Walmart’s potato salad options have gotten surprisingly varied — enough that choosing one for a cookout actually takes thought. I ranked all seven from best to worst so you don’t have to guess.
1. Freshness Guaranteed Premium Ready-to-Eat Deviled Egg Potato Salad Family Tub, 32 oz (Refrigerated) – $5.54
Deviled eggs meet potato salad in this 32 oz tub, and honestly, it’s the mashup I didn’t know I needed — rich with hard-cooked egg, mustard, and paprika in a creamy yellow dressing that tastes surprisingly close to the homemade version someone’s aunt brings every summer. It’s currently down from $6.17, which makes an already excellent buy even better. This one disappears first at a cookout.
Taste: Creamy and buttery-yellow throughout, with real egg pieces adding richness and a mustard-paprika heat that keeps each bite interesting. The dressing leans slightly sweet, so if you prefer strictly savory you’ll notice it — but most people won’t mind at all.
Make It Better: A dusting of smoked paprika on top and it genuinely passes for from-scratch; it also works as a deviled-egg-style dip with crackers at a party.
Parting Thoughts: It’s the one I’d bring to a potluck without blinking.
2. Freshness Guaranteed Premium Ready-to-Serve Redskin Potato Salad Family Tub, 32 oz (Refrigerated) – $6.17
Sliced waxy red potatoes that actually hold their shape are the real draw here — you get real, satisfying bite rather than mush, which is rarer than it should be in store-bought potato salad. The creamy, tangy dressing has a bright zing and briny pickle notes that feel intentional rather than accidental. At $6.17 for a family-sized 32 oz tub, it’s the priciest pick on this list, but it earns it.
Taste: Potato-forward in the best way, with those red skins adding a little earthiness to each bite. The dressing is silky without being gloppy, and a brightness from the pickles keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy or over-rich.
Make It Better: Chill it overnight and scoop it into your own serving bowl — the flavors tighten up beautifully and it genuinely looks homemade.
Parting Thoughts: When you’re hosting and want something that earns compliments without revealing your source, this is the move.
3. Freshness Guaranteed Amish Ready-to-Serve Potato Salad Family Tub, 32 oz, 1 Count (Refrigerated) – $4.87
If your crowd leans sweet over tangy, this is the tub to grab — the Amish-style profile brings sugar, sweet pickle relish, and egg together in a combination that hits a completely different register from any standard mayo salad. It pairs beautifully with something bold and savory, like pulled pork or smoked sausage, where the sweetness has something to push against. It’s a regional Midwest favorite that tends to convert skeptics.
Taste: Notably sweet in the first bite, almost unexpectedly so, but soft egg pieces and a little celery crunch pull it back toward savory. The potatoes lean slightly mashed rather than chunky, giving the whole thing a soft, cohesive texture.
Make It Better: Serve it alongside smoky, salty mains — the sweetness plays off savory flavors far better than it does on its own.
Parting Thoughts: Devoted fans of the sweet style will hunt this one down by name; if you’ve never had Amish-style potato salad, it’s worth the $4.87 just to find out which camp you’re in.
4. Reser’s Fine Foods Baked Potato Salad, 16 oz Tub (Refrigerated) – $3.84
Cold loaded baked potato sounds like a strange concept until you actually try it — Reser’s version layers sliced russet potatoes with smoky bacon, green onions, and chives under a rich, creamy dressing that captures the loaded-potato experience remarkably well. It’s marked down from $4.27, making it an easy impulse add to the cart. At 16 oz, it’s a comfortable side for two to four people.
Taste: The bacon and chives come through clearly and give the dressing real savory depth, well beyond plain mayo. The russet slices hold their texture and provide something to actually bite into, rather than collapsing into a creamy mash.
Make It Better: Let it sit out for about ten minutes before serving — the flavors open up and it stops tasting like it just came straight from the fridge.
Parting Thoughts: Reach for this one when you want serious comfort-food energy without turning on the oven.
5. Freshness Guaranteed Ready-to-Serve Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad, 16 oz Small Tub (Refrigerated) – $3.47
For the person at the cookout who always reaches for the spicy option, this 16 oz tub is a genuine curveball worth trying. Bacon, cheese, and jalapeño go into a thick, almost dip-like dressing that wraps around firm potato cubes — the whole thing tastes like jalapeño popper filling, just in potato salad form. The heat is present but measured, more of a warm buzz than a real burn.
Taste: Rich and creamy with that characteristic smoky-bacon-cheese combination, layered with a gentle jalapeño heat that builds as you eat more. The dressing is dense enough that the salad almost functions as a dip, with the potato cubes providing just enough structure to keep it from crossing the line.
Make It Better: Scoop it alongside grilled chicken or burgers and let the thick dressing do double duty as a sauce — it holds up surprisingly well.
Parting Thoughts: Spice-lovers will rave about it; if your crowd skews mild, the Redskin or Deviled Egg is the safer call.
6. Freshness Guaranteed Original Ready-to-Eat Mustard Potato Salad Family Tub, 32 oz Tub (Refrigerated) – $4.47
Yellow, tangy, with crisp celery and sweet pickle relish — this is the mustard potato salad that shows up on every backyard BBQ table for a reason, and Walmart’s version does it efficiently. The 32 oz family tub at $4.47 is a genuine value for a crowd, and there’s nothing fussy or surprising about what’s inside. It delivers exactly what it says on the label.
Taste: The mustard flavor is front and center, giving the dressing a bright, slightly sharp edge that wakes up the palate. Firm-soft potato pieces and little bursts of celery crunch keep the texture from going one-note, though the overall profile stays squarely classic — nothing here will surprise you.
Make It Better: Scatter a few sliced hard-boiled eggs on top before serving — it looks more finished and adds richness without any extra work.
Parting Thoughts: The quintessential picnic potato salad: buy it, don’t overthink it, and focus your energy on everything else you’re making.
7. Read German Potato Salad, 15 oz – $1.76
At $1.76 for a 15 oz can that lives on the pantry shelf until you need it, this is the wildcard of the whole group — vinegar-based, bacon-hinted, and completely different from everything else here. There’s no mayo in sight, which actually makes it a useful option when you’re worried about leaving a creamy salad out in the heat. You can eat it straight from the can or heat it up before serving.
Taste: Sweet-tart and tangy, with a bacon note threading through the background — it’s classic German potato salad flavor at a price that requires basically no commitment. The potatoes are sliced rather than chunky, and the texture is softer than the refrigerated options on this list.
Make It Better: Heat it up and serve it alongside bratwurst or kielbasa — that pairing is really where this one belongs and where it tastes most at home.
Parting Thoughts: Dead last only because it’s playing a completely different game; for a shelf-stable, no-mayo side you can keep in the cupboard until you need it, nothing on this list comes close.
