When people think about salads, may have visions of hot summer days, picnic and backyard barbeques. For some reason, salad tends to get a lot more “action” (for lack of a better word) in the summer months than in the winter months. I can only assume it’s because the summer time it a great time for fresh vegetables and fruits to adorn any kind of salad.
Salad is something that can be enjoyed year round. In fact, autumn also has great vegetables and fruits that can be harvested to make the most delicious salads – things like pumpkin and nuts come to mind.
Are you familiar with the brand Ready Pac Foods? Maybe you might not know the brand by name, but chances are you have seen their salads on a grocer’s shelf near you.
Ready Pac Foods offers a line of salad “kits” and salad bowls in a variety of flavors. Their kits and bowls are available year round. They have a seasonal assortment that is only available for a limited time.
As the leaves start to turn colors and the air becomes crisp, consumers welcome the first day of fall. Ready Pac Foods follows suit with the launch of two new Limited Edition products: Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl® single-serve salad and Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit. The two new offerings give consumers the indulgent, autumn flavors they are looking for in a healthier, convenient way.
“We know consumers look forward to indulging in pumpkin spice flavored foods during the fall, but this often means a sugary or sweet treat,” said Tristan Simpson, Chief Marketing Officer, Ready Pac Foods. “Our culinary team crafted craveably fresh options to give consumers something healthier to enjoy, but still delight in the flavors of the season.”
The Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl® single-serve salad is a blend of harvest spring mix, roasted turkey, raisins, pepitas and dates, topped off with a light pumpkin vinaigrette with a hint of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. This new Bistro Bowl variety brings consumers into the new season with all of their senses and in a healthy way. With 11 grams of protein and four grams of fiber, the flavorful salad is only 330 calories and perfect for an on-the-go meal at a game, on a hike or in the office.
The Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit, is a blend of spring mix and carrots, topped with crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds, diced dates, raisins and pumpkin-spiced cornbread croutons, all dressed with a tangy pumpkin vinaigrette. This chef-inspired, restaurant-style salad kit fulfills consumers’ craving for an indulgent, holiday-flavored salad. This salad kit is perfect as a side dish at your fall dinner party or tailgate at the game. For a more satisfying option, simply add roasted turkey for a quick meal.
Ready Pac Foods sent me both the Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl® and Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit to try out with my family.
I am head-over-heels in love with both of them! The pumpkin vinaigrettes are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I would put them other other salads I made year round if they were available.
Even my husband who is not a fan of pumpkin enjoyed the dressing that came with the Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit. When I served the salad with dinner one night (the kit provided enough salad for my family of four), I didn’t tell him what the dressing was. I wanted him to try it first. If I told him it was pumpkin I knew he wouldn’t try it. I told him AFTER he finished his bowl of salad. He was pleasantly surprised that he enjoyed it. He even told me that if I had told him beforehand it was pumpkin he wouldn’t have tried the salad.
We at the salad in the Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit as a side dish to our family dinner. We didn’t add anything to it but I would agree with the description that if you added turkey or chicken to it, it could become a yummy meal.
I enjoyed taking the Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl to work with me for lunch. It was just enough to fill me up.
I love all the added toppings that come with the bowl (roasted turkey, raisins, pepitas and dates). They added just the right amount of sweetness and crunch to the salad.
Pepitas, if you are not familiar with them, are pumpkin seeds. They come from certain types of pumpkins and they don’t have to be shelled like regular pumpkin seeds. They are very tasty!
I wish these products were available year round, but they are not. They are only available for a limited time. It’s fresh salad too, so it’s not like you can stock up on them to last for a few months.
The Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl is available in more than 3,000 locations nationwide, including Walmart and Wegmans, through mid-December at a suggested retail price of $3.99. I plan on buying several more the next time I see them on a store shelf.
The Autumn Harvest Salad Kit is available at Costco stores nationwide and only through the end of October for a suggested retail price of $3.99. Sadly, there isn’t much time left to try out this salad, so if you are interested in it (trust me, you won’t be disappointed) you should hurry up and pick some up at a Costco near you.
Ready Pac Foods does offer other products that would satisfy your craving for fall-like flavors.
Bistro Bowl® Single-Serve Salads:
- Apple Bleu Pecan – Fresh apples over a bed of crisp arugula and baby greens topped with pecans and a Bleu cheese balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
- Cranberry Walnut – This vegetarian salad features a bed of spring mix topped with dried cranberries, candied walnut pieces, feta cheese crumbles and a delicious all-natural raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
- Kale Apple Veggie Chopped Salad – A chopped kale salad with broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, radicchio, topped with celery, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and crisp apples, with a tangy lemon poppy seed dressing.
ElevĀte Organic Salads:
- Nutty Cranberry Organic Salad – Organic spring mix topped with tart dried cranberries, creamy feta cheese, walnuts and almonds, with a delicious raspberry vinaigrette.
Ready Snax® Snack Packs:
- Caramel Apple Crisp – Tart Granny Smith and sweet red apple slices, graham crackers, praline pecans and creamy caramel dip.
- Apples & Cheese with Caramel Dip – Tart Granny Smith apple slices with creamy cheddar cheese and decadent caramel sauce.
Yum! These all sound yummy.
If seasonal flavors aren’t your thing, Ready Pac Foods offers other salad kits such as Organic Chopped Cesar Salad (my husband’s favorite), Organic Chopped Kickin’ Southwest (my kids favorite – they liked the tortilla strips) and Organic Chopped Sweet Kale, to name a few. There is also a Zesty Greek (I don’t see it on their site) that comes with Feta cheese and flatbread pieces. This one was my personal favorite of the Organic Chopped varieties.
If you would like to learn more about these and other Ready Pac Foods products, visit ReadyPac.com. You can also find the brand on social media. All of their links are found at the top of their website.
What do you think about the delicious fall offerings from Ready Pac Foods? Have you tried them before? Would you try them if you found them at a store near you? Feel free to share your thoughts. I always love to hear from readers.
Kimberly
*I received a variety of samples to review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
heather says
I love salads and this one looks amazing I am going to have to check it out thanks for sharing.
Angela Saver says
I love salad kits! Anything to help get dinner on the table quicker! The Autumn Harvest sounds delicious!