Smart Trader Joe’s shoppers know there are hidden gems in the store.
Many of them are more inthe treat categoryrather than health food.
It’s a simple way to get a gourmet salad without having to shop for separate ingredients.
Photos: Trader Joe’s. Design: Eat This, Not That!
And, at around $4 each, it’s way cheaper than hitting up a salad chain!
Another thing fans love about the salad kits is how huge they are.
I taste-tested each kit using all the provided ingredients and did not add anything extra.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
I was surprised that some of them were really good, while I didn’t care for others.
The look:This salad looked like coleslaw with little sticks and bits of seaweed on top.
I hesitated to bite in, but it was all in a day’s work.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The taste:This salad tasted like seaweed and fish sauceand not in a good way.
It went straight into the trash.
Some carrot slivers were white, and the dressing (its ingredients sound amazing) looked like green goo.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The taste:This was a bitter-tasting salad.
This would be a project to eat, and it was one I didn’t want to undertake.
The look:The kale and broccoli looked healthy and vibrant.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
I love dried fruit in a salad, and the inclusion of tiny, dried blueberries was intriguing.
The seeds and almonds took center stage in this slaw.
The dressing was bland, which lowered the score and taste considerably.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The taste:Sadly, the vinegary dressing ruined this salad for me.
The cheese was so scant and mild that I couldn’t taste it.
The pumpkin seeds were a weird addition.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
I’m not a fan of chips in a salad, but the rest looked promising.
Being able to taste the cheese was nice.
I loved the dressing, which pulled this salad together nicely, but I ate around the chips.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The look:This salad looked pretty and vibrant in the bowl.
The taste:This salad tasted more like a slaw.
The sun-dried tomatoes added a punch of color.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The flatbread strips looked out of place.
The taste:Unfortunately, the tartness of the red wine vinaigrette overwhelmed the salad.
I did like the feta, but there wasn’t enough of it.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The chickpeas added a pleasant, surprising taste, but the sun-dried tomatoes and flatbread strips were unnecessary.
I would eat this salad with a piece of chicken or fish and add my own dressing instead.
The look:This Caesar salad looked fine.
Photo: Ronnie Koenig, Eat This, Not That! / Art: Jené Sena
The taste:Biting in, I was disappointed by this salad kit.
The ingredients didn’t blend well, which I blame on the dressing not being up to par.
Unlike the dressing in the organic kit, this one was watery and had little flavor.
It was OK, but I wouldn’t rush to buy it again.
The look:This looked like an interesting combination of ingredients in my bowl.
The pears were sweet and added interest.
This salad managed to taste good without the addition of cheese, which is no small feat.
I don’t usually buy organic salads, but this one looked appetizing in its blue and green package.
The lettuce was crisp-looking and had a vibrant, bright green color.
Best of all, the dressing appeared thick and creamy.
The best part was the creamy, tangy-tasting dressing, which was nothing short of addictive.
This salad is definitely going into my regular rotation.
