7 Best And 2 Worst Grocery Store Guacamoles
Avocados are a strange and delicious fruit that can be used in a plethora of ways. While avocado toast gets much of the notoriety and even some derision, we all know the true star of the avocado world is guacamole.
Guacamole is comprised of smashed avocados mixed with spices and lime juice, which is key for a restaurant-worthy spread. Sometimes it even includes diced produce such as tomatoes, peppers, or onions. Early versions of guacamole can be traced to the 1500s, when Spanish explorers encountered the Aztecs, though avocados themselves date back thousands of years. With all that history, there are lots of unique guacamole recipes out there to take your dip to the next level, whether you prefer it with cilantro or without the controversial herb. But not everyone has the time or interest in such culinary creations.
Now, of course, you walk into any grocery store, and you likely will find a selection of pre-made guacamole that stays green and fresh-looking, making it hard to know which one to get. With ready-made guacamoles, some are definitely better than others. We purchased nine varieties of prepared guacamole and tasted each one, judging based on the flavor, texture, and combination of ingredients. We're here to let you know which ones are worth your money and which ones to skip.
Do Buy: Trader Joe's Organic Chunky Homestyle Guacamole
The Trader Joe's Organic Chunky Homestyle Guacamole was nearly perfect. While guacamole is undoubtedly best when made fresh, this packaged product was the closest we found to achieving that delicious homemade quality.
The Trader Joe's guacamole was thick but easily scoopable. The flavors were well-balanced and combined fresh, bright ingredients with subtle and effective spices. Beyond the avocados, its main ingredients include tomatoes, onion, lime juice, jalapeño peppers, salt, garlic, and that love-it-or-hate-it cilantro.
Overall, this was the guacamole we knew the moment we tasted it that it would be worth recommending to you. When all was said and done, we kept coming back to this one. Trader Joe's doesn't always deliver on the quality with some of its products. But we are happy to see that the company can and does make a truly excellent guacamole. In a pinch, this is the guac we will be running to the store to get. Whether it is for our own night in or for a party, we will not be disappointed to open up a container of this delightfully chunky guacamole.
Do Buy: Trader Joe's Chunky Guacamole Made with Greek Yogurt
Trader Joe's certainly knows how to mix things up when it comes to guacamole. This Chunky Guacamole from the retailer was the most surprising one that we tried. This time, in addition to traditional guacamole ingredients, Trader Joe's has added Greek yogurt. This non-traditional ingredient packs a serious and delicious punch.
The Greek yogurt adds an extra layer of creaminess and an extra layer of tang that is simply not reached by any of the other guacamoles. While some guacamoles verge into sour territory, this one stays firmly in the pleasantly tangy range. In addition, this guacamole has chopped tomatoes and red onions, which just adds some more texture and flavor. Other ingredients include lime juice, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, sea salt, and black pepper.
The downside is that the Greek yogurt adds a slight chalkiness. In addition, the flavor is a departure from the traditional guacamole flavor. Once upon a time, this product fell under the horribly named "Reduced Guilt" line of foods that Trader Joe's offered. The inclusion of Greek yogurt cuts down on calories. While we don't love that this was the incentive to try this combo, we do enjoy the result. And we are glad Trader Joe's has dropped the shaming name from the product.
Don't Buy: Sabra Classic Guacamole
Sabra Classic Guacamole singles had the most potential, but then the manufacturers went and squandered it. This dip started off strong; the base ingredients of avocado, onion, tomato, jalapeños, salt, and garlic are good. But somehow, the flavors just don't come through. This guacamole has concentrated lime juice, dehydrated onions, and dried cilantro, so you would think the flavor would be potent, but it's just not. It is lackluster and kind of boring.
There is also ascorbic acid, which we think contributes to the odd aftertaste this guacamole has. While we understand the need for acid, as guacamole can oxidize and turn brown quickly, most of the other guacamoles on this list do just fine without it, so we have to wonder why the brand even bothered including it. While this guacamole was aesthetically pleasing and had a pleasant consistency, its flavor just didn't meet our standards.
Do Buy: Kirkland Signature Classic Chunky Guacamole
Kirkland Signature Classic Chunky Guacamole is a solid choice when you're on a budget and looking to buy in bulk. Costco has a reputation for quality when it comes to its Kirkland Signature items, and this product definitely upheld the wholesaler's reputation here.
This guacamole is cheap and comes in large quantities. But more importantly, it tastes good. This guac brings bright flavors with lime juice and diced tomatoes; it has texture, and it really delivers everything we could want with guacamole. Also, as an added bonus, it is organic. There really is not much to complain about with this guacamole. We also appreciate that instead of using dried cilantro and dried garlic, this guacamole uses fresh versions. Rounding out the ingredients list are onions, red onions, and jalapeño peppers. All of this adds visual and flavorful elements that were lacking in some of the other guacamoles.
Do Buy: Good Foods Chunky Traditional Guacamole
Good Foods Chunky Traditional Guacamole is good enough for us to consider buying on a regular basis. It brings us back to a traditional style, with only the basics you would expect to find in it. The ingredients here are simple but effective. There are avocados, tomatoes, red onions, onions, cilantro, sea salt, jalapeños, lime juice, and garlic. This combination offers a bright and flavorful guacamole that is not too spicy or too plain. It nearly perfectly finds the balance between those two qualities.
In addition, the texture is just right. The chunks of avocado along with the pieces of tomatoes and onions add to the textural interest of the dip. We particularly appreciate the use of two types of onions, which add a multitude of flavors and mild sweetness to the guacamole. The Wisconsin-based Good Foods brand is sold at Target, Kroger, and Sprouts Farmers Market, among other places, and available online.
Don't Buy: 365 Guacamole Traditional
We are disappointed with the traditional guacamole from the 365 brand sold through Whole Foods Market. The contents include xanthan gum, an additive typically used to thicken and stabilize foods. When it comes to this guacamole, xanthan gum messes with the texture. Guacamole is not naturally a particularly runny product, so we really do wonder why Whole Foods Market felt the need to firm things up.
Also, the flavor is off, with an incredibly strong acidic flavor overpowering everything else due to the inclusion of acetic acid, ascorbic acid, and citric acid. Other ingredients include salt, jalapeño peppers and jalapeño powder, garlic and onion powders, red bell peppers and onions that are dehydrated, lime juice concentrate, and cilantro flakes. We also found that this version of the guacamole was a little spicy.
Overall, it just wasn't very good. It is ironic to us that Whole Foods, the company founded on the principle of simple food devoid of fillers and preservatives, has the most additives of all the guacamole dips we tried. It is confusing. There are much better guacamoles out there.
Do Buy: Wholly Guacamole Classic
The classic version of Wholly Guacamole is exactly what you think of when you think of a basic guacamole. The texture is on point. It is smooth but offers small chunks to keep things interesting. There is a mild tang from the distilled vinegar in it, and there are some nice peppery and spicy notes. Overall, it's a good dip.
That being said, the Wholly Guacamole Classic is a little boring, and there is some room for improvement. It would have been nice to see lime juice instead of vinegar. This would have added bright citrus notes and acid instead of just acid. We also would have appreciated some greater chunks of produce. The ingredients list includes only jalapeño peppers, salt, dehydrated onion, and granulated garlic. This brand also is on the more expensive side.
Wholly Guacamole does make some other varieties — spicy, chunky, organic, and Hatch chile — that might bring more flavor to the table. Still, its classic version is a solid choice.
Do Buy: Park Street Deli Guacamole Classic Singles
The Park Street Deli Guacamole offers a classic flavor that we think is worth your consideration. Not only does this brand offer the affordability of Aldi, but it also delivers solidly when it comes to flavor.
First of all, this classic variety is mildly flavorful and is exactly what you think of when you think of guacamole. It is made from a straightforward combination of avocado, distilled vinegar, water, jalapeños, salt, dehydrated onion, and granulated garlic. While these are not all fresh ingredients, they are all perfectly serviceable. They are also identical to what's in the Wholly Guacamole brand dip, and it tastes like it. The two products are nearly indistinguishable.
What is different about the two products is their cost. Prices may vary by location, but we can buy Wholly Guacamole at $0.49 per ounce at Kroger, while the Park Street brand sells for about $0.29 per ounce at Aldi.
Do Buy: Good and Gather Classic Guacamole
Once again, we are here with a guacamole that is, for all intents and purposes, the same as the previous two. The Good & Gather Classic Guacamole has the same ingredients in the same order as the Wholly Guacamole and the Park Street Deli versions do. They all have similar textures and flavors.
When considering each of these three guacamoles, we were drawn to the version from Good & Gather, which is a Target brand, for a few reasons. One is price. The Good & Gather Classic Guacamole costs nearly $0.40 per ounce. Again, the Wholly Guacamole brand of dip is the most expensive of the three for a product that is not discernibly different. While Park Street Deli is cheaper than Good & Gather, Target has more locations than Aldi, which makes it easier to access. Still, we would happily munch on any of these brands and recommend you buy what's most convenient for you.
Methodology
Everyone has their own opinions on what makes a guacamole great. Whether you are a fan of tomatoes and cilantro or you prefer a plain guacamole, there are a few things we looked for in order to make our determinations.
The first was the balance of flavor. We looked at how each company balanced spiciness, acidity, and any additional flavors and textures. With this, we only considered guacamole that included more than just smashed avocados with some salt and pepper. We also took into account the texture and body. We felt a quality guacamole should be scoopable but not too runny and should include some pieces of avocado. We did not want a full puree, as the lack of texture can be detrimental to the dip.