When time is of the essense and you're planning a barbecue spread, the best store-bought potato salad can rival homemade options. We found the one that's just as good as your classic family recipe.
The Best Store-Bought Potato Salads, Ranked
Published on Apr. 25, 2025
We all know by now that side dishes are just as important at a barbecue as the grilled meats. Once you’ve found the best hot dogs to toss on the grill and your family has voted on the tastiest barbecue sauce picks, you’re going to need to round out the meal with summer salads. Fresh leafy salads, cold pasta salads and hearty potato salads are ideal for any summer menu.
We went to seven grocery stores in search of the best store-bought potato salad:
- Aldi
- Jewel/Albertson’s
- Mariano’s/Kroger
- Meijer
- Target
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
We tested the potato salads for fresh flavor, the way the potatoes were cooked, the creaminess of the dressing and the mix-ins. We also considered the price-per-pound. Because prepared salads are usually more pricey than making homemade, we wanted every spoonful to be worth it!
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7. Walmart
The original potato salad from Walmart is made with potatoes, mayonnaise, water, sugar, celery and sweet pickle relish, and without any artificial flavors or corn syrup. It retails for a budget-conscious $3.47 per pound.
While the price was right for this potato salad, the consistency was not. The potatoes were overcooked and mushy, with a dressing that was far too thin. We prefer potato salads that have nice chunks that can be picked up with a fork, but this could almost be mashed potatoes.
Bottom Line: The Walmart potato salad’s price-per-pound was attractive, but that’s about it.
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6. Meijer
Meijer had plenty of potato salad options in its refrigerator case. There was a loaded smashed potato salad, red potato salad, Amish-style potato salad and a mustard potato salad. For this taste test, we sampled the store’s American potato salad made with celery, sweet pickle relish, onion and mustard. It’s sold in a 16-ounce container for $3.59.
We found this potato salad to be a bit too sour and in need of additional seasoning. However, we liked the crunch from the celery and the fact that it was made without high-fructose corn syrup.
Bottom Line: With a variety of choices all for a great price, Meijer is the way to go if you want to pick up several different options for a party.
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5. Aldi
As a German grocery store chain, we had high expectations for the Aldi potato salad. The large, 32-ounce container sells for an incredible price, only $3.99, making this the best price-per-pound of any of the grocery stores we visited.
While Aldi’s potato salad stood out in terms of value, it was more middle-of-the-road in terms of flavor. The potatoes were cooked nicely, and we could taste the mustard flavor, but it was a bit on the sour side. Plus, we wanted more seasoning and color. The ingredients listed were potatoes, mayonnaise, celery, hard-boiled eggs, sugar, water, onion, sweet pickle relish, green onion and dehydrated parsley. More green onion and parsley would have helped this one.
Bottom Line: If saving money is a top priority, this incredible value from Aldi can’t be beat. Kick it up a notch by chopping fresh herbs and sprinkling them over the salad.
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4. Target
The classic potato salad from Target had nice chunks of perfectly cooked potato as well as some flecks of color throughout. The consistency of the dressing was great, but there was almost too much of it. Made with potatoes, mayonnaise, celery, hard-boiled eggs, sugar, water, onion and sweet pickle relish, we appreciated that we could taste each of the individual elements here. At $3.69 for a 1-pound container, the Target potato salad was right on the money.
Bottom Line: While this wasn’t at the top of our list, the potato salad from Target is a convenient and price-conscious option for summer get-togethers.
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3. Jewel/Albertson’s
The original potato salad from Jewel was one of several options from the deli case. They also sold one called Grandma’s potato salad and a buttermilk potato salad. At $4.99 per pound, this was more expensive than some of the other options, but with a higher quality, so we felt the price was fair.
The potatoes were perfectly cooked, and the salad was bright yellow. We liked the addition of celery seed to the ingredient list and felt it added flavor that was lacking in the other potato salads. The only thing that would have made this one better would have been more mix-ins.
Bottom Line: With nice chunks of potatoes and a beautiful yellow hue, the potato salad from Jewel was one of the most attractive of the bunch. It would fit perfectly with any summer potluck spread.
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2. Mariano’s/Kroger
There were several potato salad options at Mariano’s. Customers can choose from German Potato salad, steakhouse potato salad, metro potato salad and, of course, the classic yellow potato salad. This is the one we sampled for $4.49 per pound. It was made with all the traditional ingredients: russet potatoes, mayonnaise, dressing, celery, bell peppers, onion, mustard, sugar, salt and white pepper.
There were lovely pieces of cooked potato, and we could taste the other elements in the salad, too. It was all coated in a creamy dressing with balanced flavor. White pepper isn’t as sharp as black pepper, and it made all the difference in this salad.
Bottom Line: Mariano’s is a top choice if you like a traditional potato salad made with russet potatoes.
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1. Whole Foods
The red bliss potato salad from Whole Foods took the top slot in our potato salad taste test. Even before taking that first bite, this salad was the most appetizing. Made with unpeeled red potatoes, this potato salad had lovely flecks of color. Leaving the skin on the potatoes added a delightful texture, too.
Besides potatoes, the ingredients include mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, onion, green onion, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, brown sugar, parsley, water, cornstarch and white pepper. The combination of mayonnaise and sour cream created the perfect creamy binder for all the elements. Apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard added a lively zing, and the green onion added a burst of color.
At $5.99 a pound, this was the most expensive potato salad on the list, and it was worth every penny.
Bottom Line: If you are willing to spend an extra dollar per pound, the Whole Foods potato salad is made with fresh ingredients and tastes homemade.
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