GreenTree Co-op Market

Let me start here because it matters: I really love this store. The vibe is great, and the salad bar usually looks fresh with a solid variety. That’s why this one surprised me.

I might’ve caught them on an off day, but this salad just wasn’t fresh. The lettuce had those mushy green bits you quietly avoid, and the cucumbers were oddly translucent, like they’d been frozen and thawed before serving.

The ranch was recommended to me, which got my hopes up since they make a lot of food in-house. Unfortunately, this ranch wasn’t made there. I knew the second it hit the plastic ramekin. Thick in a not-great way, that sour preservative smell, and the same sharp tangy taste you get from shelf jugs.

I even tried to rescue the salad with good ranch from my fridge and couldn’t. That’s when you accept the loss. $12 gone. Life’s too short for bad ranch.