Its combination of a refreshing crunch and craveable creaminess make it both light and hearty at the same time.
As long as you know what to look for.
This side dish can take on plenty of different appearances.
Photo: Shutterstock. Design: Eat This, Not That!
The cabbage can come in large pieces or smaller diced-up bits.
It may be green, purple, or even white.
Most coleslaws will also contain carrots.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
Then it’s all covered in a mayonnaise-based dressing with seasonings.
The sauce, in fact, will usually dictate how tasty the end-product ends up being.
Here’s which ones you should pick up and which ones you should leave behind.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
I grabbed this small container of coleslaw from my local Stop & Shop for $4.99.
The look:The coleslaw was more white than green with just a few little carrot shred.
The cabbage pieces were so fine that they almost looked minced, and they were thoroughly covered in dressing.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
This portioned-out container cost me $3.35.
The taste:It had a great crunch from the big, fresh cabbage pieces.
However, it definitely did lack dressing.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
Whole Foods Deli Coleslaw
Whole Foods sells its own coleslaw in the prepared foods section.
It’s made fresh daily, which is what you’d expect from Whole Foods.
The cabbage pieces were also pretty hefty, but in a good way.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
It made me feel like I was eating something fresh.
The taste:Unfortunately, this coleslaw looked a lot better than it tasted.
However, if you’re looking for a lighter, brighter coleslaw, this could be perfect for you.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
I paid $4.99 for the small container.
The look:There were some hearty chunks of cabbage in this coleslaw with bright green pieces and carrots.
It also looked to be well-dressed, though not necessarily creamy.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
It felt like a bit of a kick in the mouth.
This 30-ounce container cost $3.75.
The taste:Aldi’s coleslaw was creamy but could have used more dressing and a little more flavor.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
I found mine at my local Stop & Shop for $3.99.
It had some chunks of cabbage, as well as shreds, with just a few carrots.
It was moderately dressed not too heavy, not too little.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
The taste:The cabbage was nice and crunchy and well-dressed.
However, the sugar really shined through, here.
The dressing also had a bit of a bite to it, but it was inoffensive.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
It helped balance out the sugar a little bit.
Wegmans Coleslaw
I love picking up the essentials at Wegmans, especially from the store brand.
These side dishes come in small and large containers, too.
Photo: Hedy Phillips, Eat This, Not That!
I got this small container for $5.99.
It’s also a bit on the pale side.
The taste:Much like the appearance, the taste is also a bit mid-range as well.
There was enough dressing, just not enough flavor in it.
Tucked away in the refrigerator aisle of my local store was this 44-ounce container of Golden Taste coleslaw.
It’s the perfect pick for a summer barbecue, because it has 15 servings.
This one cost me $7.99.
The Costco coleslaw was creamy, super flavorful, and crunchy.
It wasn’t actually mushy at all.
Meijer Classic Coleslaw
Your local Meijer has a lot to offer in the prepared foods section.
There’s everything from main dishes to side dishes and dessert.
That’s where I found this store-brand coleslaw, which I bought for $3.45.
The look:Meijer’s coleslaw had a really thick and creamy texture.
The cabbage was chopped up into small pieces, making the texture almost like a tapenade.
And even though it’s mixed up with a hefty amount of dressing, the cabbage stayed really crunchy.
The Ohio-made brand can be found in some local grocery stores as well as chains.
I found it in Giant Eagle, as well as my local grocery store.
I got the packaged container at my local grocer for $4.99.
There were carrots throughout, as well as some green cabbage leaves.
The taste:Dare I say, this might be close to tasting like grandma made it?
It’s very, very rich, so you might want to enjoy it in small servings!
But it was certainly a runner-up for the top spot in this taste test.
I chose the smallest size 15 ounces for $2.92.
There were just a few dots of carrots and green cabbage chunks nestled in the abundant dressing.
The taste:Despite looking a bit mushy, this coleslaw had a great mouthfeel.
It was really crunchy, and the little bits of cabbage made for a great bite.
It was well-seasoned with no one seasoning trying to outshine another.
I’d absolutely go out of my way to pick this up again!
