# Let's talk about ranch dressing **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618 "2003-07-24T13:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/1 "2003-07-24T13:40:28Z")
MMM… I love ranch dressing! I’ll put it on anything and everything from pizza to spaghetti to vegetables to chicken to just about anything. Now yesterday, as I was eating a slice of Pizza Hut pizza with Pizza Hut’s ranch dressing all over it I pondered why it is that “industrial” ranch dressing used in fast food places and restaurants is so much better than anything I can buy at my local grocery store. Things in bottles just aren’t… ranchy enough… So… Best. Ranch. Dressing. Ever? Let me know what you think! ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Fisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Ms.Fisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Fisk)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/2 "2003-07-24T13:52:28Z")
Hidden Valley Ranch …But please, **tramp** I would much prefer you didn’t have a heart attack before age 35. Try a grease-clogged slice of pepperoni without the 16g-of-fat-per-Tbsp sauce, will ya? ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/3 "2003-07-24T13:54:39Z")
Nooooooooooooooooo! Actually, I hadn’t eaten anything else all day so I splurged on the pizza. Must. Have. GREASE! ---
**Author:** ![Undead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b3f665/32.png) [@Undead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Undead)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/4 "2003-07-24T14:03:27Z")
Newman’s Own serves up a mean dressing. I’m pretty sure they have Ranch. **tramp** , I, like you, have a similar disorder, but not with Ranch; with Creamy Caesar. Newman’s Own Creamy Caesar dressing is too freakin’ good! I put it on sandwiches, tacos, chicken, potato chips, burgers, pizza, hot dogs, wings…just about everything except breakfast. Is there a support group for salad dressing addicts? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/5 "2003-07-24T14:25:20Z")
Ranch dressing is the pilsner of salad dressing – boring, insipid, and flavorless. Now Blue Cheese is different… ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/6 "2003-07-24T14:49:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crafter\_Man \* > \*\*Ranch dressing is the pilsner of salad dressing – boring, insipid, and flavorless. > > Now Blue Cheese is different… \*\* :eek: Blasphemy. ---
**Author:** ![NoDucks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@NoDucks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoDucks)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/7 "2003-07-24T14:52:26Z")
No! Ketchup…acceptable condiment. Mayo…acceptable condiment. Mustard…another acceptable condiment, but not to my personal liking. But I simply don’t understand this new trend of putting ranch dressing on **everything!** Ranch is **not** the new ketchup! And I only encountered this phenomena when I visited a friend in the midwest. Thank god this hasn’t become an east coast thing yet. ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/8 "2003-07-24T15:07:55Z")
The only ketchup I will eat comes from Whataburger, an orangish slightly sleezy fast food chain currently only in the south. Their ketchup is the only ketchup that is acceptable to my picky tastebuds. That being said, I live in Vuhginyah (the south but apparetnly not south enough) and it is very hard to get that ketchup up here. I get people to smuggle it back from trips to Texas. Once I have a supply, a meal must be ketchup worthy in order for me to use on of my precious ketchups. So ranch dressing is my ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/9 "2003-07-24T15:09:59Z")
I thoroughly disagree. At least ranch has legitimate uses as a condiment. Ketchup, my friend, does not. OK, maybe on a hamburger, but only if combined with mustard and mayonnaise. Ranch is a thoroughly delicious veggie dip. And can be an acceptable condiment on chicken sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![jay-c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jay-c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jay-c)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/10 "2003-07-24T15:14:01Z")
**tramp,** Having worked in foodservice most of my college career, I notice that most restaurants seem to use [Marzetti’s salad dressings](http://www.marzetti.com/). This includes my local Pizza Hut. They just relabel it or something. Marzetti has a whole foodservice line for restaurants. The bottles/jars available in grocery stores should taste the same. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/11 "2003-07-24T16:24:36Z")
I love ranch dressing!!! Hidden Valley fan here. Kraft just doesn’t get it, and I don’t want to try owt else in case there is a huge let down factor. Also, Ranch is something new here in the UK. Kraft labels it as _Garlic Ranch_\*, but to me it tastes like normal Kraft ranch - hey in a pinch I’m not picky. Last year my mom sent me several ranch dressing mixes, but they just do not taste the same. Ranch is one of those wonderful things that goes with most anything - pasta, chicken, pizza, tacos, fries… Golly I’m hungry now… ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/12 "2003-07-24T16:43:20Z")
Honestly, I prefer a raspberry vinigrette or certain honey mustard dressings. However, as far as ranch dressing goes, Uncle Dan’s mixed with sour cream, is the THE BEST. Hidden Valley, Kraft, all those others, they NUTTIN’ on Uncle Dans. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/13 "2003-07-24T16:55:23Z")
Hidden Valley is the only kind of Ranch to eat. But you can easily bore yourself with Ranch. Try Bleu Cheese ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/14 "2003-07-24T16:57:34Z")
Ok, I gotta say this… I love bleu cheese. I think it is great. However, I found most bleu cheese dressing just cheese swimming in tasteless mayo. I’d rather just eat the cheese on its own. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/15 "2003-07-24T17:05:19Z")
There are two local restaurants here that have just amazing ranch dressing. I will put it on anything. I’m kind of getting away from Hidden Valley Ranch and Kraft is vile. But good, non-thick ranch dressing–food of gods! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/16 "2003-07-24T17:32:26Z")
_Real_ Ranch dressing comes in a Hidden Valley envelope packet that says “bring your own buttermilk”. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/17 "2003-07-24T18:09:59Z")
I don’t use ranch dressing on salads–I usually go for an non-creamy italian, some oil and vinegar, or a non-creamy vinagrette–but, if I’m getting some sort of fat-laden sandwich from Denny’s, I get ranch on the side to dip it in. 'Cause, in that case, it isn’t going to make a hell of a lot of difference. Chicken and ranch go together particularly well. ::is still bitter that Wendy’s stopped serving the grilled chicken salad with the low-cal/low-fat italian dressing:: ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/18 "2003-07-24T20:07:57Z")
I LOVES me some Ranch. I will also eat it on just about anything. I do not have a favorite, but will agree that store bought ranch just does not live up to restaurant ranch. I’ll have to check out Marzetti’s, thanks to the insider tip from **jay-c**. I’m dieting right now and wish I could find a light ranch that’s as yummy. Recently, I was forced to eat squash and had to resort to dipping it in regular ranch just to get it down. Nothin’ like ranch–it makes anything taste good (or passable, anyway)! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/19 "2003-07-24T20:59:38Z")
Amen, Zenster. Ranch is the Kraft singles of salad dressing. Now homemade buttermilk dressing? Now you’re talking! ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618/20 "2003-07-25T07:18:30Z")
Can’t stand blue cheese dressings. They honestly make me gag and heave. Once when I was about 9 or so, we were in a restaurant and I went to make my salad. I grabbed the spoon labeled Ranch and topped the salad. Went back to the table and forked up a big mouthful. In it went - but not for long. It promptly came back out, all over the table. It was actually blue cheese. They had put the spoon in the wrong container. :rolleyes: Just can’t eat anything like that, even now as an adult. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-ranch-dressing/190618.md?page=2)