Light Hidden Valley Ranch

JennS19
JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
edited October 12 in Food and Nutrition
So I'm going to admit, I have a little obsession to Hiddle Valley Ranch dressing. It's just so creamy and yummy and sooooo good. But for 2 Tbls its 140 calories and to me, that's just a bit much.

So I'm curious, is the light variety of Hidden Valley Ranch any good? Does it still have the same kind of taste that the original ranch does? I'm really hoping it does, please someone tell me that there is a good lower calories substitute for this great dressing?

:smile:

Replies

  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
    I can't really tell the difference in taste but the Hidden Valley "light" isn't all that light I don't think. Marie's (in the refrigerated section, usually by the salad mixes) has a creamy light ranch that tastes really good and is "lighter" than the Hidden Valley Light.

    Marie's All Natural - Light Creamy Ranch - 60 calories/6 grams of fat per 2 TBSP
    Hidden Valley Ranch Light - 80 calories/7 grams of fat per 2 TBSP

    Marie's also has about 1/3 less sodium than the Hidden Valley Light has (200 in Marie's vs. 290 in H.V.)
  • myetka
    myetka Posts: 2
    The best dressings out there, to me, are the Lite House Dressings which there is a light ranch and is made with the "good fats" and tastes awesome. I like the Light Salsa Ranch w/ 2 tbs. being 60 calories and I put it on turkey wraps and salads and it is the best!!! You can find them near the produce aisles and if you go to Save Mart or Raley's they carry more variety of the Lite House brand than Safeway. I have not gone back to regular yucky brands after trying all of Lite House Dressings. Also, Annie's dressings are another better tasting brand. Try them out! Oh, and Marie's is also good to! You may not go back to Hidden Valley........:bigsmile:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    I like it. And my daughter does too.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    Can't you make your own?

    http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/homemade_buttermilk_ranch_dressing/

    1 cup buttermilk
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    1/8 teaspoon paprika
    1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon black pepper
    1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
    1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
    1/4 teaspoon of dry dill (or a teaspoon chopped fresh)

    This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups. That would be about 24 tbsp. So, 12, 2 tbsp servings.

    Calories 47
    Total Fat 3.5g
    Saturated Fat 0.6g
    Cholesterol 3mg
    Sodium 188mg
    Total Carbohydrates 3.4g
    Sugars 1.6g
    Protein 0.8g
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I definitely like the Light version but I had no real attachment to the original. But the light is the best light I've tasted (you cant' find a yummy light blue cheese at all).
  • WalkTheTalk
    WalkTheTalk Posts: 35
    Bump. This homemade ranch sounds yum!
  • kel9680
    kel9680 Posts: 173 Member
    coming from a former full fat ranch addict, I love the light Hidden Valley Ranch, I think it tastes the same and so does the rest of my family, it is really good, and I used to use ranch for EVERYTHING, if it was dippable, it was dipped in it! lol, i've gotten a lot better, but when I want it I use the light!
  • dwnlynn
    dwnlynn Posts: 47
    I just made this recipe from skinnytaste.com and I really like it. I LOVE ranch and this is really good.

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/09/low-fat-buttermilk-ranch-dressing.html#more

    Low-fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
    Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
    Servings: 13 • Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 1 pts • Points+: 1 pts
    Calories: 52.3 • Fat: 2.0 g • Carbs: 5.5 g • Fiber: 0.0 g • Protein: 3.4 g • Sugar: 3.7 g
    Sodium: 288.8 mg

    Ingredients:
    3/4 cup fat free sour cream
    3/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt
    1/3 cup Hellman's light mayonnaise
    1 tsp garlic powder
    1 tsp onion powder
    1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
    1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
    1 tsp salt
    freshly ground pepper
    1-2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
    2 cups 1% low fat buttermilk


    Directions:


    In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, powder, onion powder, parsley, chives, salt, and cracked pepper. Mix well.


    Stir in the white balsamic vinegar; then buttermilk.
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    Water, Soybean Oil, Buttermilk, Maltodextrin, Sugar Salt, Less Than 2 Percent Of: Spices, Dried Garlic, Natural Flavors (Soy), Egg Yolk, Modified Food Starch, Soy Lecithin, Celery Puree, Corn Oil, Carageenan, Carrot Puree, Dried Onion, Onion Puree, Phosphoric Acid, Vinegar, Artificial Flavor, Disodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Monosodium Glutimate, Artificial Color, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate W/ Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, And Calcium Disodium EDTA As Preservatives.

    . . . in other words, make your own ;)

    I too am a ranch addict and I make my own. I know exactly what goes in it and it is straight up delicious.
  • hjollyrn
    hjollyrn Posts: 208 Member
    I love the light hidden valley! Yummy!
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I love Hidden Valley Light Ranch. It tastes wonderful. It might not be EXACTLY like the original, but it's WAY better than any other brand I've tried, and it is better than giving up ranch all together.

    You should try a small bottle of it. I think it's great. It still makes my vegetables delectable.
  • guinevere96
    guinevere96 Posts: 1,445 Member
    dwnlynn wrote: »
    I just made this recipe from skinnytaste.com and I really like it. I LOVE ranch and this is really good.

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/09/low-fat-buttermilk-ranch-dressing.html#more

    Low-fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
    Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
    Servings: 13 • Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 1 pts • Points+: 1 pts
    Calories: 52.3 • Fat: 2.0 g • Carbs: 5.5 g • Fiber: 0.0 g • Protein: 3.4 g • Sugar: 3.7 g
    Sodium: 288.8 mg

    Ingredients:
    3/4 cup fat free sour cream
    3/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt
    1/3 cup Hellman's light mayonnaise
    1 tsp garlic powder
    1 tsp onion powder
    1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
    1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
    1 tsp salt
    freshly ground pepper
    1-2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
    2 cups 1% low fat buttermilk


    Directions:


    In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, powder, onion powder, parsley, chives, salt, and cracked pepper. Mix well.


    Stir in the white balsamic vinegar; then buttermilk.

    Bumping for the buttermilk ranch recipe YUM
  • dena789
    dena789 Posts: 165 Member
    kaetra wrote: »
    I can't really tell the difference in taste but the Hidden Valley "light" isn't all that light I don't think. Marie's (in the refrigerated section, usually by the salad mixes) has a creamy light ranch that tastes really good and is "lighter" than the Hidden Valley Light.

    Marie's All Natural - Light Creamy Ranch - 60 calories/6 grams of fat per 2 TBSP
    Hidden Valley Ranch Light - 80 calories/7 grams of fat per 2 TBSP

    Marie's also has about 1/3 less sodium than the Hidden Valley Light has (200 in Marie's vs. 290 in H.V.)

    That's great to know. I love Ranch dressing too!
  • Terpnista84
    Terpnista84 Posts: 517 Member
    I stick to italian salad dressings with no calories- tastes good.

    I wanted to eat salad this week but I could not justify the calories in the salad dressing.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    JennS19 wrote: »
    So I'm going to admit, I have a little obsession to Hiddle Valley Ranch dressing. It's just so creamy and yummy and sooooo good. But for 2 Tbls its 140 calories and to me, that's just a bit much.

    So I'm curious, is the light variety of Hidden Valley Ranch any good? Does it still have the same kind of taste that the original ranch does? I'm really hoping it does, please someone tell me that there is a good lower calories substitute for this great dressing?

    :smile:
    Tastes the same to me. When we eat salad, my DD loves it. With reduced calories and if you don't overindulge, it's a good substitute versus the regular version.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    edited March 2015

    Terpnista84 wrote: »
    I stick to italian salad dressings with no calories- tastes good.

    I wanted to eat salad this week but I could not justify the calories in the salad dressing.
    Wait, if there's oil in it (most Italian one's I know of any way) how does it not have any calories?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • gamesandgains
    gamesandgains Posts: 640 Member
    Give these a try. I found that I liked them better than regular ranch once I tried them. Very macro friendly.

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  • Terpnista84
    Terpnista84 Posts: 517 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Terpnista84 wrote: »
    I stick to italian salad dressings with no calories- tastes good.

    I wanted to eat salad this week but I could not justify the calories in the salad dressing.
    Wait, if there's oil in it (most Italian one's I know of any way) how does it not have any calories?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    You're right it does. It's called zesty Italian and is fat free. It has 15 calories per serving.
  • Lissa_Kaye
    Lissa_Kaye Posts: 214 Member
    I was an insane ranch addict. I am talking ranch on my pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, sandwiches, chips, like everything. And super picky, I could only do HVR original too. Its sounds so funny but I started out cutting the original with the light. The light has a kind of funny bitter twang to it. So I would mix the full flavor and light 50/50, I got the little mason jars and did a 1/4 cup original, and a quarter cup light and just logged by the TBS. Then after I got used to that I bought the Bolthouse ranch and mixed all three 33/33/33. I would make up another jar and do 1/3 cup of each. Then I started mixing in more of the Bolthouse and less of the Hidden Valley. I would do 1/4 cup original, 1/4 cup light and a half cup Bolthouse. Then I eventually just cut out the original. Now the original tastes really strange to me, but I still have to mix light and Bolthouse. It's funny but now I make all my own dressings for salads and don't use ranch any more really.
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
    I buy the hidden valley powder (in a big shaker at Costco) and add it to greek yogurt....I'll whisk in some NF milk to thin it if necessary. I also like it just sprinkled on chicken when cooking. yum!
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