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As a dietitian, I’m practically obligated to love salads. But as an equally enthusiastic foodie, I can say that I wholeheartedly love them. The crisp crunch, acidic bite, variety of textures, and endless creative assembly options make salads a no-brainer in my kitchen. In fact, I usually eat at least one salad a day.
And with modern grocery store conveniences like bagged salads, there’s almost no excuse for not serving up greens regularly. While I usually whip up salads from scratch—dressing and all—I love the convenience of prepared ones. The prewashed greens, dressing, and toppings mean that you can serve a salad in seconds.
In an effort to learn more about bagged salad options, I decided to ask which brands food professionals reach for most often—and to my surprise, they all recommended the same one.
The Salad Superstars
Melanie Portman: Recipe developer and food writer at Drool Recipes
Andrea Howe: Recipe developer, food photographer, and writer for Howe We Live
Melissa Nolan: Chef and senior recipe developer for Budget Bytes
Credit: Simply Recipes / Taylor Farms
The Best Bagged Salads, According to Foodies
For these food experts, nothing beats the quality and variety of Taylor Farms’ bagged salads. There are so many varieties, and each person has his or her favorite one.
McShane reaches for the Asian Crunch mix. “Taylor Farms is my go-to brand when I need a mix with a variety of textures in one bag,” he says, noting that his top pick offers the perfect crunch of cabbage and carrots with a hint of sweetness.
Meanwhile, Portman loves the Steakhouse Wedge kit. “The bacon bits are actually crispy, the blue cheese crumbles taste real, and the dressing has this tangy bite that holds up even after you toss it. I always have one in my fridge for nights when I don’t feel like cooking but still want something that tastes like I tried,” she explains.
Credit: Simply Recipes / Taylor Farms
Vine alternates between their Mexican Street Corn and the Chopped Caesar, but likes them all. “I love their huge variety and interesting flavors, and always get a quality salad from them.” Sweet Onion Apple and Honey Balsamic are the varieties Nolan is reaching for nowadays. “They include fresh fruit, artisanal ingredients, like baby greens and dried cranberries, and chef-curated touches like sea-salt croissant croutons and candied nuts. It really is an elevated salad in a bag that’s high on quality but easy on convenience,” she adds.
The Southwest and Mediterranean Crunch salads are Howe’s picks. “Taylor Farms is my favorite because they are available at every major grocery store, Costco, and even discount stores like Grocery Outlet. The taste and quality are very consistent,” she shares. The salads are widely available, and the bags only cost about five dollars.
These foodies enjoy their favorite Taylor Farms’ salads just as they are—but they also can’t help jazzing them up. They add them to wraps and grain bowls or boost their protein and nutrition with chicken, shrimp, ground beef, canned beans, and extra veggies.
Read More: How to Upgrade Salads Kits For No-Stress Summer Meals
Read the original article on Simply Recipes
Dining and Cooking