Ranch dressing is a fan favorite among many people, adults and kids alike. It’s yummy and helps dress up any salad or vegetable! But how common is it to crave ranch dressing during pregnancy?
Ranch dressing comes up often as a craving for pregnant women, but it’s usually part of a larger snack. It is perfectly normal to crave it, especially for dipping vegetables or chips, but it should be incorporated into a well-balanced diet. Unlike many foods that are better homemade, store-bought ranch is a better choice for pregnant women.
Read on to learn more about craving ranch dressing during pregnancy and whether or not it is safe.
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Is it normal to crave ranch dressing while pregnant?
Craving ranch dressing is fairly normal.
Ranch provides added flavor and moisture to many foods, making them tastier. Many pregnant women like to add ranch to the foods to are salads, chips, and vegetables.
Other foods are also popular with ranch during pregnancy. Among them are bacon bits. “I will pour about a teaspoon of bacon bits in the palm of my hand and then cover it with about a quarter-size dollop of ranch dressing. I think that’s my quick guilty pleasure.” stated one mom-to-be on a popular pregnancy site.
Another snack that was also mentioned is goldfish crackers with ranch. “Usually, I’m not a big fan of ranch dressing, but all I can think about is ranch and goldfish crackers, YUMMMMM.” stated another mom-to-be on the same forum.
When do cravings for ranch dressing typically start during pregnancy?
Like all pregnancy cravings, the craving for ranch dressing can start as early as the first trimester.
This means that oftentimes, a pregnant woman may crave something as early as when she finds out she’s pregnant.
According to an article on Healthline, most cravings start in the first trimester, peaking during the second, and then decline in the third. This doesn’t mean that cravings go away but can still be around for a few weeks after delivery.
Are pickles and ranch a pregnancy craving?
Pickles with ranch is an unusual craving that many pregnant women may experience, even if they’ve never had the combination before.
Pickles are one of the most commonly reported pregnancy cravings by pregnant women. As for specifically craving pickles and ranch, there are various ways moms-to-be enjoy them!
“I eat ranch on lots of things: pickles, baked potatoes, fries, pizza, chicken, pork chops, veggies, and noodles,” stated one expectant mother on a popular pregnancy forum.
Another way to have ranch with pickles is to fry them before dipping them into the popular dressing.
Is ranch dressing safe during pregnancy?
Ranch dressing is safe for pregnant women to consume when it’s store-bought, but you may need to see the ingredients when homemade.
The two main concerns for consuming ranch dressing while pregnant are that people believe raw eggs are used to make the dressing and that unpasteurized dairy products are being used. However, ranch dressing is not normally made with eggs, and although pasteurized egg yolk is often an ingredient in store-bought dressings, it is safe for pregnant women.
Unpasteurized dairy ingredients are a concern since buttermilk and sour cream are often used in the dressing. Consuming unpasteurized dairy can lead to foodborne illnesses such as salmonella. This could lead to serious illness for your baby, so be sure to check homemade dressings to ensure it’s safe to eat.
If the dressing is homemade or made at a restaurant, be sure to check the ingredients to see if it contains unpasteurized egg or dairy products. Skip the ones that contain unpasteurized egg or unpasteurized dairy since this is where foodborne illnesses will stem from.
Store-bought or commercial ranches are safe for pregnant women. The ranch dressings found on the shelf usually contain egg yolks and dairy products that are all pasteurized and contain preservatives to make them shelf-stable.
If you are getting refrigerated dressing, be sure to check the ingredients to ensure they are using pasteurized dairy products.
Is Kraft ranch dressing safe during pregnancy?
Kraft’s Classic Ranch Dressing is considered safe to consume during pregnancy as long as it is stored correctly after the bottle is opened.
The verdict is: Kraft ranch dressing is safe to eat!
Although it contains egg, the egg is pasteurized and contains preservatives to make it shelf-stable. The preservatives and the sterilization process will ensure that it is safe for you and your baby.
Is Ken’s ranch dressing safe during pregnancy?
Ken’s Ranch Dressing is another popular dressing mothers-to-be can safely enjoy.
The verdict is: Ken’s ranch dressing is safe to eat!
The ingredients contain blue cheese that’s made from pasteurized milk, making it safe. Plus, just like with Kraft’s Classic Ranch Dressing, it also contains preservatives to make it shelf-stable, making it safe for consumption.
Is Hidden Valley ranch dressing safe during pregnancy?
Hidden Valley Ranch is another safe ranch dressing for moms to be.
The verdict is: Hidden Valley ranch dressing is safe to eat!
It contains both buttermilk and egg yolk, but like all other commercial dressings is required by the FDA to use only pasteurized egg and dairy ingredients. The sterilization process, as well as preservatives, also ensure its safety for pregnant women.
How much ranch dressing can I eat while pregnant?
There is no recommendation on how much ranch a woman should eat while pregnant.
One of the major concerns with ranch dressing is the fat and sugar content and calorie count. You should always aim for a dressing that is lower in all three of these, especially if you are a diabetic (any type, including gestational), and limit how much dressing you eat daily.
We compared two different ranch dressing brands to see the difference in calorie count, fat, and sugar between the two. Here’s what we found:
| Dressing | Serving Size | Calories | Fat | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden Valley Ranch | 2 Tbsp | 130 | 14g | 1g |
| Ken's Steak House Ranch | 2 Tbsp | 140 | 15g | 1g |
| Kraft Classic Ranch | 2 Tbsp | 110 | 11g | 1g |
If you have a craving for ranch, try to keep it to a serving per meal or snack to ensure you are eating a balanced diet.
What does it mean if you crave ranch dressing while pregnant?
Unlike other old wives’ tales, there aren’t any about what it means to crave ranch dressing. This is most likely because Ranch Dressing was only invented in 1949 by Steve Henson for his workers in Alaska. He then opened a ranch in Santa Barbara called Hidden Valley, where he perfected his dressing before distributing it in the 1960s.
Your cravings may be your body’s way of telling you that you need something, such as protein, sodium, calcium, etc.
If your cravings become severe or unusual, let your doctor know.
Does craving ranch dressing while pregnant mean it’s a boy or girl?
Since Ranch Dressing has no old wives’ tales associated with it, it’s better to look at what it is craved with to guess what an expectant mother will be having.
Typically, if you crave sweets, then it is suspected that you are carrying a girl, while if you crave sour or salty foods, then you may be expecting a boy.
There are a variety of foods that are often enjoyed with ranch dressing. Among them are pickles, hot wings, and fries. Most of those foods are on the savory, sour or salty side. Using this logic, it can be assumed that if the mama is craving ranch, then perhaps she will have a boy!
Old wives’ tales are fun to use to predict what baby will be but are not based on science. Have fun with them, but definitely do not take them seriously!
If you want to learn more, I have a HUGE list of the most common pregnancy cravings just for you!
