It’s no secret that at Nutrition con Sabor, we LOVE salsa as a quick and easy way to add veggies to any meal. But if you’re too tired or short on time to make homemade salsa, I get it. Enter the handy jar of store bought salsa!
That’s why I reached out to my dietitian colleagues and asked them to share their favorite store bought salsas! These are the jars of salsa dietitians reach for when they need a quick punch of flavor and nutrition.
Keep reading for the top jars of salsa recommended by dietitians, including mild AND extra spicy choices.
Plus, we’ll find out just why dietitians love salsa so much and how store bought salsa stacks up nutritionally.
This article is featured in the salsa issue of our zine! Read the whole issue here.
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Why dietitians love salsa
As a Mexican-American dietitian, I consider salsa my secret weapon for adding vegetables and antioxidants to any meal without adding extra stress or dishes.
Kelly Powers, MA, RDN, agrees. She explains, “salsa is a great way to add variety and flavor to dishes without having to make complex recipes.”
As Theresa Mazza, RDN, CHES, points out, “[salsa is] made from fruits and veggies!”
While the exact nutrition content of a salsa can depend on the ingredients, most salsas contain vegetables like onion, tomato and chile. This makes salsa “rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber,” according to Juliana Crimi, RD, MHSc.
Salsa can also be an antidote against bland “diet” food. When clients feel stressed about having to watch their sodium or fat intake, fearing that their food will now be flavorless, salsa can help close the gap.
Dietitian Alyssa Pacheco recommends adding salsa to proteins like chicken or fish, “to give these foods more flavor.” This way, clients can enjoy heart healthy proteins without sacrificing flavor.
And salsa can fit into the recommended diet for a wide variety of health conditions. For clients with diabetes, it can help add flavor without contributing too many additional carbohydrates, as dietitian Lindsay Cohen explains.
Crimi likes salsa as a way to help clients increase flavor without too much extra sodium, sugar, or fat. And Moushumi Mukherjee MS RDN, recommends salsa as an alternative to other sauces that may be too high in calories or fat for her clients’ needs.
How do store bought vs fresh salsa stack up in terms of nutrition?
But when it comes to salsa, is homemade superior to store bought? The dietitians mentioned there are some nutrition differences, but overall both are very healthy choices.
Be aware of added ingredients
Most of the dietitians mentioned that store bought salsa may be higher in sodium than homemade. This is “to help with preservation and enhance flavor,” Crimi explains.
This may be a concern for those who need to monitor their sodium intake, such as people with diabetes, kidney disease, or heart disease.
Kay Lee, RDN, CDCES, also recommended clients watch out for added sugar in salsa.
Managing sodium content
At the same time, the sodium content isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. The dietitians had tips for how to enjoy store bought salsa if you’re concerned about your sodium intake.
The main tip offered was reading the nutrition label. “The one thing to look for is the amount of sodium in a serving,” recommends Melissa Altman-Traub MS, RDN, LDN.
And be aware of portion size. Pacheco notes that the serving size of salsa is “generally small: only two tablespoons.” While you certainly don’t have to limit your intake to just two tablespoons, be aware of this when reading a nutrition label if you’re tracking your sodium intake.
If the sodium content is too high or the portion size too small, Altman-Traub recommends “adding chopped avocado, cooked corn, and/or fresh tomatoes” to help extend the serving size.
Nutrition advantages of store bought salsa
But as some dietitians pointed out, there are also some nutrition benefits that store bought salsa has over fresh, homemade salsa.
One of the main benefits of store bought salsa is that it may make it easier to actually eat salsa. Besides just being more convenient, store bought salsa “doesn’t go bad in a few days like fresh ingredients,” Lee points out.
Another benefit of store bought salsa? Both Altman-Traub and Lee mentioned that the consistent, predictable flavor and texture can make it more likely you will actually use the salsa. Having made a very disappointing salsa with bland, unripe tomatoes before, I can see their point!
After all, “what’s more important is eating the salsa so you get more vegetables in your diet,” according to Powers. The way Melissa Artica, RD sees it, “all the fresh and healthy ingredients are there.”
Finally, there’s evidence that processed tomatoes may actually be a better source of an antioxidant called lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
This means you may be able to get more of this antioxidant from a jar of tomato salsa than homemade. This is because lycopene becomes more easily absorbed by the body when it’s been heated or cooked.
While this doesn’t mean you should only ever eat processed tomatoes instead of fresh, it does mean that including a mix of store bought and fresh products will provide you with a wide range of nutrition benefits.
Dietitians favorite store bought salsas
Now that we know just how much dietitians love to recommend salsa as a quick, easy vegetable source, let’s find out exactly which salsa they love and why!
Here are dietitians’ top picks for store bought salsa:
Amy Beney’s Pick: Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica
Amy Beney, MS, RD, CDCES recommends Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica for its smooth texture and classic blend of tomato and spices. She recommends salsa to “add veggies or color to your meal.” A classic for a reason!
Melissa Artica’s Pick: Northgate Market Salsa Ranchera Molcajete Style
Northgate Market is a popular Hispanic grocery store in Southern California, which may be why their store brand salsa is so highly recommended. Artica explains, “ [it] tastes just like homemade but without the work!” Try Northgate Market Salsa Ranchera Molcajete Style here.
Theresa Mazza’s Pick: Tatemada Habanero Salsa
Mazza recommends the Tatemada Habanero Salsa because “it tastes incredibly fresh, [it has a] solid ingredient list, and I love that it’s got a great roasted flavor.” She recommends serving salsa with “burritos, tacos, eggs, chips, and veggies to help get in more servings.”
Lindsay Cohen’s Pick: Good & Gather Roasted Salsa Verde from Target
In addition to good flavor, Cohen recommends Target’s Roasted Salsa Verde for its accessibility and nutritional value. “[This salsa is] affordable and easy to find. It also contains less sodium than many other store bought salsas, with 160mg per serving.”
Juliana Crimi’s Pick: Neal Brothers Organic Mercifully Mild Salsa
Crimi’s pick, the Mercifully Mild Salsa by Neal Brothers is a local Canadian favorite. It’s an especially good fit for anyone who prefers mild heat, or needs a gentler option for dietary reasons.
Melissa Altman-Traub’s Pick: Chi Chi’s Restaurant Style Salsa, Medium
Altman-Traub recommends Chi Chi’s Restaurant Style Salsa, noting “this salsa has a fresh taste and texture although it’s jarred.”
Kay Lee’s Pick: Bobby Salazar’s Salsa Verde Hot
Lee recommends Bobby Salazar’s Salsa Verde which you can find in the refrigerated section of supermarkets like Safeway. “It tastes amazingly fresh, like homemade,” Lee says. She also likes this choice for clients who need to monitor their sodium intake more closely.
This option is much lower in sodium than many other store bought choices, at just 60 mg sodium per 2 tablespoon serving. Lee points out, this makes it a great fit for people who like bigger servings of salsa.
Kelly Powers’s Pick: Casa Sanchez Medium Salsa Roja
Powers recommends the Casa Sanchez Medium Salsa Roja, noting it’s “fresh and full of flavor without being overpowering.”
Alyssa Pacheco’s Pick: Trader Joe’s Cowboy Caviar Salsa
Pacheco recommends Trader Joe’s Cowboy Caviar salsa because the extra beans and corn add extra fiber. “It’s heartier than your traditional store bought salsa,” Pacheco said, making it a good choice for anyone who wants to bulk up their meals a bit.
Moushumi Mukherjee’s Pick: Siete Salsa (Any flavor)
Mukherjee recommends any of Siete’s salsas, citing their “minimal and natural ingredients [. . .] such as tomatoes, jalapeños, onions, garlic, sea salt, and lemon juice.”
Nutrition con Sabor Pick: Herdez Roasted Salsa Verde
I’m always trying new salsas, and it feels like every month I have a new “favorite.” But I picked Herdez roasted salsa verde because it’s the option that my clients tell me they go to whenever they don’t have time to make their own. I also like that it’s available nationwide at an affordable price point.
Conclusion
The best salsa is whichever salsa makes it easy and exciting for you to add a few extra spoonfuls of veggies to your meals. Whether that’s homemade or store bought is a matter of taste, accessibility, and time constraints.
As we’ve seen, there are plenty of nutrition benefits to be found in store bought salsa, making a jar of salsa a valid way to add an extra boost of nutrition to almost any meal.
That’s why at Nutrition con Sabor we love store bought and homemade salsa equally! Want more nutrition info in your life that celebrates Latin American food and culture? Sign up for our newsletter and get a free one-week Mexican meal plan, straight to your inbox!
🌶️ This article is featured in the Salsa Issue of our digital zine! Read the whole issue for more spicy takes, nutrition facts, and alllll the sabor.