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Anyone shopping in the produce section of any supermarket has likely seen the ever-expanding selection of Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kits, prepared from produce sourced from farms throughout California and packaged complete with dressing and toppings.
Recently, they have added a line of organic salad kits, as well as mini-kits which are about half the size of the regular kits. Charis Neves, Director of Innovation and Product Management at Taylor Farms, said that the product line results from research into consumer preferences.
“The chopped salad kits have gained a lot of interest,” Neves said. “But we learned that some people can’t or don’t want to finish the chop salad kit in one sitting. They were folding the bag in half and saving some toppings for the next day.”
Realizing they needed to create a single-serving version of the kits, two years of research went into deciding the portion sizes, with an eye towards a lightweight product that could be carried in a lunch bag. The mini-kits, which are packaged at Taylor Farms’ San Juan Bautista facility, hover at around 5 oz, a little less than half the size of the regular 12- oz versions.
“They are meant for portable, on-the-go snacking,” Neves said. “Maybe you’re not super hungry at lunch. You just want a small side salad, and these are perfectly portioned for one. I think it is very important that there be no waste.”
The kits are also designed with health in mind. Taylor Farms is moving towards eliminating seed oils in favor of 100% avocado oil. They spent six months in development just to perfect the texture.
“Canola oil and sunflower oil come from seeds,” Neves said. “And soybean oil is a type of processed seed. There’s a growing consumer base, particularly those who love organic products and want avocado oil as an option.”
“Americans love to snack,” she said. “Studies have shown they are snacking up to six to eight times a day. So one of the things we are trying to encourage with the mini-kits is healthier options for snacking.”
Rachel Molatore, Director of Communications for Taylor Farms, gave me the new line of mini chopped kits, and I discussed the creation of each one with Neves.
The Salad Kits of Taylor Farms
Caesar Mini Chopped Kit: Romaine lettuce, cheese and garlic crouton crumbles, parmesan cheese, and creamy Caesar dressing. “Americans love Caesar salads,” Nevis said. “About 51% of all salads sold in the country are Caesars. This is our take on it. It goes over with every kind of meal for lunch, snacks and dinner, and, in this size, it is super handy.” This Caesar has a rich garlic taste smoothed out by the creaminess of the dressing, and the crouton crumbles provide a grainy texture and some crunch. Neves suggests adding some protein and using the mixture as a wrap with a tortilla, which would make a perfect fast lunch.
Citrus Crunch Mini Chopped Kit: Red and savoy cabbage, green leaf lettuce, shredded broccoli, diced almonds, carrots and green onions with lemon vinaigrette. “The Citrus Crunch is the lightest salad in terms of the calories,” Neves said. “It’s more like a snack salad you could eat and not feel guilty about. This one is for consumers who aren’t looking for heavy salads. With only 190 calories, it is light enough for the munchies, but it also packs a lot of flavor and texture, which comes from the lemon and orange vinaigrette and the crunchy almonds. It is surprisingly sweet and tart and can really stand up on its own. This was one of my favorites, just based on how fun it was to eat.
Green Goddess Mini Chopped Kit: Red and savoy cabbage, green leaf lettuce, shredded broccoli, carrot, cheese and garlic crouton crumbles, and green onion with creamy Green Goddess dressing. Neves said that this was one of her favorites. “We wanted to make it full of a basil flavor and herbs,” Neves said. “Our version has some of those botanical flavors in it and herbs. We put it together and made it really creamy, and with the crouton crumbles, it’s just light and solid.” I loved the predominant basil notes of this dressing and the green onion added to the rich herbal taste. As with several of the new mini kit salads, the cabbage and broccoli give it a great crunch. This one is a must-try.
Nashville Hot Mini Chopped Kit: Romaine lettuce, dill pickle-seasoned crispy cucumbers and creamy Nashville Hot ranch dressing. “This was inspired by the pickles and sauce they put on chicken sandwiches in Nashville,” Neves said. “The seasoned crispy cucumbers are the crunchy part instead of a crouton. It is just something different and fun.” I went into this one with some trepidation because I an not really a fan of dill pickles. But this turned out to be my favorite of the kits I sampled. The dressing has a very nice back-of-the-throat heat, and the crispy cucumbers add a touch of salt and sourness. I could easily see adding some grilled chicken to this to make a balanced lunch, but it is a great snacking salad as well. It is unusual but also very accessible.
Pizza Ranch Mini Chopped Kit: Red and savoy cabbage, green leaf lettuce, shredded broccoli, carrot, cheese and garlic crouton crumbles, green onion, parmesan cheese and pizza ranch dressing. “My household is one of those that eats ranch dressing with our pizza,” Neves said. “So we wanted that same flavor profile to come across—ranch dressing that has notes of tomatoes, oregano and some of the spices that you get in a good tomato sauce.” I was surprised by this kit. I was unsure what to expect, but the creamy tomato and oregano dressing had a vivid flavor and a bit of a kick. I was tempted to add some chopped-up pepperoni, which I think would be a great addition to the salad.
Golden Balsamic Organic Salad Kit: Romaine lettuce, frisée, cauliflower, citrus herb sourdough croutons crumbles, puffed quinoa, carrots and golden balsamic dressing. “At our Earthbound Farms stand in Carmel Valley, they a golden balsamic dressing that’s been on that menu for the last couple of years,” Neves said. “People really enjoy it, so we wanted to create a salad that mimicked that homemade in-house dressing.” The varying textures of the produce nicely balance the light dressing, and the citrus crouton crumble adds texture and a little acid flavor.
Apple Cider Crunch Organic Salad Kit: Romain lettuce, frisée, cauliflower, red cabbage, dried cranberries, cashews, carrots and apple cider vinaigrette. “There are a lot of people who take a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning,” Neves said. “It’s great for health and good for your skin and hair. So we wanted to create a salad based on that flavor.” Like the citrus crunch, this is a low-calorie option, but the flavors and textures still provide a full flavor. I am allergic to nuts, so the cashews were not an option. But the carrots and cabbage provided enough crunch without it. While the distinctive vinegar taste came through, it was muted and provided more of a sweet/sour note to the salad. The overall acidic tone was bright, clean, and refreshing.
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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