Suggest good salad dressings please!

Annerrc
Annerrc Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
Hello! I'm new to this site and have a question for you successful dieters!
Dinner time is my problem time of day. I'm going to try cutting down on dinner portion sizes and adding a salad most nights. I don't like the non-fat dressings I've used in the past; so many seem either too artificially sweet or too acidic. Can anyone suggest a good brand of non-fat or very low-fat dressing? Or a simple home salad dressing recipe you like?
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Replies

  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    You might like a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Naturally low-fat with a touch sweetness to cut the acidity. I find dressings with "no fat" or "low fat" advertised on the front are a crock. Not as good as was once thought
  • maab12
    maab12 Posts: 65 Member
    for me the best dressing is a little bit of olive oil salt garlic and some onion powder. the oil brings out the nutriants in the veggies. and having 2 teaspoons of a healthy oil such as olive oil or canola oil is good for you.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    My favorite is Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar. It's not low or nonfat, but the only fat comes from olive oil, so it's healthy. A single tablespoon will flavor a pretty large salad and it's incredibly yummy.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,670 Member
    I have 2 favorite salad dressings.

    1. Non-fat plain yogurt with herbs and spices

    2. balsamic vinegar with herbs and spices
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    shur-fine light italian dressing. kinda like the kraft brands.. about 35 cals per 2 tbsp i think
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 962 Member
    1/3 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar

    1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

    1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar or sugar


    add soy sauce, garlic, or spices to suit your mood. :)
  • Nanba007
    Nanba007 Posts: 79 Member
    I use fruit, like oranges, apples. I used to be the one to use a 1/2 of a bottle of dressing, now I don't even buy it.
  • deannakittygirl
    deannakittygirl Posts: 228 Member
    I like bolthouse farms balsamic viniagrette. its in by salad mixes usually. its kept cold. you can also just do lemon/ lime juice and olive oil if you like it light.
  • chlorisaann
    chlorisaann Posts: 366 Member
    My fave is Newmans Own Lite Lime Vinaigrette. I had a 5 cup salad with 4 oz chicken today with only 2 Tbs dressing (60 cals) and it was plenty to coat the whole salad! It is very tangy tho... If you dont LOVE lime, it might not be for you....
  • linda1243
    linda1243 Posts: 166
    My friend goes and gets some olives from the olive bar at her grocery store and blends it with some olive oil. It's very good.
  • FinallyFindingLisa
    FinallyFindingLisa Posts: 222 Member
    I love love LOVE the Bolthouse yogurt dressings. The raspberry vinaigrette is awesome, low sodium, low sugar, low calorie. I think I have about 6 of the varieties in the fridge right now :love:
  • dorianaldyn
    dorianaldyn Posts: 611 Member
    My favorite store bought dressing is Trader Joe's fat free balsamic vinegarette. But, I'm also pretty happy with just balsamic vinegar (and no oil) on my salads.
  • LaLouve_RK
    LaLouve_RK Posts: 899 Member
    When I want creamy, I use Hellman's low fat mayo and add spices....

    Otherwise, love that one::::::::::::::


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  • a_mandolin_
    a_mandolin_ Posts: 336 Member
    I like to go to those olive oil/vinegar shops that are popping up everywhere and get flavored vinegar and just use that.

    So many great flavors, and it is nice and thick, unlike store bought vinegars so it sticks to your salad nicely.

    I am currently using a raspberry. http://lacrosseoliveoil.com/balsamics.html
  • Stdavis53
    Stdavis53 Posts: 233 Member
    Honestly, I love the Salad Spritzers. They have several flavors and they are 1 calorie per spray. Also, Kraft makes a Ceaser Italian that is only 20 cal per 2 Tbsp that is pretty good.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    I love Ken's Steakhouse light sun-dried tomato dressing. It's really good and to me, tastes like full fat dressing. I also like Wishbone's Romano Basil Vinaigrette Dressing. If you want something creamier, you can always use plain fat-free Greek yogurt to make your own; it has a flavor similar to sour cream. Add a little water to give it a dressing consistency and add in some spices you like-- mint, garlic, salt, whatever you like.
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
    Quality balsamic vinegar.
    WIth that, I don't need anything else.
  • BelindaDuvessa
    BelindaDuvessa Posts: 1,014 Member
    I usually use straight Balsamic Vinegar with some pepper. If I make me own dressing, it's usually with Balsamic. I'll marinate my tomatoes in it, with some herbs and pour that over my salad. The tomatoes give the vinegar a different taste.
  • traceface71
    traceface71 Posts: 45 Member
    One of my greatest loves is blue cheese dressing and I'm unwilling to give it up. So, after much searching I found Naturally Fresh Lite Blue Cheese dressing...it's still 100 cal per 2 tbsp but so worth it.
  • SeaJenni
    SeaJenni Posts: 211 Member
    Trader Joe's lowfat parmesan ranch dressing.
  • shanmackie
    shanmackie Posts: 194 Member
    ANNIE'S GODDESS DRESSING.

    I only use 1 tbsp per salad:

    http://www.amazon.com/Annies-Homegrown-72533336-Goddess-Dressing/dp/B007F1GSGW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1357434262&sr=8-3&keywords=annie's+goddess+dressing

    sososo good
  • x_cinder_x
    x_cinder_x Posts: 118 Member
    I have come to accept I have weird taste buds, but going to throw it out there anyway. I like to put southwest mustard on my salads. Its like only 10 calories a tsp (and a tsp of that stuff goes a long way) with full flavor.

    Oh and when there is calorie room I add light ranch with it-turns it into a south west ranch flavor.
  • DonnaLeeCattes
    DonnaLeeCattes Posts: 492 Member
    Salsa, thats all I use :)
  • parmoute
    parmoute Posts: 99 Member
    I can do a vinaigrette once in a while, but not all the time. Try the yogurt-based dressings from Bolthouse Farms. I use the Ranch and Honey Mustard all the time and it's only 45 calories for 2 tbsp dressing. I don't think I could eat salads regularly if I didn't have these dressings. The honey mustard my sister served at Christmas was 200 calories for the same serving size! Bolthouse Farms also makes protein drinks and smoothies; I'm a fan of the vanilla chai :tongue:
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    Use the real thing not fat free stuff - just be sure to measure the portion and include it in you log - a small amount of the real thing goes a long way.

    Or you can make your own with good olive oil, a well flavored vinegar and a spice blend of your choice.

    Be sure to measure and log

    Or use a squeeze of lemon or lime, a shot of chouhoula hot sauce and a drizzle of balsamic vinigar
  • akmett
    akmett Posts: 75 Member
    I like to put a few strawberries in a blender with a splash of vinager and make a low cal/fat strawberry vinagette dressing. It's good on spinich with some sliced strawberries, almonds, and/or bacon.

    Also, Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressings(sold in the produce isle) are low in cals for a creamy dressing but don't taste as yucky as most low cal/fat creamy dressings.
  • Karabobarra
    Karabobarra Posts: 782 Member
    I love Newman's Own Light Italian...or salsa, or just a squirt of lemon
  • neen6270
    neen6270 Posts: 82 Member
    newman's own lite honey mustard

    I need a little flavor in my salad, but I just log the calories. This dressing is very good. I can't stand lite or low fat ranch dressing.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
    It's well worth experimenting with making your own.

    I tend to like quite strong savoury flavours (which also means you use much less) and not too much sweetness, so they might not suit you, but may be worth trying; reduced fat greek yoghurt, gherkins, capers, anchovy, over romaine lettuce; basil, lemon juice, a little lemon infused oil over tomatoes; grain mustard vinaigrette with asparagus, cucumber, avocado; apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and a touch of brown sugar over cooked red cabbage and beetroot; lime juice, chilli, olive oil on red pepper and avocado... etc etc

    I know exactly what you mean about the acidity, and I often dilute mine by shaking up with added stock or water. A bit of seasoning's important - just pepper, dried herbs, chilli flakes, or a mix like Italian seasoning. It's worth trying strongly flavoured oils too, as again you need less, try toasted sesame, walnut, lemon etc.

    The packaged ones always seem to be full of additives, but if you find you don't want to make your own search for one that doesn't, it'll probably taste better.

    The packaged ones do contain a lot of additives
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    well it's not all natural and contains sucralose but.... If you don't mind it...
    Walden's farm make many very good salad dressings...Calories and eveything FREE!

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