What's Your Go-To Brand For Premade Salads? - Exclusive Survey

Eating on the go is part of modern life, whether it's grabbing lunch while dashing to your next appointment, refueling kids in the throes of a baseball tournament, or scooping up plastic containers of hopefully fresh meals before boarding an airplane. It happens to some of us more often than we'd like, which means the quality of our grab-n-go food takes on a higher level of scrutiny. What's easier, tastier, and potentially healthier than a carefully curated salad from your favorite fresh-food purveyor? Not much. That's why Tasting Table went on the hunt for the best pre-made salad, whether single servings for office and school lunch breaks or bagged salads for at-home dining tables. We came up with some helpful data on the subject, by way of reader input in our exclusive survey. 

Salads rate high for nutritional value and ease of consumption, with WebMD pointing out substantial health benefits of salad greens, including vitamins A and K, and phytonutrients, which act as antioxidants to prevent chronic diseases. Add the power of leafy greens to protect brain health and slow down cognitive decline, and you'll see why we surveyed 601 people to discover the best go-to brands for pre-made salads. 

Here's the results of that survey, with one particular salad maker landing considerably higher on the fresh-and-yummy list.  

Of 601 consumers responding to the Tasting Table survey, several brands stood firmly in the top five slots. And depending on where you live, all are generally available in the fresh section of U.S. supermarkets, though two are exclusive store brands. Some brands offer packaged salad kits suitable for mixing and serving at home, office, or a community gathering, while others sell single salads in sturdy plastic containers ready to consume. 

Surveyed participants overwhelmingly chose Dole as maker of the best pre-made salads, snagging 187 votes, equating to 31.11% of responses. A close second at 178 votes and almost 30% is Fresh Express, which sells salad bowls and bagged salad kits nationwide. Self-described as a "national chain of neighborhood grocery stores," the smaller Trader Joe's venues garnered 144 votes from a healthy 23.96% of those surveyed. Good & Gather, a Target brand launched in 2019, earned the praises of 52 participants, almost 9%. Finally, known for its chopped salad kits and salad blends, Taylor Farms got love from the final 40 survey respondents, taking close to 7% of the total votes. 

There you have it — a consumer-surveyed guide to finding a tasty, healthy salad that's easily incorporated into your daily routine. Just remember to keep any eye on the salad dressing if you're counting calories or easing up on fat consumption.