Good And Gather Salad

Everything You Need to Know Before Purchasing This Healthy, Delicious Salad Kit

As someone who loves salads but hates spending too much time prepping ingredients and washing lettuce, I was thrilled when I discovered Good & Gather Salad kits at my local Target. These pre-made salad mixes take all the work out of salad making but still deliver on flavor and nutrition.

If you’re considering trying Good & Gather Salad for quick and healthy meals or sides, this buying guide will give you the lowdown on everything you need to know before hitting the Target aisles. I’ll cover the types of salads available, ingredients, taste, reviews, nutrition info, storage, prep tips, and more – so keep reading to become a Good & Gather Salad expert!

An Overview of Good & Gather Salad Varieties

The Good & Gather brand offers a wide variety of pre-packaged salad kits that make homemade salads easier than ever. They have traditional green salads, protein-packed salads, salad blends focused on specific ingredients like kale or cabbage, salad kits with mix-ins like nuts and cranberries, and more.

Some of the most popular Good & Gather Salad varieties include:

• Chopped Salad Kits: Offering chomps of lettuce, cabbage, kale, and other greens along with crunchy toppings. These are great salad starters.
• Cobb Salad Kit: Comes with chopped lettuce, chicken, bacon, cheese, and all the fixings for a classic Cobb. One of my faves!
• Caesar Salad Kit: Contains crispy romaine, parmesan, croutons, and an amazing caesar dressing. Perfectly zesty!
• Southwest Salad Kit: Features spicy greens, black beans, corn, crunchy tortilla strips, and a bold salsa ranch dressing.
• Strawberry Spinach Salad Kit: Offers a sweet spinach blend with juicy strawberries and a light poppyseed dressing.

They also have salad kits featuring taco flavors, Chinese chicken, Greek ingredients, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and more. You’ll never get bored with the wide range of Good & Gather salads available!

Where to Buy Good & Gather Salad Kits

The best place to buy Good & Gather Salad is at your local Target store. Since Good & Gather is Target’s signature brand, you can only find these salad kits at Target locations or on the Target website.

Inside Target stores, you’ll find a large refrigerated section with the full range of Good & Gather Salads. They’re usually packaged in clear plastic clam shells so you can see all the delicious ingredients inside.

If you prefer online shopping, you can order Good & Gather Salad kits on Target.com and either pick up at your local store or get home delivery. Keep an eye out for sales online too – I’ve scored some awesome deals adding salad kits to my Target Drive Up orders.

Overall Target makes it super easy to get your hands on these ready-made salads either in person or online. Just head to your neighborhood Target or visit the website to start enjoying Good & Gather today!

The Fresh, Wholesome Ingredients in Good & Gather Salads

One of the best things about Good & Gather Salad is that they use high-quality, fresh ingredients you can actually recognize!

Lettuce varieties like romaine, spinach, kale, arugula, and spring mix form the base of the salads. You’ll also find lots of colorful chopped veggies like tomatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, and cabbage blended throughout.

For crunch and texture, Good & Gather tosses in nuts, seeds, croutons, and sometimes even tortilla strips or wonton crisps. The protein options are delicious too, with choices like grilled chicken breast, marinated tofu, bacon bits, shredded cheese, and hard-boiled eggs.

The dressings and other mix-ins are all flavorful and made with simple, natural ingredients. Basically, exactly what you’d add to a salad at home! I love that there are no weird additives or preservatives hiding in my Good & Gather Salads.

Are the Greens Pre-Washed and Ready to Eat?

I know pre-washed lettuce and greens have gotten a bad rap lately, but you can feel confident about the safety of the lettuce in Good & Gather Salad kits.

The lettuce, kale, spinach, and other greens are triple-washed and pre-chopped before being packaged. This takes away the time and hassle of washing and chopping up a head of lettuce yourself!

Target has assured customers that the Good & Gather supply chain follows stringent standards when harvesting greens for the salad kits. Each batch is tested for contaminants to ensure freshness and safety.

I’ve never had any issues with the cleanliness or quality of lettuce and veggies in my Good & Gather Salads. Everything always looks and tastes perfectly crisp and fresh!

My Review of the Flavors and Texture

So how does Good & Gather Salad actually taste? In my experience, the flavors are bold, crisp, and balanced.

The lettuce and greens taste very fresh, while the chopped veggies and mix-ins add lots of texture and pops of flavor throughout each bite. I’m always impressed with the flavor of the dressing sachets too – they have zesty, herb-y tastes and nicely coat each salad component.

My favorite Good & Gather Salads in terms of taste are the Caesar, Cobb, Taco, and Italian Chopped kits. The unique flavors and textures of each kit keep things interesting.

I’d give the overall flavor and enjoyment of these salads a solid 8 out of 10 rating. They’re not gourmet by any means but make for satisfying quick salads any day of the week. The ingredients just work together deliciously!

Glowing Online Reviews Back Up the Taste and Quality

Don’t just take my word when it comes to the deliciousness of Good & Gather Salad kits! The hundreds of positive online reviews speak for themselves.

On Target.com, most Good & Gather Salads have 4+ star ratings, with customers raving about the convenience, price point, and flavors. People love having the ingredients pre-chopped and ready to toss together on busy nights. The tasty dressings and toppings especially get called out in reviews.

A sampling of reviews from satisfied Target shoppers:

• “These salads are so fresh and flavorful. Way better than store brand kits from other markets!”
• “The chicken is tender and dressing is amazing. A life saver for healthy eating when I’m too busy to prep veggies.”
• “The kale Caesar is my favorite! The salad stays crisp even after dressing and the croutons have the perfect crunch.”

Based on the glowing reviews, it seems like Good & Gather has succeeded in creating premium quality salad kits that make preparing delicious salads simple. The consensus is that the convenience and taste can’t be beat!

Nutritional Perks: Organic, Low-Cal, and Packed with Vitamins

Checking out the nutrition label on Good & Gather Salads made me feel even better about making them my go-to salad for lunch and dinner. Here are some of the nutritional highlights:

• Most varieties are 80 calories or less per serving, making them a diet-friendly choice.
• Packed with vitamin C, vitamin K, and other essential vitamins from all the fresh produce.
• Certified organic greens and vegetables used whenever possible.
• No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
• Zero grams trans fat and low amounts of saturated fat and sodium.
• Good amounts of fiber thanks to the veggies, nuts, and seeds.

Basically, you can feel good about the healthy quality of ingredients in Good & Gather Salads. The nutrition facts back up the commitment to fresh, organic produce.

Tips for Storing and Preserving Freshness

To get the most out of your Good & Gather Salad kits, proper storage is key! Here are my tips for keeping your salad greens crisp and your toppings fresh after purchasing:

• Refrigerate promptly after returning from Target and use by the “best by” date.
• Keep salad chilled at 34-40°F once opened if you don’t finish it all.
• Wrap tightly with plastic wrap if saving for later or store in an airtight container.
• Rinse and dry lettuce leaves if they seem damp after a few days to revive crispness.
• Add sturdy toppings like nuts and cheese right before eating if saving salad for multiple meals.

Following these guidelines, I find I can easily get 2-3 days of enjoyment from each Good & Gather Salad while maintaining that just-prepared taste and crunch. With proper storage, minimal leftovers go to waste!

Using Good & Gather Salads for Easy Meal Prep

One of my favorite ways to utilize Good & Gather Salads is for quick and healthy meal prep. They provide an instant base of veggies that I can build on.

My go-to meal prep formula is buying 2-3 Good & Gather Salad kits, then adding extras like:

• Leftover grilled, roasted, or shredded chicken breast
• Cooked shrimp, salmon fillets, or steak strips
• Hard-boiled eggs, chickpeas, beans, or tofu for extra protein
• Avocado, sunflower seeds, feta, or shredded carrots for more toppings

With these easy additions, I have flavorful and satisfying salad bowl meals ready to grab for lunch or dinner any day of the week. It makes meal prepping so fast without sacrificing taste or nutrition.

The possibilities are also endless when it comes to repurposing Good & Gather Salads into other dishes like tacos, flatbreads, salad sandwiches, wraps, or lettuce cups. Already having the lettuces and veggies prepped saves me so much time in the kitchen!

A Gluten-Free and Allergy-Friendly Salad Option

One question I’m often asked is whether Good & Gather Salads are gluten-free and allergy-friendly. I’m happy to report that the vast majority of their salad kits are made without common allergens and are naturally gluten-free!

Good & Gather Salad is careful to avoid using wheat, soy, dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, and fish ingredients that could cause allergic reactions. They also don’t add unnecessary fillers or additives.

Just be sure to double check the ingredients list on your chosen salad variety for potential allergen cross-contamination. As long as you avoid crouton and cheese topped kits, you should be good to go.

It gives me peace of mind to have tasty grab-and-go salad options that fit my family’s special dietary needs – a major perk!

My Favorite Pairings for Good & Gather Salad Dressings

The pre-packaged salad dressings are one of my favorite parts of Good & Gather Kits. Here are some of my go-to dressings and what I love to pair them with:

• Balsamic Vinaigrette – Makes a classic match with the Caesar or Italian Chopped Salads. I’ll also drizzle it over greens topped with chicken, mozzarella, and roasted red peppers.
• Raspberry Vinaigrette – Delicious on any salad combo with fruit like the Strawberry Spinach. Also pairs well with chicken or pecans and feta cheese for a sweet dressing twist.
• Salsa Ranch – Obviously tops the Southwest Salad but I’ll also use it when I’m adding taco meat or other Tex-Mex inspired toppers to greens for a taco salad.
• Poppyseed Dressing – The perfect partner to the Strawberry Poppyseed mix. Also light enough for an Asian chicken salad with peanuts and mandarin oranges.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and mix and match dressings to customize your Good & Gather Salad creations!

Expanding My Salad Horizons with Delivery and Pick Up

While I typically browse the in-store refrigerated section for Good & Gather Salad kits, I occasionally like to order delivery or do Target Drive Up pickup if I’m really short on time.

Target.com offers the complete selection of Good & Gather Salads for home delivery or to conveniently pick up curbside. I love being able to toss a few salad kit options into my online Target cart along with my regular grocery and household needs.

Drive Up pickup makes grabbing dinner on my way home from work a breeze. And delivery means one less stop with a busy schedule.

Online ordering is perfect for trying new Good & Gather Salad varieties I wouldn’t normally grab at the store too. The Buffalo Chicken and Broccoli Slaw kits are great examples I’ve discovered through delivery. Trying new salads makes meal time more exciting!

So if you’re time-crunched or just bored with your usual salad picks, don’t be afraid to order online and let Target bring the Good & Gather Salad discoveries to you.

Keeping Costs Down with Good & Gather’s Affordable Pricing

Like most folks, I’m watching my grocery budget closely these days. The great value of Good & Gather Salads is therefore one of their most appealing attributes for me.

Pricing varies slightly based on which salad variety and weight you select, but in general, Good & Gather Kits range from $3-$5 per salad. Compared to $7-10 for premade salads at the grocery deli, these are an awesome value!

And don’t get me started on restaurant salad pricing! Why splurge $12-15 on a restaurant salad bar when I can make delicious salads at home for a fraction of the cost with Good & Gather kits? They really help me stick to my food budget.

Even if you don’t use a full Good & Gather kit in one sitting, the extra lettuce and toppings keep for several more meals and snacks. That maximizes the value I get out of each kit.

Incorporating Good & Gather Into My Favorite Salad Recipes

I like to get creative with my Good & Gather Salads by integrating them into some of my favorite salad recipe creations. The pre-chopped greens, cheeses, nuts, and other toppings are perfect shortcut ingredients for recipes like:

• Wedge Salad – I’ll build a wedge using romaine from their Caesar or Chopped kits, then top with bacon, tomato, and homemade blue cheese dressing.
• Taco Stuffed Tomatoes – With seasoned ground beef or turkey, I’ll stuff large tomatoes with lettuce, beans, corn, cheese and other Southwest Salad fixings.
• Mason Jar Salads – Layers of kit ingredients in a jar make an easy grab-and-go work lunch. I include dressing in a separate container.
• Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad – Top grilled chicken with bacon, hard-boiled egg, tomato, onion, and avocado on a bed of chopped lettuce from a kit.

With so many tasty ingredients on hand, I never run out of ways to repurpose Good & Gather into restaurant-worthy salads. It makes me feel like a kitchen pro!

A Few Caveats on Ingredient Limitations

While I’m clearly a huge fan of Good & Gather Salads, there are a couple small limitations to be aware of if you follow strict dietary lifestyles like veganism or keto.

Specifically, the inclusion of:

• Cheese and eggs in salad topping means many kits aren’t suitable for vegans.
• Fruit with natural sugars in some varieties isn’t ideal for keto.
• Starchy beans or corn in certain salads should also be avoided on keto.

While Good & Gather calls out allergen information clearly on packaging, just check the ingredients list carefully if you have a highly restricted diet. There are still great vegan and keto options, but the variety is more limited.

For me personally, the ingredients work well for my omnivore, gluten-free lifestyle. I just tweak add-ins and dressings to make the salads work for my needs and preferences. But your dietary mileage may vary depending on restrictions.

Why I Trust the Good & Gather Brand for Quality

With any brand, especially new ones I’m not as familiar with, I like to do a bit of research to understand their supply chain and commitment to quality.

After learning more about their salad making process, I feel confident that Target’s Good & Gather line adheres to high safety and quality standards when it comes to their salad kits.

Here’s a bit more on their processes:

• They select produce from long-standing farm partners they trust for responsible growing practices.
• Salad kits are produced in GFSI-certified facilities that meet strict international food safety regulations.
• Comprehensive product testing is done for contaminants, organics verification, and ensuring correct ingredient labeling.
• Packaging includes thorough ingredient information, allergy warnings, safe handling instructions, and transparent nutrition labels.

Knowing how closely Good & Gather monitors food safety gives me peace of mind. I can enjoy their salad kits with confidence in the integrity of their supply chain.

Final Verdict: A Tasty, Healthy, and Convenient Salad Option

If you made it all the way through this epic guide, it’s clear I have a lot of enthusiasm for Good & Gather Salad kits! In my experience, they deliver on providing an easy way to build quick, delicious, and nutritious salads at home.

The variety of greens, toppings, dressing options, and different health benefits make it fun to try new salad creations anytime inspiration strikes. And you simply can’t beat the convenience of having salad ingredients prepped and ready to toss together.

While thoughts on taste and ingredient quality vary by personal preference, I wholeheartedly recommend the Good & Gather brand based on my positive experiences. And I think the thousands of other delighted Target shoppers would agree – it’s worth hopping on the bandwagon to say goodbye to sad desk salads!

So next time you need an easy yet satisfying salad, look for the colorful Good & Gather kits in the refrigerated section or order online for delivery or Drive Up. With a little creativity, you’ll never have a boring salad again thanks to their fresh, tasty approach to homemade salads.