I tried 6 store-bought potato salads—and there was one clear winner

This is the one I’ll keep reaching for.

We get it—barbecues aren’t always as carefree as they seem, at least when it comes to getting the food together. There are a ton of situations that will have you reaching for the plastic tub of potato salad in a store’s refrigerator case: someone forgot to buy the ingredients, and now it’s go-time; it slipped your mind that it was your assignment for the potluck; or hey—maybe cooking just isn’t your thing. Whatever the reason, the contents of that container had better be good. We’re talking about one of the quintessential dishes of the summer here.

How I Tested the Best Store-Bought Potato Salad

Options for potato salad vary by store, with some sticking to standard mayo and others offering varieties in everything from “southern style” to “deviled egg.” To keep everything as even as possible, we stuck to whatever was labeled “original” or the closest thing the store had to it.

How each person likes their potato salad can be a deeply personal, often childhood-influenced, preference. For example, my family’s recipe is a mayo-only dish that involves chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, and a more-than-substantial amount of onion and garlic powder. For that reason, I believe potato salad should taste clean and have a refreshing element (this is the stuff that provides a reprieve from hot chicken, after all). And I don’t think potato salad has any business being sweet (and I’m not talking about relish—that can stay).

Depending on where you live, you might find some potato salad options at Costco. They could be from a company like Stonemill or Reser’s, or made in-house in the deli section. I’ve seen some interesting versions, like loaded baked potato salad, floating around social media, and wish I could have sampled some to see how they measured up. Sadly, in my area, Costco only stocks potato salad for a limited time around the summer barbecue holidays and does not restock. I’ll just have to wait until next year to see where they rank in this list.

With that in mind, here is the ranking of spuddy salads.

Best Store-Bought Potato Salads Taste Test

6th Place: Kroger Southern Style Potato Salad

If with store-bought “potato salad” you were hoping for a lot of mayo, this is for you. Visually, it was yellow—but there’s a bolder yellow mustard flavor, too. It was an interesting feat for a mixture that doesn’t actually contain any mustard. It did, in true “southern style” form, however, contain sweet pickle relish.

5th Place: Walmart Original Potato Salad

Walmart’s potato salads come in “original,” “Amish” with sweet pickle and egg, and “deviled egg.” The “original” also has sweet pickle relish—and a copious amount of it. But the prominent flavor comes from red bell pepper. The giant chunks of the pepper weren’t off-putting, but nothing can prepare you for how much that flavor takes over. Texturally, it was whipped, but it looked more homemade than some others on this list.

4th Place: Aldi Original Potato Salad

At this point in the taste test, we started to improve by leaps and bounds. Aldi’s very large tub comes in “original”, “mustard”, and “steakhouse.” The “original” was still sweet, but had enough starchiness from the potatoes and a savory quality from the mustard to be pleasant. Visually, it was the most yellow in the group and had a thick, textural mashed-potato texture with a strong egg-forward flavor.

3rd Place: Whole Foods Market Red Bliss Potato Salad

While Aldi took the prize for the most yellow-tinged of the bunch, Whole Foods won for the whitest. In fact, it looked more like tzatziki or yogurt dip than a standard potato salad. The flavor was unique, thanks to a mixture of sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard, with prominent celery chunks. If you’re OK with one of the kings of summer sides reading more like something you dunk a chip or chunk of pita into, go nuts.

2nd Place: Trader Joe’s Potato Salad

This spoonful was heads and shoulders above everything else I ate. Mr. Joe makes a salad with true flavors of potatoes and celery, and a good, chunky texture. Still, it’s a little loose, and only ranks second because it still read a bit sweet. The addition of horseradish is a nice touch, and, contrary to the standard MO of horseradish, manages to be subtle.

1st Place Winner: Publix Homestyle Red Potato Salad

Publix’s potato salad offerings come in “homestyle red,” “southern style,” and “New York style.” This one was still sweeter than we’d like, but so much less noticeable; it was even refreshing. Potatoes within the pleasantly thick mixture were finely shaved, like on a mandoline, which made for an enjoyable bite. Finally, the visible “seasoning mix” of mustard seed and dehydrated parsley really amped up the flavor and earned Publix the crown for potato salads. The next time you’re turning to grocery store potato salad, for any reason from potlucks to quick lunches, this is the one you should reach for.

Read the original article on Allrecipes