When it comes to dressing for my salad, I will admit that I’m in bit of a rut. I only like a handful of options. When it comes to the creamy variety, I prefer Ranch, Italian, Poppyseed or Caesar. But since I am on a health kick right now, I am turning more and more often to fat free, sugar free or totally free options.
My current favorite “free” dressing comes from Kraft. It is their Free Ranch Dressing. It is completely fat free and contains less sugar than many of the alternatives on the market shelves today.
My children think I am crazy because they say Kraft Free Ranch Dressing doesn’t taste like regular ranch dressing at all. They may be right, but I’m okay with that. I happen to like the extra tangy bite that Kraft Free Ranch Dressing delivers. It’s right my alley.
While I love using the dressing on my salad, that isn’t the only way I use it. I also enjoy it as a dip with my baby carrots, celery sticks or cucumber slices. It turns an ordinary healthy snack into something quite extraordinary. I’m always up for that.
Let’s talk about nutrition. A serving size of Kraft Free Ranch Dressing is 2 Tbsp. There are about 16 servings inside each 16 fl oz bottle.
Each serving represents 50 calories. Of course none of those are fat-related since Kraft Free Ranch Dressing is fat free. It is also cholesterol free.
On the negative side; however, this salad dressing does contain 11 grams of carbohydrates and 330 micrograms of salt. That may; therefore, put it out of the reach for individuals who are watching their intake of those items. It also contains 3 grams of sugar.
The real bad news; however, is that this dressing has no major nutritional value. It contains no protein, fiber or vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients include: corn syrup, dried green onion, garlic juice, modified cornstarch, onion juice, parsley, salt, soybean oil, vinegar, water and whey. It also contains alganite, artificial coloring, calcium disodium EDTA, disodium inosonate, potassium sorbate, phosphoric acid, propylene glycol and xanthan gum.
Kraft Free Ranch Dressing can be stored in a kitchen cabinet or pantry until it is opened. Once the seal is broken; however, the dressing should be stored in the refrigerator.
Each bottle of Kraft Free Ranch Dressing contains a “use by” date. As long as the product is consumed by that date, it is subject to Kraft’s freshness guarantee. It must be well shaken before it is opened in order to adequately disperse the ingredients and make for an even texture and taste.
Here is my summary review:
Taste: 5 stars. I love the taste of Kraft Free Ranch Dressing. To me it tastes like ranch dressing but with a tangy “kick.” I think that tang makes it much more interesting.
Appearance: 5 stars: This dressing looks as beautiful as it tastes good. It is creamy while in color with the onion and parsley flakes visible to make it even more appealing.
Nutrition: 3 stars. The high carb and sodium intake is disappointing, especially for individuals who must watch the intake of those items. One would like to think there is less sugar inside than there is, which is also disappointing. However, the lack of fat and cholesterol makes up for some of those negatives. Unfortunately, another downside to the dressing is its lack of nutritional value. Kraft might want to think about infusing in some vitamins and minerals to sweeten the pot a bit.
Ease of use: 5 stars. Obviously, Kraft Free Ranch Dressing can be used as a dressing for salad. My daughter also substitutes it for mayonnaise on some of her sandwiches. I like using it as a dip for veggies. My grandkids even like using it as a dip for their chicken fingers and French fries.
Green rating: 5 stars. The bottle can be reused again.
Packaging: 5 stars. The bottle is clear so that the dressing can be viewed. Kraft Free Ranch Dressing looks light, fresh and delicious, which adds a lot to its appeal. The front label is done in green, red, and yellow with pictures of veggies on front. It contains the Kraft logo and “Free” is clearly marked both on the bottle and cap. A royal blue cap offsets the other colors and makes the overall packaging visually stunning. The dressing is sealed inside of the bottle both underneath the cap and around the top. Both seals must be broken before the dressing is exposed to dangerous bacteria forming particles form the air and surrounding environment.
Ease of storage: 5 stars. The bottle measures about 8 ½” in height by 3″ in width by 1 ¾” in depth at the widest point. It should fit well in most modern kitchen cabinets and pantries. However, it may be too tall for older cabinets. The bottle will also fit well into the refrigerator, even the narrow spaces inside the door.
Availability: 5 stars. Kraft products are sold at most major supermarkets and discount department stores that have a food department. They can even be found in many drug and convenience stores.
Price: 5 stars. The price will likely vary somewhat from store to store, depending upon where it is purchased. However, I find that I can usually find it for under $3, which is comparable to most other salad dressings on the market today.
Product purchase probability: 5 stars. I love Kraft products and this salad dressing in particular. Since salad is a mainstay of my daily diet you can rest assured that I will likely have this dressing on hand at all times.
Final rating: 4.8 stars. This product is first class!
RATING SCALE:
5 stars – outstanding
4 stars – good
3 stars – average
2 stars – below average
1 star – poor
