I enjoy grocery shopping. I especially enjoy shopping at Trader Joe’s. There are so many different products to choose from for the gourmet-minded and health-conscious consumer. With all those options, however, making a decision can be difficult.
Focusing on the Health Quotient
I can’t sample all these options, I end up relying on my nutrition knowledge to make a decision between the options. I have already made a decision before entering the store to place a priority on the nutrient density or health quotient of the meal. Then, after I make a decision, I hope it tastes good!
Pursuit of a nutritious, delicious, and convenient dressing
I am always on the lookout for good salad dressings given how many raw vegetables/salads I should consume. I prefer to make them myself with seeds, nuts, vinegars, fruits, etc. But I don’t want to use my laziness to justify not eating raw vegetables because I don’t have a dressing ready-made. Hence my pursuit of a nutritious, delicious, convenient dressing.
Dressings in the refrigerated section
I found a few good options for dressings in the refrigerated section. I could narrow my selection down to the refrigerated section since I knew that the products are likely to taste fresher and have better quality ingredients than bottled shelf dressings.
I narrowed it down to two options: Trader Joe’s Cilantro Dressing and Trader Joe’s Champagne Pear Vinaigrette with Gorgonzola.
Cilantro Dressing:
Calories: 45 per 2 Tbl
Fat: 3.5 g
Sat Fat: 0.5g
Sodium: 120 mg
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 1 g
Pear Vinaigrette
Calories: 45 per 2 Tbl
Fat: 2.5 g
Sat fat: 0.5 g
Sodium 200 mg
Sugars: 4 g
Protein: 1 g
- Criteria #1: Low Calories My first criteria was that it be low in calories. Ideally, under 50 calories for 2 tablespoons. Typically a full-fat dressing will have at least 200 calories per 2 tablespoons. Unfortunately, many people end up eating at least 4 tablespoons (400 calories) over a few cups of greens (15 calories). This means most of that meal’s calories/nutrition is coming from the dressing or oil. Not good for nutrient stores or a slim waistline.
- Criteria #2: If calories are equal, go with the higher fat. While both of these dressings would be great options given their low calorie content, my budget would only allow for one option. Since both contain the same calories, saturated fat, and protein, I looked at the difference in total fat, sodium, and sugar. I would prefer to have more fat than carbohydrate in a dressing since fat is needed to absorb many of the carotenoids and other fat-soluble nutrients found in salad greens and vegetables.
- Criteria #3: Choose the lower sodium content. It is always a good idea to choose a lower sodium product (and given taste is not sacrificed that much). So I went with the Cilantro Dressing. I also thought I could use this dressing in more recipes than just salads making it more versatile.
- Criteria #4: Make sure the fat comes from a healthy source. If there were a difference in the source of fat in these two dressings, I would have gone with the healthier fat. The Cilantro dressing uses canola oil as it’s predominant oil. This is a healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oil. If the saturated fat were higher in the pear vinaigrette with gorgonzola I could safely assume that more of the fat content in the dressing came from the gorgonzola since cheese has a high saturated fat content. This would be another reason to choose another dressing. It’s ok if the fat is higher as long as it comes from a healthy source like canola oil or olive oil (rather than dairy fat, animal fat, cottonseed oil, or hydrogenated oils).
I am pleased with my purchase. The Cilantro Dressing is delicious. But, next time I am at Trader Joe’s I will definitely try the Pear Vinaigrette!
