How healthy is your favourite pre-packed salad? We rate the best of the bunch to the worst, you'll be surprised by the results!
We know what it's like when you're rushing around trying to get everything done, and want to grab something easy but also healthy for lunch. And we often assume that choosing a pre-packed salad over a sandwich is the healthier option. But just how much better are the salads we’re eating? Are they really as healthy as we think, or are there some unhealthy secrets lurking in our salad bowls?
We took 15 of the most popular pre-packed salads that we have for lunch and rated them from worst to best, ranking one for super-unhealthy, up to ten for the best for calories, fat, sugar ans salt, so you can make better choices next time you're in need of a quick and healthy lunch.
To keep our findings fair we have compared the nutritional information per serving. They all come in at different weights, so we’ve worked out the calorie to weight ratios to make it easier for you to make your lunchtime decision.
How did your favourite pre-packed salad rate? Tell us in the comment box below.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pesto and Parmesan Pasta
Rating for calorie-counters: 1
Cal: 402kcal
Fat: 17.8g
Sat fat: 5.2g
Sugar: 2.6g
Salt: 1.5g
Price: £2 for 175g Pesto, pasta and Parmesan - this was never going to be the healthiest of options, but even we were shocked at just how calorific this pre-packed salad was. With a high level of fat, saturated fat and sugar too, this one is definitely a salad pot to avoid.
Tesco Finest Chargrilled Mushroom Pasta
Rating for calorie-counters: 2
Cal: 470kcal
Fat: 23.6g
Sat fat: 3.8g
Sugar: 1.8g - lowest sugar content!
Salt: 1.6g
Price: £2.10 for 225g Another pasta option and another not-so-healthy choice. While Tesco’s Chargrilled Mushroom Pasta might be filling, it won’t help with your diet at all.
Asda Chicken Caesar Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 3
Cal: 250kcal
Fat: 13.7g
Sat fat: 5.1g
Sugar: 2.0g
Salt: 0.9g
Price: £2 for 157g Chicken Caesar salads rarely fare well in terms of nutrition due to the rich, creamy dressing and Asda’s take on the classic is no exception. The levels of fat and saturated fat are high, so this is one salad we’d see more as a treat.
Tesco Chicken & Bacon Layered Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 3
Cal: 524kcal - highest calorie content per serving!
Fat: 24.1g - highest fat!
Sat fat: 2.9g
Sugar: 9.7g - highest sugar content!
Salt: 1.2g
Price: £2.20 for 360g In terms of taste, Tesco’s Chicken & Bacon Layered Salad would rate much higher in our edit. Unfortunately, for those watching their weight, it’s not the healthiest of options. It has one of the highest amounts of sugar out of all of the salads.
Waitrose Chicken Caesar Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 5
Cal: 361kcal
Fat: 23g
Sat fat: 4.3g
Sugar: 3g
Salt: 0.4g
Price: £3.49 for 250g If you’re a fan of Caesar salads then Waitrose’s version is the one to invest in. While it might be slightly more expensive, it’s more diet-friendly compared to the others.
Asda Prawn Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 5
Cal: 240kcal
Fat: 10.6g
Sat fat: 1.1g
Sugar: 2.3g
Salt: 0.7g
Price: £1.20 for 180g If you’re looking for a well-balanced salad in terms of hitting all your food groups, Asda’s Prawn Salad isn’t a bad option. It’s worth taking note of the fat levels though, and not choosing this too regularly if you’re on a diet.
Waitrose Greek Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 6
Cal: 244kcal
Fat: 20.4g
Sat fat: 7.2g
Sugar: 6.6g
Salt: 0.6g
Price: £2.49 for 200g Calorie-wise this is a good choice when it comes to pre-packed salads, but the fat content is very high. We’d restrict this salad to once a week and have fruit to finish.
Morrisons Potato and Egg salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 5
Cal: 180kcal
Fat: 9g
Sat fat: 0.8g
Sugar: 8g
Salt: 0.7g
Price: £1.60 for 250g
This salad sits at about the midway point, given that it's low in calories and salt but pretty high in sugar! It doesn't have a bad amount of salt in it, but the fat count is still fairly high given that it's a salad - and meant to be healthier for you.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Greek Salad
Cal:172kcal
Fat: 1.4g - lowest fat content!
Sat fat: 4.8g
Sugar: 4.2g
Salt: 1.7g
Price: £2.50 for 165g This is a great option for lunch and as the calorie and fat levels are low, you can even indulge in a bread roll to go with it. Plus it’s worth looking out for Sainsbury’s two-for-one deals on these salad boxes too.
Boots Delicious Italian Style Three Bean Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 8
Cal: 208kcal
Fat: 3g
Sat fat: 0.2g
Sugar: 5g
Salt: 0.4g
Price: £3.49 for 200g While this has the same calorie to weight ratio as Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Greek Salad, the sugar and salt levels are much lower. It’s available in the Boots meal deal too, so it’s great value for money.
John West Light Lunch Mediterranean Style Tuna Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 9
Cal: 211kcal
Fat: 4.2g
Sat fat: 0.7g
Sugar: 9.5g
Salt: 1.8g
Price: £1.98 for 220g at Tesco Tuna is a great fish to stock up on and John West’s lunch salads are a great option if you're trying to be healthy. While there are a variety of flavours, the Mediterranean Style is our favourite. It’s light on the purse too.
Morrisons Spinach and Pine Nut Pasta Salad
Rating for calorie-counters: 4
Cal: 252kcal
Fat: 12.8g
Sat fat: 1.6g
Sugar: 2.8g
Salt: 0.8g
Price: £2 for 230g at Morrisons
While super tasty, this probably isn't the best bet for your diet! Its fat content is pretty high, as is the amount of sugar in this oil-based pasta salad. Keep this for a once a week - or once a month - treat, instead.
