Last month Target starting rolling out its new Good & Gather line, a private-label brand of food and beverages. My local store must have been low on the priority list because I hadn’t seen much (if any) of the stuff — until this Saturday! I popped in for some Halloween decorations (hello, $1 ceramic pumpkins!) and found myself filling up my cart with all things Good & Gather. (It all comes with a money-back guarantee, so why not?)
The new line is made without artificial flavors and sweeteners, synthetic colors, or high fructose corn syrup. And it’s going to be huge. Huge! By the end of 2020, there will be more 2,000 products under the Good & Gather name — including dairy, produce, ready-made pastas, meat, granola bars, “avocado toast” salad kits, beet hummus, sparkling water, and so much more.
Over time, this new line will replace Target’s existing Archer Farms and Simply Balanced brands, and the options under the Market Pantry will be reduced. “Guests will still be able to get most of the products they know and love under the Good & Gather name, many of which have been reformulated to be even better,” a Target press release promises.
My store had seemingly gone from zero to 60 since the last time I checked. The first thing I spotted during this visit was flavored sparkling water ($2.99 for 8 cans). Then, I saw giant bags of frozen fruit ($12 for 40 ounces), rows of cheese sticks ($2.79 for 12), lactose-free milk ($3.39 for a half gallon), clamshell packs of organic greens ($2.69 for 5 ounces), and rows and rows of produce. I bought a pack of white mushrooms ($1.99 for 8 ounces), a bag of cubed sweet potatoes ($2.79 for 16 ounces), and trimmed ready-to-heat Brussels sprouts ($3.19 for 12 ounces), mostly because I needed those items, but also because I was curious how they’d compare to the stuff I usually get at my mainstream grocery store. The potatoes were a little slimy (the sell-by date was the date I bought them and roasted them), but I dried them and they cooked up just fine. The other two produce items I got were fresh, high-quality, and comparable in price to what I normally pay.
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But good produce is good produce anywhere you shop. I wanted to know how the snacks, pantry staples, and meal prep shortcuts would stack up. My findings? REALLY well! There was nothing in my haul that I didn’t like (so I won’t be needing that money-back guarantee!). Of course, some things felt more special than others.
I’m super excited for my store to get more of those 2,000 items, and I’m very excited by the idea of getting these high-quality groceries while I’m doing my usual Target shopping for random items. Broccoli, pasta, and throw pillows? Yes, please! That said, these are the items that I’ll be hunting out specifically.
Note: Prices may vary by store.
1. Good & Gather Grapefruit Sparkling Water
I’ve been a Pamplemousse LaCroix fan for a while, so I grabbed this on a whim. I was surprised that it seemed to be even moregrapefruit-y than LaCroix. I’m officially hooked. I wish I had tried some of the more interesting flavors (like Cranberry Citrus or Strawberry Mango), but I’ll be back!
Buy: Good & Gather Grapefruit Sparkling Water, $2.99 for 8 cans
2. Good & Gather Loaded Baked Potato Soup
They’re not joking around when they say this a “loaded” baked potato soup. This is one of the chunkiest soups I’ve ever had — and that’s a good thing. The flavor is all there and, because there are so many add-ins, you really feel like each spoonful is different. The label says it’s one serving, but I got so full halfway through that I saved the rest and got two lunches out of one container.
Buy: Good & Gather Loaded Baked Potato Soup, $4.49 for 16 ounces
3. Good & Gather Kettle Cooked Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips
Watch out, barbecue chips! These Parmesan Garlic chips are coming for your title as my favorite salty snack! These chips are super crunchy and they have just the right amount of cheese and garlic flavoring. I shared some with friends who stopped by and they asked if they were from Trader Joe’s. (Their second guess was Aldi because they know how much I love Aldi.)
Buy: Good & Gather Kettle Cooked Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips, $2.19 for 8 ounces
4. Good & Gather Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
I debated whether or not to put this on this list — not because it wasn’t delicious, but because it’s just deli meat, right? But it’s more than that! It’s deli meat with no nitrates or artificial flavors or preservatives. And it’s sliced even thinner than the guy at my deli counter can seem to get it. I bought some Good & Gather Cheddar Cheese ($2.29 for 12 slices) and made turkey sandwiches for lunch. My husband even commented that the meat tasted extra fresh. There’s also a low-sodium version and a larger package for a better price ($4.79 for 16 ounces).
Buy: Good & Gather Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast, $2.59 for 9 ounces
5. Good & Gather Burrata, Lemon Zest & Herb Ravioli
This ravioli checks all the boxes for me: cheese, lemon, and pasta! Honestly, it was better than the (way more expensive) fresh ravioli that I usually buy from my local cheese shop. The burrata and mozzarella in the filling added a nice textural departure from the usual ricotta filling, and the lemon-y flavor came through in every bite. I served it with a brown butter sauce (with a little extra lemon juice) and some sautéed zucchini.
Buy: Good & Gather Burrata, Lemon Zest & Herb Ravioli, $4.29 for nine ounces
6. Good & Gather Classic Hummus
I’ve bought plenty of non-Sabra hummus in my life and I’ve almost always regretted it. (How do they get theirs so creamy and perfect?) Well, Target must be in on Sabra’s secret because this stuff is right up there with the classic brand. It’s creamy and has just a hint of garlic and lemon juice.
Buy: Good & Gather Classic Hummus, $2.99 for 10 ounces
7. Good & Gather Quick Bites
I know that Target didn’t invent these and that I could build my own for less money, but I suffer from killer migraines if I don’t eat at regular intervals. And sometimes, it’s nice to have a back-up ready to be thrown into my purse. While I haven’t bought the name-brand version of these (they’re close to five bucks at my mainstream grocery store!), the price was appealing enough to get me to throw a three-pack into my cart.
Buy: Good & Gather Quick Bites, $3.49 for three 1.5-ounce packs
8. Good & Gather Organic Honey Almond Granola
Good & Gather makes so many flavors of granola! There’s even one with probiotics, and a grain-free option. I was probably a little basic with my choice, but I have no regrets. There’s a mix of medium-sized and small clusters, and the crunch is just right. I’ve been eating it right out of the bag because I’m too lazy to get up and add it to yogurt.
Buy: Good & Gather Organic Honey Almond Granola, $3.99 for 12 ounces
9. Good & Gather Creamy Almond Butter
Like any good almond butter, the only ingredient in this jar is, you guessed it, almonds. The stuff is creamy, nutty, and tastes like it was ground yesterday. There’s also a no-stir option, which is presumably made with almonds and also magic.
Buy: Good & Gather Creamy Almond Butter, $6.99 for 16 ounces
10.Good & Gather Serrano Pepper Salsa
My store didn’t have guac, which is what I was really looking for, so I bought this instead. (I needed something to go with the Blue Corn Tortilla Chips!) It’s got diced tomatoes, serrano peppers, onions, green bell peppers, cilantro, and garlic. While I find lots of store-bought salsa to be too sweet, this was very well-balanced. And it had a generous amount of veggies.
Buy: Good & Gather Serrano Pepper Salsa, $2.99 for 16 ounces
Have you tried anything from Target’s Good & Gather line yet? What’d you think?
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