I Taste-Tested Every Trader Joe's Salad, And These Are The Only Ones Worth Buying

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Around every corner and on far too many streets, Americans are haunted by choice. I experienced it myself last week, running errands in Brooklyn. I turned a busy street corner and was greeted by them all in a line, Sweetgreen, Cava, and Dig, cousins to one another, extending their convenient offer: the slop bowl.

And why wouldn't we accept it? The quick-service salad chain is a convenient, fresher alternative to other fast-food options, but with bowls starting at $16, our bank accounts can dry up fast if we depend on them too often.

Given the cost of quick-service salad bowls, I was reminded of a cheaper alternative around the block from my apartment. Trader Joe's boasts more than twenty fresh salad options in their grocery stores, many that I've often overlooked. I've often written off the produce and freshly prepared foods from Trader Joe's, but after looking at my credit card bill last month, I thought I'd give some a try.

My favorite salads are perfectly dressed with a well-seasoned dressing and are tossed with toppings that add crunch or texture. I love greens that hold up over time and don't wilt under pressure. I avoid arugula at all costs.

The Trader Joe's Pre-Made Salads

That being said, I took home eight of the pre-packaged salad options from my local Trader Joe's: four bagged salad kits found near the other greens and produce, and four salads in plastic containers near the prepared foods.

Here's what I grabbed:

–Chinese-Inspired Salad with Chicken

–Field Fresh Chopped Salad

–Chickpea, Kale, and Crispy Red Rice Salad

–Peanut Udon Noodle Salad

–Miso Crunch Chopped Salad Kit

–Sweet Chili Mango Salad Kit

–Elote Chopped Salad Kit

–Avocado Ranch Salad Kit

Trader Joe's Pre-Made Salad Ranking

Here's what I thought of each pre-made salad, ranked worst to best:

8. Sweet Chili Mango Salad Kit

What I loved most about all the Trader Joe's salads I tried was that they're built upon very sturdy greens. This Sweet Chili Mango chopped salad has cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and radicchio, all greens that hold up under a strong toss. The dressing is sweet and spicy, inspired by traditional Thai flavors, and includes roasted sunflower seeds, toasted quinoa, and dried mango.

While I enjoyed the sweet-and-spicy dressing, this salad was all greens and crunch, with nothing lighter to balance it out. Next time I make it, I might fold in some avocado chunks and top it with roasted salmon.

7. Elote Chopped Salad Kit

This was the salad I was most excited to try, but ultimately I was let down. I loved that it had so much going for it: a greens base that includes chopped cabbage, lettuce, carrots, kale, and green onion, toppings of dried corn kernels and cornbread crumbs seasoned with smoked paprika, and a creamy elote-inspired dressing. The textures from the crunchy greens, corn kernels, and sandy cornbread crumbs all contributed to a unique mouthfeel that was satisfying.

Ultimately, the salad was weighed down by its creamy dressing, which was too heavy, and the smoked paprika seasoning in the cornbread crumb overpowered most of the other flavors.

6. Miso Crunch Chopped Salad Kit

Another crunchy win from Trader Joe's! The Miso Crunch Chopped Salad Kit has a greens base made up of cabbage, carrots, and kale, with the addition of crunchy chow mein noodles, cashews, and sesame seeds. I tossed this all together with the included packet of sesame miso dressing and really enjoyed what I tasted.

This salad was earthy and umami-forward, and pleasantly salty from the miso. While the flavor was dynamic, the dressing was overpowered by the taste of the greens. With some additional salad dressing, this could have been one of my favorites.

5. Chinese Inspired Salad with Chicken

This pre-packaged salad with chicken evoked my favorite salad from Panera, one that I'd routinely eat during after-school tutoring sessions or in a to-go container at choir practice. Packed with lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and snow peas, I tossed it all together with the side of crispy noodles and the included soy-sesame dressing.

While nostalgic and crunchy, it was ultimately pretty dull, and the chicken felt more like Play-Doh than the other grilled chicken products I've tasted and enjoyed from Trader Joe's.

4. Chickpea, Kale, and Crispy Red Rice Salad

This pre-packaged salad brought a lot to the table: packaging that's easy to toss into your bag on the way to work, sturdy greens, plant-based protein, and a zesty avocado herb vinaigrette.

I was really surprised by how fresh this tasted for a grocery store salad, and the fact that I could easily toss this together at work in the packaging provided was appealing to me. The greens held up really nicely, and the chickpeas weren't too soggy.

3. Avocado Ranch Salad

My friend Quin told me this was her favorite salad at Trader Joe's, so it was the first to land in my shopping cart. I tossed the creamy avocado ranch dressing into the cabbage, carrots, lettuce, kale, and green onions, and topped it with the additional corn chips and cheddar cheese. I loved what I tasted.

With additional protein like grilled shrimp or shredded chicken, this delicious salad kit could be taken to a whole new level. Next time I buy it, I'll take home some tortillas to make a quick lunch-time wrap.

2. Peanut Udon Noodle Salad

A departure from the others in the lineup, this pre-packaged salad used udon noodles as its base, along with cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, diced onions, cilantro, and peanuts, all tossed together with a delicious peanut-ginger dressing.

The peanut-ginger dressing stole the show in this very delicious Trader Joe's offering. I loved how the crunchy vegetables contrasted the soft udon, although I would have preferred more of a spicy kick. Next time, I'll add my own chili oil.

1. Field Fresh Chopped Salad

The top spot in our ranking goes to the Field Fresh Chopped Salad with grilled chicken. There's a lot to appreciate about this salad, mostly that it meets a lot of the criteria that I expect from a delicious salad. The dried currants add sweetness that contrasts with the zesty and herby basil dressing. The pecans add crunch, while the couscous adds a distinct mouthfeel, making the salad feel more dynamic.

This is the perfect well-rounded lunch that I'm seeking out as someone who spends too much money on lunch at work, and I'll be throwing this in my shopping cart the next time I have an impulse to DoorDash another $17 salad.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Trader Joe's selection of pre-packaged salad offers you endless opportunities to spruce up a weeknight dinner with a fresh, zesty side, or up your lunch game with a protein-packed, portable bowl. I was so surprised by how many salads Trader Joe's had to offer, and in the past, I'd written them off. Now that I know how versatile their selection is, I'm excited to try the rest of the pre-packaged salads on their shelves.

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