Relative Healthfulness
Edge to homemade. Both dips are loaded with vegetables, but the store-bought version is much higher in sodium than homemade.
Time Commitment
It took me 45 minutes to make salsa from scratch.
Leftovers Potentia
Homemade should be consumed the same day that it's made, or it will become soggy. Store-bought is typically good unopened for more than a year from the date of purchase, and at least 3 weeks once opened.
What The Testers Said
First let me introduce our panel.
THE HEALTH NUT
A delicate eater, the health nut is calorie conscious but also likes to eat well
THE FOODIE
Calorie agnostic, our foodie judge has a sophisticated palate and a love of cooking
THE DUDE
Ambivalent toward food trends and health concerns, this guy just wants to be fed when he's hungry
THE KID
Between ages of 9 and 12 years old, not jaded, typically not into strong flavors
Testers sampled both salsas blind, alone and with tortilla chips.
The Health Nut: Homemade; "The homemade looks and tastes fresher and healthier. I wouldn't serve store-bought to guests."
The Foodie: Store-bought; "I prefer the texture of the homemade, but I think the store-bought has better flavor."
The Kid: Store-bought; "I like how it's smoother and less vegetables."
The Dude: Store-bought. "The homemade definitely looks nicer, but I like the taste of the store-bought better, and I think it tastes better on chips."
The Verdict
Fake it.
Especially when tomatoes are out of season during the winter months, a fresh homemade salsa isn't always worth the time--especially when you're feeding a crowd.
--Elizabeth Gunnison
