# Can you recommend a good Coleslaw (premade)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 10, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439 "2012-02-10T18:23:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/1 "2012-02-10T18:23:18Z")
We have relatives coming in this weekend and I’ll be barbecuing steaks Sunday. The sides will be baked strips of potato with salt & pepper, lemon juice/butter in aluminum foil packets, and coleslaw.
Everyone in my family loves coleslaw. I don’t enjoy making it. The last time required stitches in the ER. Finely chopping lettuce isn’t my thing.
We’re going out to Sams and Walmart this Sat morning.
Can you recommend a good pre-made coleslaw? Prefer one with raisins. But we can easily stir in raisins ourselves the night before.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/2 "2012-02-10T18:41:30Z")
Correction chopping cabbage not lettuce. Stupid edit time out.
Either way, my kitchen knife skills suck. I’m better off buying pre-made coleslaw for 15 people.
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### Author:  [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/3 "2012-02-10T18:48:17Z")
To me you could do a lot worse then stopping by your local KFC and picking up several pints of coleslaw there. That said, Marzetti’s makes really good slaw dressing & you should be able to pick up a bag of already cut cabbage & carrots in your store’s produce section ( I know Dole makes this)
Have fun, enjoy the visit!
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### Author:  [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/4 "2012-02-10T18:49:08Z")
I’d buy pre-cut coleslaw mix and stir in dressing and whatever. Let it sit in the refrigerator so it can soften up! I might be fooling myself with all the e. coli found in veggies, but I am extra leery of buying pre-made salads in those little tubs. Our Wegmans grocery sells wonderful coleslaw that’s as good as home made, but since it costs an arm and a leg, I’d rather make it myself.
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/5 "2012-02-10T19:03:44Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> . . .I don’t enjoy making [coleslaw]. The last time required stitches in the ER.
That’s what they mean by “making it with your own hands.”
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/6 "2012-02-10T19:10:39Z")
True, but my guests object to the reddish tint in my homemade coleslaw. 😉
I just thought of Jasons Deli. I bet they sell coleslaw in large tubs.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/7 "2012-02-10T19:24:05Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> True, but my guests object to the reddish tint in my homemade coleslaw. 😉
>
> I just thought of Jasons Deli. I bet they sell coleslaw in large tubs.
Jason’s Deli does not sell coleslaw. I know because it’s a point of major frustration for me. Seriously, they sell potato salad but NOT coleslaw? WTF?
Myself, I just buy the shredded cabbage in a bag and buy a bottle of dressing. I like to add sunflower seeds to mine. (and maybe some fresh grated parmesan.)
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/8 "2012-02-10T19:25:20Z")
> [@Shakes](#):
>
> I like to add sunflower seeds to mine.
That…sounds ridiculously good. I don’t know why I never thought of that.
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### Author:  [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/9 "2012-02-10T19:25:40Z")
No knife skills needed – just look around the bags of salad and buy a bag or two or shredded cabbage, likely with a bit of carrot mixed in.
If you want a very quick to fix and very good recipe, try this one. My family has been making it since the 1950s … great with everything, all the way from Sunday cookouts to Thanksgiving dinner … try it plopped on a pulled pork sandwich.
Marinated Cabbage
2 pounds shredded cabbage (bags of coleslaw mix with carrots and/or green peppers are great)
1 small onion, thinly sliced – mix in with cabbage
14 tablespoons sugar sprinkled on top of cabbage mix
Boil for 5 minutes:
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons salt
Pour hot mixture over cabbage. Let stand at least 6 hours before serving. Will keep in refrigerator 3 to 4 weeks.
Personally, I think it takes more like 4 to 5 days to really reach it’s peak, but next day serving is just fine. I love this stuff.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/10 "2012-02-10T19:43:05Z")
Turble that recipe sounds really good. I’ll add 3/4 box of raisins and it will be perfect.
thanks!
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### Author:  [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/11 "2012-02-10T20:13:43Z")
Hmmm … I don’t know if a lot of raisins would throw off the balance of sweet to sour … suggest you maybe try putting some in a smaller bowl and try the raisin thing … or sprinkle some raisins on at serving time if you just have to have them, rather than letting them soak for a long time.
I urge you to try it first as written without any tweaking. My experience is that whenever I am invited for an everybody-bring-something meal, this is what they ask me to bring.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/12 "2012-02-10T20:16:58Z")
I agree with the KFC recommendation (although I couldn’t be said to really be a slaw connoisseur.)
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/13 "2012-02-10T20:35:17Z")
ok, thanks. It does sound good. It should last several days without going bad since your recipe doesn’t use any mayo. Lots of good eating for me and my relatives next week. 😉
> [@Turble](#):
>
> Hmmm … I don’t know if a lot of raisins would throw off the balance of sweet to sour … suggest you maybe try putting some in a smaller bowl and try the raisin thing … or sprinkle some raisins on at serving time if you just have to have them, rather than letting them soak for a long time.
>
> I urge you to try it first as written without any tweaking. My experience is that whenever I am invited for an everybody-bring-something meal, this is what they ask me to bring.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-recommend-a-good-coleslaw-premade/612439/14 "2012-02-10T22:33:03Z")
> [@Bosstone](#):
>
> That…sounds ridiculously good. I don’t know why I never thought of that.
I’m glad you can see that. The first time I saw CS with sunflower seeds I thought it to be rather dubious. Then I took a bite and was hooked for life.