salad dressings.....

pmad37
pmad37 Posts: 105 Member
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
I made a beautiful healthy salad for my lunch today, then input the dressing I had planned to use (it was all I had at home). When I saw the calorie count, I scrounged around in the office kitchen and found a bottle of kroger lite balsamic - saved well over 100 calories

I'm curious, what are your favorite dressings....
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Replies

  • lindalee0315
    lindalee0315 Posts: 527 Member
    Ken's Asian Ginger (Lite)--70 calories for 2 Tbsp and it's great!
  • ejmcam
    ejmcam Posts: 533 Member
    Bolthouse farms creamy yogurt dressings, I use them all the time. Honey mustard has 45 calories in 2 tblsp, ranch has 70 cals in 2 tbsp, blue cheese has 50 calories in 2 tbsp and caesar has 80 calories. And they are yummy! Some low cal dressings are tasteless or have a funny after taste. These are fantatstic. and they are all natural, no added sugar or preservatives. They are sold in the refrigerated produce section at my grocery store.
  • ejmcam
    ejmcam Posts: 533 Member
    Bolthouse farms creamy yogurt dressings, I use them all the time. Honey mustard has 45 calories in 2 tblsp, ranch has 70 cals in 2 tbsp, blue cheese has 50 calories in 2 tbsp and caesar has 80 calories. And they are yummy! Some low cal dressings are tasteless or have a funny after taste. These are fantatstic. and they are all natural, no added sugar or preservatives. They are sold in the refrigerated produce section at my grocery store.
  • healthyjen342
    healthyjen342 Posts: 1,435 Member
    Kraft Light Creamy Caesar by Kraft is my FAVORITE
    Kraft Caesar Parmesean Viniagrette is great
    Kraft Greek Vinaigrette Salad Dressing W/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Feta Cheese, and Oregano is delish AND it was on clearance!

    I also made my own with olive oil and balsamic vinegar...it was rather tasty...

    I would also love to hear some suggestions and/or recipes...
  • mlemonroe2
    mlemonroe2 Posts: 603
    Hidden Valley makes a lite ranch that is made with sour cream and dosn't taste lite at all!! Even my hubby loves it! I also like a lot of Kens brand lite dressings. The lite olive oil vinaigrette is amazing!
  • gavin03
    gavin03 Posts: 39
    newmans own light balsamic 45 cal. 4 grams of fat for 2tbls
  • tuppertracy
    tuppertracy Posts: 14
    I just bought some fat free Hidden Valley Ranch and a bottle of raspberry vinegarette. I really like both. I put lots of veggies in my salad there are different flavors going on with the dressing.
  • aesquivel47
    aesquivel47 Posts: 37 Member
    I have two favorites both from Trader Joes. Their Lite Champagne Vinaigrette has something like 50 calories per 2 Tbsp. and the Champagne Pear and Gorgonzola has 45. They taste good too.
  • darkhorse43
    darkhorse43 Posts: 70 Member
    I like the ones made by Seeds of Change. They're all around 60 calories for 2 Tbsp and all natural.
  • DonnaLFitz
    DonnaLFitz Posts: 270 Member
    Maple Grove Farms of Vermont :
    No-sugar Raspberry Vinaigrette (5 cal/1 T.)
    Low-Fat Honey Dijon Vinaigrette (35 cal/2 T.)
  • jaelwoman
    jaelwoman Posts: 81
    I've been using Walden Farms Ranch and Honey Mustard. 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 carbs...tastes like diet dressing, but I'll put up with that to save everything else
  • sammyjj53
    sammyjj53 Posts: 54 Member
    All of the light dressings especially the vinagerettes are EXTREAMLY high in sodium so you have to watch that as well. Not jus the calories.
  • kenlad64
    kenlad64 Posts: 377 Member
    Lately, I’ve been topping my salads with some fat free cottage cheese and some salsa, it turns it int a pretty good meal, a lot less sodium too!
  • recee96
    recee96 Posts: 224 Member
    Thanks for the tips ladies! I'm my way to store after work to pick up some healthier dressing. I ate Hidden Valley (full fat) Ranch and it was 160 calories for the dressing alone! I like to drizzle (instead of saturate) it on my salads but I'm always looking for something healthier :)
  • ronchap
    ronchap Posts: 60
    Kraft Roasted red pepper and parmesean 40 cal 2 tablespoons or greek yogurt with powdered ranch dressing mix and thinned with a little water quarter cup is about 50 cal or so plus 0 fat and about 10 gms protein
  • DanceMomCG
    DanceMomCG Posts: 47 Member
    Lately, I’ve been topping my salads with some fat free cottage cheese and some salsa, it turns it int a pretty good meal, a lot less sodium too!

    I've been doing that minus the salsa and I'm quite satisfied. When not dieting...I LOVE Hidden Valley Ranch! Yum!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Ken's steakhouse bleu cheese.
    Raspberry vinagerette
    Creamy poppy seed

    I don't care much for the "lowfat" dressings. I prefer to have a bit less, or just compensate for the calories elsewhere.
  • sammyjj53
    sammyjj53 Posts: 54 Member
    Lately, I’ve been topping my salads with some fat free cottage cheese and some salsa, it turns it int a pretty good meal, a lot less sodium too!

    You should be careful with that too because salsa is loaded with sodium as well.
  • 1crazymom
    1crazymom Posts: 434 Member
    Great Value Fat Free Italian 15 cal. 2 tbsp and Wish bone Light blue cheese 30 cal. 2 tbsp.
  • pmad37
    pmad37 Posts: 105 Member
    hmmmm, may try some of these, thanks!
  • pelleld
    pelleld Posts: 363 Member
    I hate diet/low fat dressing, just can't eat them. We love salad and eat it many nights. I just dress it fresh with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinergar, salt and pepper and a little garlic powder. Its not fat free or even light, but the olive oil is a healthier fat and I wouldn't even eat salad if I had to use light dressing......
  • DeniseGdz
    DeniseGdz Posts: 592 Member
    I just switched to Maries Blue Cheese Light. 2 tbspns = 70 calories
    it's creamy =)
  • TeenaMarina
    TeenaMarina Posts: 420 Member
    bonk
  • ejmcam
    ejmcam Posts: 533 Member
    Try the fresh salsa's from the produce section. They dont last as long because they are fresh veggies....but they are not at all high in sodium.
  • tararocks
    tararocks Posts: 287 Member
    When my salad toppings are limited (like at home when I need to go to the store) i use wishbone light italian, its 35cals for 2 tbsp but when i am out and get a salad (like at a salad bar when there are many toppings) i have found that i can eat the salad with no dressing, i originally tried ranch on the side to dip in but realized i tasted the flavors much more with no dressing, again this isn't something I do all the time but I'm glad i realized I can do it. I used to generously pour pour pour ranch dressing on my salad, and while i loved the taste, i also discovered I love the taste of all the vegetables and toppings I am eating and I no longer need to cover my bowl with the white stuff. Good luck to you!
  • KnottyJen
    KnottyJen Posts: 1,070 Member
    I have a new favorite! It's made by a company called Hendrickson's. The Sweet vinegar & oil dressing has 70 calories in 2 tablespoons. I LOVE spinach salads, so I heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then drizzle it on my spinach salad with a hard boiled egg and low sodium bacon crumbles. YUM YUM!!
  • bopper
    bopper Posts: 352 Member
    Be sure to check the sugar content in the dressings. Many are loaded with sugar.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    i try not to use dressings---a spinach salad is amazing with pepper, garlic, and some red pepper flakes for some kick...that with some feta cheese, adding dressing to it (with the seasonings) is complete overkill and its hard to eat. BUT... Try dipping your fork into the side of dressing with each bite--u use a tsp of dressing instead of a tablespoon, or two, or three... Also, Kraft Free Zesty Italian is only 15calories for 2tablespoons (and i generally only use 1 tbls which is 7.5calories), but theres alot of sodium in it--400 or so mg for the whole serving (but if u eat a low sodium diet, ull still be under sodium with adding in some dressing now and again)...adding a tablespoon of cheese (feta, mozarella,etc) and some sliced almonds is a better choice. No croutons. Wishbone light ranch dressing is only 40calories for 2tablespoons.. I like to take 1tbls and add 1tbls of water, mix it together, which makes a thin ranch dressing, but like having the whole serving for only 20calories instead of 40---you could do this with any dressing and add some pepper that is in most break rooms or at resturants on the table, and u cant tell the difference
  • Azzrielish
    Azzrielish Posts: 44 Member
    Honey Ridge Farms Fire Roasted Chili Honey Vinegar - just ten calories per tablespoon and yummy! I'm a bit of a vinegar fan and used to just put balsamic vinegar on my salad before I discovered this stuff.

    Ingredients: Honey Vinegar, Honey, Water, Black Pepper, Orange Peel, Sea Salt, Garlic (Garlic, Olive Oil), Lemon Peel, Fire Roasted Chiles (sulfite free).

    Its pricey at $10 for 9.5 oz but totally worth it!
  • recee96
    recee96 Posts: 224 Member
    After reading this site, I went out and bought the creamy yogurt dressing from Boathouse (I believe) and it was really good! I got the ceasar flavored dressing. I also got the Kraft greek vinagarette as well. It was good too but a little too tangy. And it's still higher in calories (110) per serving. Nevertheless, I will be using both in my salads. Thanks for the great tips!
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