Trader Joe's produce section is every healthy college student's paradise. Not only is there a huge variety of relatively cheap and fresh fruits and vegetables, but Trader Joe's salads are a step above their competitor's.
From single-serving classic greek salad kits to more innovative bagged mixes like tropical mango, there's a Trader Joe's salad kit for every occasion.
Here's a little roundup of Trader Joe's salad kits, starting with bagged kits and ending with single-serving containers, to help you on your way to never having a sad desk lunch again. Each kit includes everything you need to make a well-rounded salad.
Broccoli and Kale Slaw
This bagged salad mix is perfect for bringing to a potluck or mixing up for an easy and healthy side at your next family dinner.
Personally, it’s one of my favorite salad mixes because I love the crunch of the greens, sweetness from the dried cherries and blueberries, and tanginess from the dressing.
Kale and Hemp Seeds Complete Salad
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When this Trader Joe’s salad says complete, it means it. It packs a ton of ingredients with a mix of textures and flavors into one bag. You get kale, hemp seeds, dates, parmesan, almonds, and lemon vinaigrette. All you have to do is toss it together and you have a hearty salad for the whole family.
Harvest Blend Salad
Another one of Trader Joe’s salads that can be a complete meal, this bagged mix comes with baby kale, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin cornbread croutons, and pumpkin vinaigrette. Get your fix when fall rolls around, because it’s a seasonal kit.
Tropical Mango Salad Kit
This bagged Trader Joe’s salad packs enough punch for four side salads or, if you add a protein like fish, a main dish for only $3.99.
It starts with baby greens, arugula and cabbage with carrots, and the add-ins only get better from there. Packets with cashews, dried mango, coconut chips, and mango tamarind cashew dressing make this a truly innovative salad with a variety of flavors and textures.
Southwestern Chopped Salad
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This Trader Joe’s salad will turn even the biggest of anti-green carnivores into a salad-lover. Not only is it the easiest chopped salad you’ll ever make, all you have to do is pour everything together, but it probably has the most flavor.
Lettuce, cabbage, carrots, radishes, onions, and cilantro form the base, then you just mix in pumpkin seeds and cotija cheese with spicy avocado dressing. Turn it into an entire meal with some chicken strips or grilled shrimp, or use it in tacos.
Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
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Think caprese in a single-serving salad kit and you’ll get this Trader Joe’s salad.
It’s perfect for bringing a more sophisticated lunch to work when you’re feeling like an adult, or keeping control of your portions at home. Because we’ve all been there with an empty container of mozzarella.
Classic Greek Salad
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If you like to keep it traditional, this greek salad is for you. It’s vegetarian and clocks in a whole lot cheaper than running out to buy the a salad with all the same ingredients from your local cafe.
Shrimp and Surimi Salad
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This is like sushi in salad form. Even better than sushi, you get both shrimp and imitation crab on top of this Trader Joe’s salad, along with a lemon wedge and hard boiled egg. It’s all tied together by louie dressing. As if you needed more convincing, it’s only 250 calories for the entire thing.
Super Spinach Salad
This Trader Joe's salad comes in a whopping 10 ounce jar. It’s perfect for lunch on the go because it has everything you need in one container.
All you have to do is open it up, pour in however much of the carrot-miso-ginger dressing you want, and shake it up. The spinach, carrots, cranberries, quinoa, edamame, tomatoes, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds mix for a delicious and nutritious crunch with each bite.
Mega Crunchy Salad With a Bite
After you try this salad, you’ll never see romaine as boring again. The base is topped with beans, jicama, lots of chopped veggies, sunflower seeds, cranberries, and quinoa for lots of texture and protein in a vegetarian-friendly lunch.
Clocking in at 10 ounces, it’ll keep you satisfied at least until afternoon snack time rolls around.
Southwest Salad
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This single-serve Trader Joe’s salad is a mexican-inspired flavorful lunch while remaining vegetarian and low-calorie. You get to eat the whole container of romaine, cabbage, black beans, corn, cojita cheese, bell peppers, onions, and ranch dressing for only 200 calories.
It really doesn’t need anything else, but if you want to spruce it up to split as a first course on date night, try adding tomato, avocado, or chicken.
Citrus Chicken Salad
If you’re getting bored with the same old chicken caesar salad every day for lunch, try this Trader Joe’s salad inspired by thai flavors.
For 220 calories, you get a crunchy cabbage and carrot base with radish and papaya, plus chicken, lime, cilantro, green onion, and a sweet and tangy citrus dressing for a kick of flavor.
Lemon Chicken and Arugula Salad
The name of this Trader Joe’s salad is only getting started when describing the ingredients. While the deliciously citrusy and moist chicken takes center stage, you’ll also find couscous and quinoa salad with lots of spices.
This salad has everything you need to stay satisfied until your next meal for only $3.99.
Chinese Style Salad (with Chicken)
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Depending on your dietary preferences, you can grab this two-serving salad with or without the juicy, grilled chicken.
Either way, you’ll get plenty of flavor from the cabbage, carrots, snow peas, and crispy noodles when you mix in the light and refreshing sesame soy dressing. It’s satisfying, while being a low-calorie and low-fat option.
Greens and Seeds Salad
This autumn harvest-inspired Trader Joe’s salad is vegetarian, while still packing tons of protein and fiber.
It captures the flavors of autumn by combining the usual lettuce with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, and feta. The dijon balsamic dressing ties all the ingredients together nicely when you toss it all together.
Chicken and Roasted Beet Salad
This single-serving Trader Joe’s salad comes with small, but satisfying, portions of grilled chicken, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and roasted red and golden beets.
The beets and balsamic vinaigrette are packaged separately to avoid a sad, soggy salad. The best part about that is you can add however much or little of each as you want.
Roasted Butternut Squash, Quinoa, and Wheatberry Salad
This is one of my absolute favorite Trader Joe’s salads of all time, so I guess that it makes sense that I can rarely find it in stock. If you happen to see it in the store, don’t pass it by.
You’ll be munching on sweet roasted butternut squash, quinoa, wheat berries, peppery arugula, cranberries, toasted almonds, and goat cheese. As if that salad even needs dressing, it’s all topped by a honey sesame vinaigrette.
Kale and Edamame Salad
Personally, I think the star of this salad is the lemon herb dressing on top of the salty, crunchy edamame. But, the side attractions are delicious and satisfying as well. You get dried cranberries, grape tomatoes, slivered almonds, and scallions for a truly satisfying salad.
Pacific Salad
This Trader Joe’s salad is the perfect embodiment of California cuisine. It’s one of the more expensive options, clocking in at $4.49, but it’s totally worth it for the toppings.
You’ll get juicy chicken, toasted almonds, rice noodles, sesame seeds, and a truly magical dressing to tie it all together. The only ingredient I was missing was avocado.
Harvest Salad with Grilled Chicken
Not to be confused with the bagged Harvest Salad, this single serving Trader Joe’s salad is not autumn-inspired.
But, I’m liking the flavor combinations in this one just as much. You’ll get fresh greens, chicken bread, green beans, corn, white cheddar, tomatoes, and hard-boiled egg. Top it off with creamy dijon dressing for a protein-packed lunch or cheap side salad to split.
Field Fresh Chopped Salad
If you’re the kind of person that likes a little bit of everything on their salad, this single-serving salad is the perfect grab-and-go option for you.
There are chicken cubes, Israeli couscous, dried currants, asiago cheese, and pecans piled on top of crisp greens. The basil dressing does magic to tie all those ingredients together into one delicious dish.
Mexicali Salad
As much as I love to order taco salad when I go out to eat, I know that sometimes it’s even more calorie-laden than a regular taco.
Luckily, I discovered this single-serve Trader Joe’s salad that satisfies all my Taco Tuesday cravings for only 350 calories. I like to add the jalapeño caesar dressing then shake it up so I get a little greens, corn, bell pepper, cheese, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, and chicken in every bite.
Super Green Salad Palette
One of the newest additions to Trader Joe’s salad collection is the salad palette. It’s still a giant salad, but in a container that’s even easier to pack away for lunch on the go.
This one comes with a ton of nutrient-dense greens, including green beans, spinach, broccoli, kale, edamame, and celery leaves along with an avocado dressing.
Salad Palette with Mango
Try this summer special salad palette for a lunch break that will take you somewhere tropical.
The green base changes based on what’s the freshest available in the store, but you can rely on toppings of green peas, goat cheese, fresh mango, sugar snap peas, and watermelon daikon radish. Even with the bright mango ginger vinaigrette, this salad is only 330 calories.
Salad Palette Turkey Harvest
If you’re looking for a more fall-inspired version of a salad palette, try this turkey harvest one. You’re guaranteed a lunch salad version of thanksgiving, with sweet potatoes, kale, brussels sprouts, turkey breast, spinach, cranberries, and apple cider vinaigrette.
Hey, maybe if Ross had had one of these this Thanksgiving-inspired salads, maybe he wouldn’t have been so mad when someone ate his sandwich.
I can confidently say that at Trader Joe's, the options are endless. I hope that this overview will help you to make delicious grab-and-go lunch decisions, beyond your usual sandwich. You'll be full and ready to take on the rest of your day, and if for some reason you need more, you can always pack along a quick TJ's snack.