I Tried 10 Popular Trader Joe's Salad Kits & There's Only One I'd Buy Again

Smart Trader Joe's shoppers know there are hidden gems in the store. Many of them are more in the treat category rather than health food. Thankfully, healthy eating fanatics can find a huge variety of salad kits at TJ's that make choosing a nutritious lunch or dinner so much easier.

These signature salad kits—of which there are many—come with greens, salad dressing, and delicious accessories to add interest, such as nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. It's a simple way to get a gourmet salad without having to shop for separate ingredients. 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. Sure, you could eat an entire one if you're super hungry, but most of the time, you can get at least two meals out of one—or serve one up as a first course for family dinner. All you need to do to make these kits a complete meal is to add a protein—grilled chicken, a hard-boiled egg, or a piece of salmon.

I recently purchased 10 salad kits that were available at my local Trader Joe's to discover which ones were best. I taste-tested each kit using all the provided ingredients and did not add anything extra. I was surprised that some of them were really good, while I didn't care for others. Read on to see the Trader Joe's salad kits, ranked from worst to best, and happy, healthy eating!

Sesame Crunch Chopped Salad Kit

This kit, containing bok choy, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, sesame sticks, cashews, and nori seaweed flakes with a toasted sesame vinaigrette, isn't one I would have normally chosen, but I was game to dig in.

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.

The taste: This salad tasted like seaweed and fish sauce—and not in a good way. I could incorporate this salad kit into a fish dish, but it was a no-go as a standalone salad. It went straight into the trash.

Rating: 0/10

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Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit

Peppery arugula can be a polarizing green—some love it, some hate it. But, pair it with the right ingredients, and it can be delicious and not overpowering. This kit has carrots, almonds, parmesan cheese, and a basil lemon vinaigrette.

The look: There is no nice way to say this: the salad looked like a huge pile of lawn clippings. Some carrot slivers were white, and the dressing (its ingredients sound amazing) looked like green goo.

The taste: This was a bitter-tasting salad. The carrots were no help, the cheese was undetectable, and the dressing—instead of balancing the salad—made it more bitter. This would be a project to eat, and it was one I didn't want to undertake.

Rating: 0/10

Broccoli & Kale Slaw

I wasn't expecting a big leafy bowl since this kit was billed as a slaw, not a salad. I was excited by the ingredient list, which included sunflower seeds, dried cherries, dried blueberries, and almonds with a sweet, creamy dressing.

The look: The kale and broccoli looked healthy and vibrant. 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 taste: The kale tasted bitter, and while the sweetness of the cherries helped some, it was still unpalatable. The dressing was bland, which lowered the score and taste considerably.

Rating: 1/10

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Southwestern Chopped Salad

Trader Joe's regulars may recognize this salad kit thanks to the cowboy boot on the packaging. Through it, you can see the wholesome-looking ingredients, including green cabbage, romaine, cotija cheese, roasted pepitas, tortilla strips, green onion, cilantro, and a spicy Southwest avocado dressing.

The look: Billed as an homage to the Southwest region of the U.S., this salad looked lackluster in my bowl. The overwhelming green and white didn't give me a lot to get excited about, and the dressing looked dark green and sludgy coming out of its plastic pouch.

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.

Rating: 2/10

Avocado Ranch Salad Kit

This fun-looking salad kit comes with green cabbage, green leaf lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, kale, and green onions and is accessorized with corn chips, cheddar cheese, and avocado ranch dressing.

The look: The combination of the creamy dressing and the cheddar cheese looked appealing, and I was excited to bite in. I'm not a fan of chips in a salad, but the rest looked promising.

The taste: This was another TJ's salad that tasted more like a slaw due to how chopped it is. Being able to taste the cheese was nice. I loved the dressing, which pulled this salad together nicely, but I ate around the chips.

Rating: 4/10

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BBQ & Black Pepper Toscano Chopped Salad

This chopped salad features red cabbage, carrots, broccoli stalks, and kale. You can dress it up with cornbread croutons, black pepper Toscano cheese, and a barbecue sweet onion dressing.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: This salad looked pretty and vibrant in the bowl. Since I'm not a fan of overly chopped salads, I was bummed that everything was so finely chopped, but I was willing to give it a chance.

The taste: This salad tasted more like a slaw. The ingredients were all very separate, and I could hardly taste the cheese (which is usually the best part!). The barbecue dressing had a nice touch of sweetness, and I liked the added crunch from the cornbread croutons. I might bring this salad as a side dish to a barbecue, but I'd pass on it as a meal on its own.

Rating: 4/10

Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kit

A Mediterranean salad is generally a healthy and delicious choice, and this organic kit features romaine lettuce, broccoli stalks, radicchio, celery, seasoned flatbread strips, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, and a red wine vinaigrette dressing.

The look: The Mediterranean salad had a nice, bright green color, and the chunks of feta were appealing. The sun-dried tomatoes added a punch of color. 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. 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.

Rating: 5/10

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Caesar Style Kit

I wasn't sure why this kit was called "Caesar style" since it appears to be a Caesar salad. It looked very similar to the Organic Caesar Salad Kit I also had in my cart, so I was curious to find out the differences.

The look: This Caesar salad looked fine. The greens were not as crisp-looking or bright as in the organic salad (more on that later), but the cheese was plentiful. One thing that I noticed right away was that the Caesar dressing was a dark color and thin in consistency.

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.

Rating: 5/10

Veggies & Greens Salad Kit

This pretty kit contains cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with radicchio, kale, dried pear crumbles, pistachios, and a honey ginger dressing.

The look: This looked like an interesting combination of ingredients in my bowl. While the brown color of the dressing wasn't the most appealing, I loved the look of the crumbled pears that appeared candied—a little sweetness in a salad never hurt anyone.

The taste: The ginger dressing gave this salad an Asian flavor, and the pistachios added a good crunch. The pears were sweet and added interest. I thought the base of this salad looked similar to some of the other Trader Joe's salad kits I'd sampled. This salad managed to taste good without the addition of cheese, which is no small feat.

Rating: 6/10

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Trader Joe's Organic Caesar Salad Kit

A good Caesar salad is a very good thing. This one is a classic, and it's a salad I'd be happy to eat for lunch or dinner on any given day, especially with some grilled chicken tossed in. I don't usually buy organic salads, but this one looked appetizing in its blue and green package.

The look: As soon as I put this salad in my bowl, I was excited to dig in. The lettuce was crisp-looking and had a vibrant, bright green color. The croutons were big, golden, and toasty, and the cheese, often scant in pre-packaged salads, looked plentiful. Best of all, the dressing appeared thick and creamy.

The taste: This salad had great crunch, the cheese was savory, and the croutons were an excellent addition but not overwhelming as in some Caesar salads. The best part was the creamy, tangy-tasting dressing, which was nothing short of addictive. This salad is definitely going into my regular rotation.

Rating: 9/10