Shoppers say these bagged salad kits stay crisp and fresh long after most turn soggy.
Bagged salad is popular for a reason: It is a great base for a healthy meal or side. Instead of buying ingredients separately and chopping and preparing them yourself, these little kits usually come with everything you need to make a delicious, restaurant-worthy salad. Just add a protein! Unfortunately, not all of them are fresh, and many start to get, well, skimy by the time you get them home. Here are 6 bagged salads shoppers say don’t go skimpy by day two.
Taylor Farms Chopped Caesar Kit
Acme
The Taylor Farms Chopped Caesar Kit is one of the only salad kits I will buy. The romaine is finely chopped, and it stays fresh for several days. The salad dressing is also restaurant-worthy and the croutons it comes with are crushed and super delicious. I always serve this when I have guests over, and it’s a total crowd-pleaser.
Other Taylor Farns Varieties
Instacart
Taylor Farms was undoubtedly the most mentioned brand in all the Reddit feeds I scoured, doing research about bagged salad, with other popular flavors mentioned again and again.”My fave is the Mediterranean crunch salad from Costco. I split the bag into two servings; the dressing comes in two separate pouches so that makes it easy,” says a Redditor. “Another vote for the Taylor Farms Mediterranean Crunch salad! Love this one with some extra protein and a measured sprinkle of cranberries and/or pepitas,’ another agrees.
Target Good and Gather
Target
Target Good and Gather has lots of options and shoppers maintain they are super fresh and delicious.”Target’s Good and Gather chopped salad kits are always winners, and enough variety that I don’t get bored. I add a big handful of spring mix to stretch them to two meals. Recommend mixing them in a larger bowl to get the dressing evenly mixed in,” someone says. “At Target, I really like the Thai Chili one. And the new Hawaiian crunch one! The dressings are where the calories are at, so sometimes I just use half and then put some soy sauce for a little more flavor,” another adds.
Fresh Express
Fresh Express
Fresh Express is another popular bagged salad option. “The ‘Fresh Express’ salads are pretty cheap & tasty. 🙂 The Southwest one has like 300 cal a bag & the Thai Cashew one has like 350 or something, w/ toppings,” one says. “Fresh Express Southwest and Thai Cashew are my absolute favourites, SO flavourful,” another adds.
Aldi Salad Kits
Aldi
Aldi Salad Kits are popular with fans of the cult-following store, notably because they are fresh and cost-effective. “I like salad kits that are mostly cabbage because I can make it ahead of time and the cabbage doesn’t wilt like lettuce will. But if you are wanting a nice spring mix or something, they will be disappointing. I think all salad kits are mostly cabbage though, not just Aldi. The Dole ones and Taylor Farms, which I can both get at Kroger, are the same,” one says. “Those salads are my go to for lunch. I actually like that they use cabbage because to me spring mix can wilt really quickly. I like to throw in a can/packet of tuna for some protein,” one writes.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s
And, Trader Joe’s kits are another hit. “The dill pickle salad pack from Trader Joe’s is a fav! I’ve gotten it every week since I discovered it. It’s very filling and delicious! I also get the lemon arugula chicken salad from Trader Joe’s and an extra bag of arugula and split the boxed salad into two meals using the extra arugula. The kale caesar, waldorf, pasadena salad, and the greek are all good. The boxes sometimes are a little light in greens for me so I pick up an extra bag of greens to add volume. As a salad kit girly myself, I feel by far Trader Joe’s has the best salads out of all the ones I’ve tried,” one says.
Leah Groth
Leah Groth is an experienced shopping editor and journalist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends, and deals each week. Read more about Leah
