New Taylor Farms Data Reveals Hawaii is America's Most Salad-Curious State, as Bold Flavors and Functional Eating Reshape the Bowl

SALINAS, CA - Americans are eating salads very differently than they did a decade ago, and new search-data research from Taylor Farms, one of North America's leading producers of fresh salads and healthy meal solutions, shows exactly where the country's appetite for experimentation is concentrated.

The company's newly released Salad Curiosity Census maps state-by-state interest in five emerging salad trends, and has identified Hawaii as the most adventurous state in the nation, with a curiosity score of 27.48. Well ahead of Washington (22.54) and Oregon (21.91), which round out the top three.

The findings paint a picture of a country that has moved decisively past iceberg-and-vinaigrette territory. Consumers are now actively searching for bold global flavor mashups, functional ingredients that support gut health, protein-dense bowls built around macros, texture-forward toppings, and modernized takes on retro classics.

The five flavor profiles shaping American salads

The study identifies five distinct trends driving search behavior across the country:

• Powerhouse Protein — Bowls anchored around hard-boiled eggs, grilled steak, quinoa, lentils, and other high-protein ingredients designed to hit a 20-gram-per-meal target. Virginia, Illinois, and Hawaii show the strongest curiosity.
• Swicy & Swangy — A bolder evolution of the swicy (sweet + spicy) movement, layering in tangy notes from hot honey, lime, sriracha-miso, and chili. Hawaii leads with more than 6,000 monthly searches, followed by Oregon and Washington.
• Crunch Core — A texture-first trend that elevates toasted nuts, seeds, crispy shallots, jicama, and snap peas over the traditional crouton. Oregon takes the top spot with nearly 5,500 monthly searches, with Washington and Hawaii close behind.
• Gut Glory — Functional eating focused on probiotic and high-fiber additions like kimchi, sauerkraut, chickpeas, and kefir-based dressings. East Coast states dominate this category, with Maryland and New Jersey flanking Nevada in the top three.
• Newstalgia — Modernized versions of childhood classics, such as the Waldorf or Wedge, paired with clean-label dressings and premium ingredients like artisanal blue cheese or heirloom tomatoes. Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon again lead the search.

Why Hawaii tops the list

Hawaii's number-one ranking is fueled by roughly 40,000 monthly searches for viral ingredients, including hot honey dressings and crispy spicy chickpeas. The state ranks first in three of the five profiles studied and finishes near the top in the other two, a uniquely broad appetite for experimentation. The Pacific Northwest's prominence across Swicy & Swangy, Crunch Core, and Newstalgia points to a regional palate that favors complex, layered flavor combinations.

The East Coast's dominance of the Gut Glory category, meanwhile, suggests that microbiome and fiber-focused eating is a particularly strong driver in Maryland, New Jersey, and surrounding states.

A shift toward regional customization

Taken together, the data points to a national salad market that is no longer a one-size-fits-all. Flavor preferences are increasingly regional, ingredient curiosity is widening, and consumers are treating the salad bowl as an opportunity for both culinary exploration and functional nutrition.

For brands, retailers, and foodservice operators, the implication is clear: assortment strategies, recipe innovation, and marketing creative all benefit from a more granular, state-by-state read on what shoppers are searching for.

The full study, including the full U.S. map and complete top-10 ranking, is available here.

Methodology

According to the recent release, for each of the five salad flavor profiles, Taylor Farms compiled a list of keywords representing the defining flavors and ingredients of that profile, then pulled state-level Google search volume for every keyword using Google Keyword Planner data from February 2025 through January 2026. Search volumes for each profile were normalized against state population (using data from worldpopulationreview.com) to produce a representative popularity score per 1,000 residents. Scores across all five profiles were combined to generate each state's overall salad curiosity score.