Now that it's summer, I get to look forward to BBQ's, fresh salads, picnics, and cold, refreshing drinks. I get to take my kids to swimming pools, playgrounds and on lay dates. I also dread marvel over the endless food prep. As a teacher, I am grateful for the opportunity to spend summers at home with my kids. But what I find most daunting is finding snacks and easy meals to make for my kids that they'll actually enjoy. One of the things I know that they'll eat is raw veggies with dip. Having been given a chance to try Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, I couldn't resist testing it out with my kids.


Hidden Valley has been making ranch dressing for over 50 years, so you know there's a reason why their ranch dressing has become a popular favourite in North America as well as in over 30 countries worldwide. It has a nice blend of herbs and spices, and is oh, so creamy. The ranch dressing comes in three varities: The Original Ranch, The Original Ranch Light and The Original Ranch Fat Free.

Personally, I prefer the Original Ranch. When I brought a whole bunch of the full-size samples to give away at work, several staff members had replied to my email hoping to win a bottle. Most of them mentioned that they would prefer the light or fat free version, which makes sense since a number of them are on Weight Watchers. My vice principal was lucky enough to win one and he decided to keep it in the fridge in the main office. He likes to have it handy since he's always busy at lunch hour and can't always make it to the staff room. Within a matter of days, someone took his bottle from the fridge! Though he was quite disappointed, it just goes to show that Hidden Valley Ranch dressing was a hit among my co-workers.



But was it a hit with my kids?



When I put out a tray of baby carrots and broccoli with some Hidden Valley Ranch dressing as dip for snack time, I watched intently and noted their reaction. Without hesitation, they dipped right in. I anticipated an initial recoil, but happily, they kept on dipping. Nothing unusual. Just dip, after dip, after dip. I threw on some grape tomatoes and voilà! We had three out of five colours covered on our fruit and vegetable rainbow chart. I was thrilled! Not only do my kids like it, but Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains 0 trans fat.



If you're looking for some creative ideas on how to get your kids cooking in the kitchen, videos tips or recipes, check out hiddenvalley.com.

Want to try out a few bottles for yourself? Head over to Mommy Kat and Kids for a chance to win some Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.

Disclosure: I was sent a package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressings to share with friends and family, and to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.