Bolthouse Farms Creamy Yogurt Dressing: Classic Ranch

Bolthouse Farms makes a wide variety of great beverages. Now they have added a variety of salad dressings to their product line, which also already includes "carrot products".

I love Bolthouse Farms beverages and was especially thrilled to see that they don't add sugar or high fructose corn syrup to their dressing. They do add a sweetener, in the form of apple juice concentrate mixed with water, to the ranch dressing.

I tried the dressing on a garden salad and had mixed feelings at first.

The Classic Ranch dressing is made with yogurt, but tastes a lot like a buttermilk ranch, with a strong buttermilk flavor. I am not a big fan of buttermilk ranch, so I was not very happy with this dressing upon first bite. However, I did try it several more times and over time it grew on me.

I have since used it on other salads and as a dip for veggies when snacking. I am really enjoying this dressing now. It also makes a great sandwich spread (in place of mayonnaise). The website also recommends trying it on pizza and baked potatoes.

Bolthouse Farms Classic Ranch Creamy Yogurt Dressing is all-natural and contains no preservatives. There are no trans fats, no MSG, no artificial colors or flavors and no added sugar. This dressing is gluten-free, but does contain eggs and milk.

The ingredients in the Classic Ranch dressing are: buttermilk, soybean oil, yogurt, apple juice from concentrate, distilled vinegar, salt, egg yolk, natural flavor, xanthan gum, spice, onion and garlic.

There are 70 calories in one 2-tablespoon serving. The label claims this dressing contains 65% less fat and 55% fewer calories than the leading brand, noting that the leading brand contains 170 calories and 19 grams of fat per serving.

The first time I purchased the dressing I lucked out because it was on a Manager's Special and I got it for $1.25. The regular price is $3.49 per 14-ounce bottle. It can be found with the other dressings located in the produce section. This is because these dressings must be kept refrigerated.

The other dressings in the line are other yogurt dressings and olive oil vinaigrettes, in a wide range of flavors such as Chunky Blue Cheese (yogurt dressing), Caesar Parmigiano (yogurt dressing), Thousand Island (yogurt dressing), Honey Mustard (yogurt dressing), Original Coleslaw (yogurt dressing), Creamy Italian (yogurt dressing), Asian Ginger Vinaigrette, Raspberry Merlot Vinaigrette, Chunky Blue Cheese Vinaigrette and Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette.

The Verdict

Would I buy it again? Yes. Once I got used to the buttermilk flavor, I actually grew to enjoy it a lot. I think it is priced a little high, but I don't wait for coupons or sales to buy it. Because it must be kept refrigerated, its not something I could easily stock up on, which is disappointing. Another disappointment is that it only comes in one size. I'd love to buy bigger bottles.

Source:

Bolthouse Farms website. www.bolthouse.com