Is Ranch Dressing the New Ketchup?

There comes a time in any diner's life when they realize the ranch dressing that tastes so good on salads and vegetables is equally delicious on just about anything edible.

Hidden Valley, the brand that invented the buttermilk and mayonnaise based concoction back in 1954, is now trying to capitalize on the fact that everything goes better with ranch dressing.

In order to compete directly with ketchup, longstanding holder of the "world's favorite condiment" title, Hidden Valley has come up with a thicker, creamier version of their salad topping staple. In fact, Hidden Valley For Everything boldly proclaims itself "The New Ketchup" on its packaging.

Apparently Clorox Co., which owns Hidden Valley, came up with the idea for a ketchup alternative when a company executive saw his college-aged daughter smothering a piece of salmon in Hidden Valley salad dressing. (Eww. Now they've gone too far.)

Because Hidden Valley For Everything mimics the thickness of ketchup, it will stay together when you squirt it on a hamburger, rather then run over the side and back onto the plate as the salad dressing version would.

But before you run off to the store to buy the new product, we do have a word of warning. A serving of the creamy condiment will cost 140 calories, whereas as similar amount of ketchup is just 20 calories.

So while Hidden Valley For Everything might make the world a tastier place, it's certainly not going to make it a skinnier one.