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We fell in love with this delicious homemade Ranch seasoning over a year ago when we started replacing the store-bought version.  It is SO easy to make and only requires a few ingredients.  I double or triple the recipe each time I make it, and simply keep it in the pantry for when it’s needed.  I’ve served it to dozens of guests, as well as my kiddos, and everyone agrees that it’s so tasty.  In fact, most everyone thinks that it’s even better than the store-bought version.  And there’s no questionable ingredients, additives, or sugar.  Only real food!  I love being able to serve this alternative, knowing that it’s healthy and so yummy.

There are plenty of organic varieties for mayonnaise out there now, and I know I can always buy organic sour cream at Safeway.  Buttermilk is a more difficult ingredient to find, but MOM carries an organic version that I like.  The dressing really is so tasty with buttermilk, though I think many other substitutions could work as well.

We’ve also used this seasoning to marinade chicken before grilling.  There are plenty of possibilities for variations, so don’t be afraid to experiment!

Curious about the ingredients in a store-bought Ranch seasoning packet?  Here’s what’s in it:

1. Maltodextrin – a highly processed white powder derived from (likely GMO) corn, rice, potato starch, or wheat.  It’s similar to a corn syrup, with the difference being a lower sugar content.  It still acts as glucose in our bodies though, which makes sugar the first ingredient in the seasoning packet.  That’s super concerning, especially given the current diabetes epidemic in the U.S.  In fact, “sugar” is added to 80% of packaged foods, and it can hide behind at least 56 different names!
2. Salt – a mineral composed of sodium and chloride.  We need it to live, in reasonable quantities.  However, this salt is likely highly processed and bleached, with added chemicals.  I prefer to use natural sea salt, which retains its trace minerals and is truly healthy for our bodies.
3. Monosodium Glutamate – an extremely common food additive otherwise known as MSG.  It’s shocking how many processed foods contain MSG!  It tricks our bodies into thinking food tastes better than it really does.  This highly processed “food enhancer” shouldn’t be confused with the neurotransmitter, glutamic acid, which is needed for proper bodily function.  The MSG additive is an excitotoxin that overexcites cells in the body, making them so heavily damaged that they can actually die.  This can cause varying degrees of brain damage and may even worsen learning disabilities.  MSG is linked to several side effects like headache, nausea, vomiting, neck pain, back pain, heart palpitations, obesity, depression, and even neurological disease with prolonged use.  It’s especially concerning to me, personally, that this is the third ingredient, because they are listed in order of abundance in the food.
4. Onion – no major concern, except that it is likely and irradiated and GMO, especially given the “Produced with Genetic Engineering” label at the bottom.
5. Spices – this could include any number of spices that are generally considered to not be allergens.  Again, no major concern, except that it is likely and irradiated and GMO, especially given the “Produced with Genetic Engineering” label at the bottom.
6. Garlic – no major concern, except that it is likely and irradiated and GMO, especially given the “Produced with Genetic Engineering” label at the bottom.
7. Modified Food Starch – a chemically-altered, highly processed food additive derived from starch.  The “starch” could be derived from corn, potato, tapioca, rice, or wheat, but there’s no way of knowing, so those avoiding gluten would need to be careful.  This ingredient is used for thickening, stabilizing, or emulsifying.  Because we also don’t know how the starch is processed or what is added into it, it’s an ingredient I prefer to stay away from.  Though there are no known health issues currently, this ingredient also hasn’t really been studied.  Some evidence suggests that emulsifiers may negatively impact the gut biome though.
8. Calcium Stearate – a food additive that is an anti-caking agent.  It’s chemically created by reacting stearic acid with calcium oxide.  It’s generally recognized as safe, but I still prefer to stay clear of food that isn’t actually food.
9. Natural Flavor – this is an unregulated label and truly could mean anything, including more MSG!  The only requirement is that the ingredient was originally derived from something natural (including plants or animals), but it is then highly processed and all kinds of extra additives can be used as well.  This means that even though the ingredient started out as natural, it’s so processed that it can’t even be considered whatever it was in the first place.  And unfortunately, there’s no way to tell what ingredients, chemicals, or processes are included.