Best Salad Dressing?

I really like the Bolthouse Farms yogurt based dressings - about 80 cal/2T for the ranch. They're kind of hard to find though.

i am picky about salad dressings and would rather use the real deal just less of it.

my favorites are

naturally fresh brand
ginger
classic caesar

with beef
maries blue cheese (yes i know this one is a killer calorie wise)


home made ranch (that one i do make with low fat mayo)

most of those are really thick and i thin them out with water (not the ginger) and enjoy them that way

i will have to try the bolthouse bleu cheese

I prefer not to waste my calories on dressing to be honest. I make my own, or try a low cal one. Cream based will be triple the calories. If you're serious about weight loss sometimes you have to expand your tongue and try new things. Not that yogurt is bad but if you eat a lot of salad it's wise to be cautious about what youre topping it with. They have really yummy recipes too. try spark recipe and find a homemade maybe?

Presidents choice fat free honey dijon dressing, 30 calories a tablespoon, and sooooo yummy! I even cook with it, makes a mean pork loin in the crockpot!

Although I haven't tried it, some say squeezing a lemon over salad is a good dressing. Paul Newman makes a sesame ginger that's delicious and low-cal (http://www.newmansown.com/product_detail.aspx?productid=14)...use sparingly though as it is mighty flavorful.

To some this may sound a little gross, but I uses a TBSP or 2 of homemade ranch dressing (make with fat free or low fat mayo) or low fat or fat free store bought dressing and then I add about 1/4 cup of low fat (or fat free ) cottage cheese. I have the flavor of the ranch dressing, a little texture and added flavor of the cottage cheese, "lots of dressing" (for a big salad) and not as many calories. Will be good to try for some but not for others. I also like to use green olives and some of the juice for my dressing. I am a bit strange (so everyone tells me) but that is what I like. Also try some Strawberry infused aged balsamic vinegar over your salad and add a touch of good quality olive oil to make a simple vinaigrette. Lots of flavor and small on calories.

I just recently bought Girard's Light Champagne Dressing and it's TO DIE FOR!!! Lol I had a co-worker in my cube while I was eating lunch and she smelled it and said it smelled so good that she went out and bought it this weekend too, hehe!! It's only 60 cals/2 tbsp. so not horrible (especially considering how horrible Ranch is in terms of being loaded w/cals). It tastes amazing and I wouldn't really classify it as a vinaigrette so much per se, but if if this is available @ a Giant Eagle (that's where I bought mine) or another national grocery chain I would definitely recommend it!! It's my newest love in the dressing world!! Woot! :-)

i have tried Ken's Fat free ranch dressing. even the light ranch dressing is loaded with calories. you could also try to thin your dressing with some skim milk. that seems to work. what ever you use just keep a tight track of your calories. There are all kinds of Fat free dressings out there. just gotta keep your eyes peeled. My favorite. Kraft fat free zesty italian

A lot of bottled ranch dressing has MSG. Some people think it's harmless, but it caused a serious vitamin B deficiency in my dad (this is the simplified version) to the point that he had blackouts (he was a pilot so it was most inconvenient) and all sorts of other dire side effects so I stay the heck away from it - I mean look what it does to meat.

Some great ideas here. I'd love to hear about some more fave home made recipes.

I had found a nice recipe that used a bit of oil (olive, canola, or your favorite oil), some balsamic vinegar, onion, dijon mustard, and garlic. Put it in a food processor (I have a small one, holds about 3 cups) and blend well. Add a little fresh cracked pepper and you're good to go!

Although you had said you aren't a fan of the vinagrettes, I'd do some dabbling. Not all are the same. I love a good balsamic vinagrette, it's not very sour like red wine based vinagrettes. Plus, I've read that a bit of vinegar with your meal can be beneficial in stabilizing glucose levels when complex carbs are ingested. ( "Examination of the Antiglycemic Properties of Vinegar in Healthy Adults" Carol S. Johnston, Iwona Steplewska, Cindy A. Long, Lafe N. Harris, Romina H. Ryals Nutrition Program, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Mesa, Ariz., USA. Ann Nutr Metab 2010;56:74-79 (DOI: 10.1159/000272133)

A store purchased brand that I've found some yummy options are Brianna's. They're organic, have healthy fats, and some don't have a ton of sugar.

Happy salading!

I make my own... a little olive oil, a little vinegar or lemon juice, and whatever spices sound good that night: garlic, basil, rosemary, thyme...

Experiment with what you like. I try not to do a lot of the "light" dressings because the added chemicals just don't work well with what I'm trying to achieve...

I have always used creamy dressings; blue cheese is my favorites. But, my biggest weakness is ("was") Litehouse Blue Cheese dressing. So much so, that I had to totally give it up. It is just not worth the calories (a whopping 150 calories for 2 Tablespoons). I now use Newman's Own Lite Ceasars, which is very good and only has 60 calores for 2 Tablespoons. I drizzle the dressing on my salad and then I add a little red wine vinegar to help it along. Very tasty!!!

I second Newman's Own Sesame Ginger - 35 calories and delicious. I love it with tofu in my salad

I am a dressing freak. I love homemade ranch, blue cheese, Kraft's Bacon-tomato one, sundried tomato, italian etc. I'm one of those people who have a good five different salad dressing in their fridge on any given day.

However, now that I'm trying to be more serious about losing weight and finally breaking down and paying attention to calories, I HATE the taste of lite ranch. This week I bought a couple of options for work and a couple for home. I got Lighthouse Sesame Ginger which has eith 35 or 40 calories per 2 tbsp, and Kraft Light Sicilian Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette which has 35 and I was pleasanly surprised by both. Local grocery store had the small bottles of Ken's on sale for $1 each, and I got Healthy Options Raspberry Walnut & the Healthy Options Balsamic Vinaigrette, both of which are low in calories and good (especially the raspberry walnut). Love the other suggestions. Keep them coming!