It’s my favorite go-to lunch.
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To me, chopped salads will always be the best salads. The crunchy, small pieces of greens coated in sweet or tangy dressing, topped with crispy tortillas or toasted seeds, and creamy cheeses are the ideal combo of flavors and textures. The sensory experience alone is enough to have me eating chopped salads every week, not to mention all the powerful nutrients these salads pack.
While I aspire to be the kind of cook who meal preps my lunches every week, the reality is that I am not that person. And thanks to store-bought salad kits, I don’t have to be. When I first stumbled on ALDI’s Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad Kit, I expected it to be pretty similar to the ones I get at other stores, but I was pleasantly surprised when it packed a far stronger Southwest flavor. Now I always throw a couple of bags in my cart during every visit.
Simply Recipes / Aldi
ALDI Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
Price: $3.29 for a 12-ounce bag
Why I Love It: The affordable salad kit is delicious and filling as a standalone lunch or dinner side dish. I especially love the creamy, spicy Greek yogurt jalapeno dressing.
Why I Love ALDI’s Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
With crisp green and red cabbage, carrots, crunchy tortilla strips, and a shredded Mexican cheese blend, it’s easy to see why this salad is my favorite. What stands out the most is the creamy, spicy Greek yogurt jalapeno dressing. It’s tangy with just the right amount of spice.
This salad keeps well in the fridge as leftovers. Most salad kits range from $6 to $7 per bag, and if you don’t eat them right when you make them, you have to throw leftovers away because they’ll get soggy in the fridge. This $3 ALDI Southwest Salad Kit will stay fresh in the fridge for the next day, even when fully prepped and dressed.
How I Enjoy ALDI’s Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
I eat it as-is for lunch all the time. I just toss everything together with tongs, making sure all the ingredients are coated in the amazing dressing, and it fills me up for the afternoon. It’s also a great side dish or a full meal when topped with a protein like steak, chicken, or tofu.
But my absolute favorite way to enjoy the Southwest Salad Kit is as a topping on tacos. I toss all the ingredients and dressing together and add the mixture to a taco shell with ground beef. I love this method because I don’t need to chop up individual vegetables or shred cheese by hand. The salad kit does all the work.
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