There are many great options for salads at Trader Joe’s. The easiest is the grab and go prepared salads in the chilled case. The country Italian, southwest, super spinach (vegan), and butternut squash, red quinoa and wheatberry salad are all winners.
Look carefully though to make sure you don’t accidentally pick up one with meat. The southwest and Mexican salads look very similar, but the Mexican has chopped chicken.
It’s also really easy to make salads from items from the produce section, especially with the prepackaged greens and other prepared produce (carrots, cabbage, beets, shelled edamame). Add canned beans, baked tofu, pickled vegetables (artichoke hearts), olives, nuts and dried fruit to turn a plain salad into something impressive. Some easy combinations are:
- romaine lettuce, shredded carrot, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, tomato, kalamata olives and garbanzo beans with feta dressing
- spinach, shredded carrot, apple and walnuts with goddess dressing
- spring greens mix, fresh or canned corn, black beans, avocado and sliced red onion with salsa
- shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, edamame and baked tofu with sesame soy vinaigrette
- kale, shredded carrot, apple chunks, walnuts and goddess dressing.
Trader Joe’s has salad dressings in the chilled case near the lettuce and a small, but good selection, of bottled salad dressings in the grocery aisle.
You can easily make your own salad dressing by combining 2/3 olive oil and 1/3 balsamic vinegar with a tablespoon each of soy sauce and maple syrup or agave. Add salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon or orange to change it up. This dressing is incredibly versatile and works well on Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian style salads.
Trader Joe’s also carries a couple salad kits. One is Caesar salad with romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons and Caeser dressing (no anchovies in this one). The other is a spinach salad with dried cranberries, candied pecans, blue cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. All the items in each kit are separately packaged so they last longer than the prepared salads in the chilled case. The spinach salad will last nearly a week, but the romaine lettuce in the Caesar salad starts to brown around the edges (that’s why you tear lettuce instead of cutting it).
The Caesar salad is plain as-is and really benefits from the addition of some shredded carrot, cherry tomatoes and olives. The spinach salad is good as-is, but even better with some sliced apple or pear.