So I was staring at this stupid little bottle of store-bought ranch powder the other day, you know the one that costs like five bucks for almost nothing? Total rip-off. And I just thought, screw this. There’s gotta be a better way, a cheaper way. Plus, honestly, who knows what weird stuff they put in there anyway? Figured, why not try whipping it up myself? See if I could beat the system and save some cash.
The Hunt Begins (In My Own Kitchen)
First thing I did was go digging in my spice cabinet. I mean, I cook, so I should have some basics, right? Found some dried parsley flakes hanging out. Awesome. Then onion powder? Check. Garlic powder? Yeah, had some leftover from last month’s chili. Buttermilk powder? Uh oh. Searched everywhere – nope. Must have used it all up ages ago. Dried chives? Forget it. And dill? Not a speck. My pantry was letting me down, big time. So much for saving money if I have to buy half the ingredients!
Dragging My Feet to the Store
Okay, fine. Grabbed my keys, grumbling the whole way. Headed over to the bulk spice aisle. This is usually where I start saving. Found the buttermilk powder first – picked up just enough, weighed it myself. Much cheaper than a whole jar. Then I scooped some dried chives, dried dill (finally!), and grabbed a little extra onion and garlic powder just in case mine were getting weak. Also snagged some salt and pepper – basic stuff, but gotta have it. Watching the total ring up was way less painful than buying that pre-made bottle.
Operation Homemade Ranch Powder
Got home, dumped everything onto the counter. Pulled out my smallest whisk – don’t bother with a spoon for this, it needs real mixing. Here’s exactly what I measured out:
- A big spoonful of buttermilk powder (that’s the creamy magic)
- Two spoonfuls of dried parsley flakes (for that green speckle)
- A spoonful and a half of dried chives (can’t skip this)
- A spoonful of onion powder
- A spoonful of garlic powder
- A good pinch of dried dill weed (that tangy kick)
- A decent pinch of salt
- A smaller pinch of black pepper
Seriously, just eyeballed the sizes based on my regular measuring spoons. Didn’t sweat the tiny fractions. Then went to town with my whisk right in the bowl. Whisk, whisk, whisk. Had to really scrape the sides and bottom to get everything incorporated – it wanted to clump. Just kept at it until it looked like all the different bits were mixed up nice and even. That familiar ranch smell started coming through – pretty promising!
The Big Taste Test (Mostly for Me)
Couldn’t wait. Scooped out a couple tablespoons of my homemade mix into a bowl. Added about a cup of mayonnaise and a quarter cup of milk. Stirred it like crazy until it got nice and creamy, maybe not quite as thick as the bottled kind at first, but it thickened up in the fridge after a while. Grabbed a carrot stick. Dipped. Took a bite. Holy crap, it tasted like ranch! Like, actual legit ranch. Tangy, herby, creamy. Maybe a touch more oniony than the Hidden Valley? Maybe? Honestly, my husband couldn’t tell the difference when I made him try it later.
Closing Thoughts (And Counting Pennies)
Total time invested? Maybe ten minutes of active work, not counting the store run. The cost? Forget about it – buying those spices in bulk was pennies on the dollar compared to another bottle of that pre-made powder. I have plenty left for several more batches too. Stuffed the powder into an old spice jar I saved (you know, the glass ones you always rinse out meaning to reuse someday – well, today was that day!). Now it lives in my spice cabinet, ready for the next batch of dip or salad dressing. Feels pretty darn good to just mix it up whenever I want. No preservatives. No mystery ingredients. Just stuff I recognize. And yeah, hell of a lot cheaper. Good enough until we’re broke again. Feels like a win.
