By Ariana Losch |
The best coleslaw is made with a tangy, creamy dressing and crisp veggies that deliver a satisfying crunch. It should never be soggy, blandly seasoned, or overly sour. Most importantly, the best coleslaw should bring a palate-cleansing “cooling” factor to your meal that contrasts with your tender BBQ meats and hot sides.
Oh, how does one describe coleslaw? From “kimchi for white people” to “yummy yummy cabbage goop,” I’ve heard people refer to it in all sorts of ways. Personally, I see coleslaw as that one quiet friend who’s easy to overlook in a crowd but always nice to have around. A good listener who adds to the conversation (i.e. your food) and doesn’t need to be the center of attention. And you know what, friends like that are hard to come by—just like the best store bought coleslaw. Because not every grocery store is sellin’ the slaw, as it turns out. Luckily, we found three slaw-fully great options, depending on what you like. From the best creamy coleslaw to the best coleslaw for BBQ, here’s the best coleslaw we found.
- Freshness Guaranteed Coleslaw
With its nice, thick dressing, Walmart’s deli coleslaw is the best creamy coleslaw of the bunch. The dressing is heavy on the mayo, which makes it the best coleslaw to slather on a burger or pulled pork sandwich, and the copious amounts of shredded carrot will contribute some crunch, too. Since the flavor leans more sweet than tangy, this might not be the best coleslaw for those looking for a more sour tang, but it’s still a good store bought coleslaw.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Whole Foods Coleslaw
When you’re standing under the blazing hot sun next to a smoking grill, nothing hits quite like a cool, crunchy, homemade slaw. And if Whole Foods understands anything, it’s the importance of fresh, quality veggies to really provide that signature crunch. The cabbage and carrots are so crisp, you could munch on this stuff all on its own. The dressing is beautifully light, and while a creamier coleslaw might be easier to spread on a bun loaded with meat, the best barbeque coleslaw is all about texture and versatility. Since Whole Foods slaw is not too sweet or mayo heavy, it goes great with grilled meats, fish tacos, or, hey, even flying solo. This is the best coleslaw to pair with just about anything, for just about anyone.
Credit: Merc / Whole Foods
- Reser’s Coleslaw
Look, if we were going by ingredients alone, it would be easy to say Whole Foods makes the best coleslaw. But we simply couldn’t ignore the X factor that Reser’s Coleslaw brought to this competition. This stuff has a mustardy, deviled-egg tang that’s similar to what we loved about their macaroni salad. Our forks just kept coming back to this tub of creamy goodness. The slaw is extra tangy, well salted, and still packs a satisfying crunch. If you want to give all the dads at the potluck something to gossip about, you have to serve up Reser’s coleslaw. Flavor-wise, it’s the best coleslaw we tried.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Best Creamy Coleslaw
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Best Barbeque Coleslaw
Best Barbeque Coleslaw
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Other grocery store coleslaw we tried: First Street Coleslaw, Signature Select Coleslaw
About the Author
Ariana Losch
Ariana Losch is a Sporked contributor, webcomic writer, java junkie, and bad TV enthusiast. She only ever feels at peace laying out on a beach like a kebab, roasting in the sun; sadly, she can never move back to Florida, her home state, because there simply isn’t enough good Mediterranean food. You can find her overstaying her welcome at just about every LA coffee shop, working on a screenplay and avoiding all eye contact. (She is embarrassed to be there, please leave her alone.)
