Ranch dressing replacement...What is your favorite salad dressing??

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Replies

  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
    flavored balsamic vinegar. mmmmm
  • Ilikelamps
    Ilikelamps Posts: 482 Member
    I prefer two story dressing ever since taking up weight loss
  • nikkym08
    nikkym08 Posts: 6 Member
    I mix hidden valley ranch in the packet (powder), greek yogurt and almond milk! YUM
  • Cindeeee
    Cindeeee Posts: 25 Member
    I squeeze lemon juice and shake pepper onto my salads. So far, everyone that tries it likes it.
  • Ohwhynot
    Ohwhynot Posts: 356 Member
    Ken's has a light options parmesan peppercorn that is really good and only 80 cals per serving.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I am in the packet with plain greek yogurt camp
  • Unknown
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  • kettouji
    kettouji Posts: 16 Member
    I came on here because I'm a Ranch dressing fanatic, and these options are fantastic. Has anyone tried FF cottage cheese with a hidden valley packet? That sounds delicious, and is going on the grocery list lol
  • retropactum
    retropactum Posts: 75 Member
    I am a ranch lover, so no replacement for me. I did find a recipe for "healthier" ranch using plain greek yogurt instead of milk and mayo... it's pretty good but too much of a hassle for me.

    I also like Italian dressings and sometimes, with the right ingredients, you don't even need it. Try making a salad with a lot of tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and lemon juice... It's flavorful and moist enough that it feels like you are using dressing.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    It just doesn't taste as good without ranch. What I did was start tossing the salad with a predetermined amount of dressing rather than just pouring it on. You get less ranch flavor with less dressing, obviously, but if you coat evenly you get it in every bite. This actually works better for me since I hate getting a huge glob of dressing.
  • followell6912
    followell6912 Posts: 1
    I LOVE the Bolthouse dressings!!
  • brendak76
    brendak76 Posts: 241 Member
    Find a homemade ranch recipe and use silken tofu to replace the mayo. It's fantastic!
  • Nice2BFitAgain
    Nice2BFitAgain Posts: 319 Member
    Have you tried the ranch packets mixed with plain greek yogurt?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    retropactum wrote: »
    I am a ranch lover, so no replacement for me. I did find a recipe for "healthier" ranch using plain greek yogurt instead of milk and mayo... it's pretty good but too much of a hassle for me.

    I also like Italian dressings and sometimes, with the right ingredients, you don't even need it. Try making a salad with a lot of tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and lemon juice... It's flavorful and moist enough that it feels like you are using dressing.

    :o
  • Tupeloblossom
    Tupeloblossom Posts: 142 Member
    Bolthouse Ranch is my favorite.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    I've been using more Italian and Honey Dijon dressing. Both are lower in calories than regular ranch and I've never been one to drench a salad in dressing anyway.
  • thesimps215
    thesimps215 Posts: 7 Member
    Josalinn wrote: »
    flavored balsamic vinegar. mmmmm

    I second that as balsamic is probably the healthiest option. I love ranch, but don't put it on my salads anymore (I save it for cheat days where I have buffalo chicken wings....like during the Super Bowl).

    There are a variety of good balsamic dressings that are mixed with other flavors. Check out the Olive Tap or just your local grocery stores.

    Your palate will adjust to the flavor if you don't like it initially.
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    Bolthouse Farms - Classic Ranch Yogurt Dressing

    But there have been so many great ideas for "Make your own " that this will be added to my Bookmarks for future reading when I am not rushing back to work.
  • gagnon9691
    gagnon9691 Posts: 75 Member
    I was just going to suggest the same thing. I think it tastes better than the Hidden Valley. The don't sell it at all stores though so you have to search
    dreedpc wrote: »
    A friend of mine recommended OPA by Litehouse. It's a greek yogurt dressing. You find it near the bagged salad greens in produce. I have tried Feta Dill and Southwest--both excellent. For 2T -- 50 cal, 4.5 g fat, 2 carbs. Give it a try; I think you'll like it!

  • thatrabidgirl
    thatrabidgirl Posts: 32 Member
    I've never been a fan of store bought dressings. Usually I just add salt, black pepper, lemon, and olive oil. Sometimes I mix it up by just using apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
  • NikiMG1681
    NikiMG1681 Posts: 36 Member
    eeversma wrote: »
    I started using the Ken's Steak House Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing. It's 100 Cals per serving but I can eliminate adding cheese my salads because of the taste so it's a pretty good swap if you like blue cheese.

    Yes! This is my favorite!

  • sdwdickson
    sdwdickson Posts: 45 Member
    jamers615 wrote: »
    Stick with the regular ranch, in a cup on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing, then stab your bite of salad. I promise you get all of the taste, but you'll use 1/4 to 1/8 of the dressing you'd normally use! I can't deal with low fat dressings, i love ranch, blue cheese and caesar. I pull this trick with most salads and it works out great!

    This is what I do, especially when we go out to eat since most places put a lot of dressing on their salads.
  • misifer
    misifer Posts: 114 Member
    I do half ranch, half balsamic vinaigrette. YUMMMMMMMM! I can't do the light ranch either, so I just do less of the "real" stuff.
  • jeichelb83
    jeichelb83 Posts: 172 Member
    I'll throw my vote in for the Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Ranch Dressing. If Ranch isn't your thing Trader Joe's makes an awesome Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette.
  • MelWick524
    MelWick524 Posts: 215 Member
    jla2983 wrote: »
    Hello! Prior to my healthy lifestyle change I would eat hidden valley ranch on my salads. It is not the healthiest choice! I switched to low fat and fat free ranch and did not like them. What is your favorite salad dressing homemade or store bought? I have tried plain vinegar and oil on my salads and do not like it either... I am hoping to find a healthy ranch dressing replacement. Please help! ;)

    When I was a kid and my Dad was on some "fad" diet, he would mix some Hidden Valley Ranch w/ red wine vinegar and put it on his salads. I thought it was such a gross idea...but now, I will mix a little Hidden Valley Ranch w/ balsamic vinegar, and sometimes even add a drop of hot sauce for a kick. Sounds weird, but it works, lol.
  • kajones2009
    kajones2009 Posts: 93 Member
    One trick i learned from a friend was to pour your 2 tbsp into a side container and dip your fork in the ranch before you stab your lettuce, that way you still get your ranch but you eat much less of it.
  • jeannemarie333
    jeannemarie333 Posts: 214 Member
    Love the dipping fork idea, and I make my own with lite Thousand, rice milk (or any kind of fat free) and fat free greek yogurt, it's surprising how good it is :) good luck!!
  • MelWick524
    MelWick524 Posts: 215 Member
    Haha, I thought my "add vinegar" idea was so odd! Should've read the responses 1st, lol!!!
  • craftergin
    craftergin Posts: 25 Member
    I use Ken's Steak House Buttermilk Ranch dressing. I have a salad every night with lots of veggies. I weigh the salad dressing (30g) and it's 180 calories. Totally worth it! I've lost 20 pounds since Jan 5th.
  • Nuke_64
    Nuke_64 Posts: 406 Member
    +1 Bolthouse, blue cheese in my case.
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