and occasion. Bon appetit!
Elena
Yulia Vysotskaya’s recipe
Vegetable salad with bulgur and feta
Vegetables and whole grains are the best source of fiber ki, so at least once or twice a week you must definitely eat a similar salad. The amount of bulgur depends on how much you like it.