Fresh vs. Shelf Stable Foods

Which Aisle of the Store Should You Find Your Salad Dressing?

Here’s a question we hear from new customers, “Why can’t I find Toby’s Dressing in the same aisle with all the other salad dressings?” If you’re looking for Toby’s Dressing & Dip amidst the shelf-stable ranch dressing, you won’t find us there. Toby’s Dressing is always in the refrigerated section. Let’s talk about why it should matter to health-conscious consumers.

In order to make a shelf-stable product, you have to add ingredients — namely preservatives, MSG, and artificial stabilizers and flavors. Our mission at Toby’s is…

So for us, a bunch of extra, unhealthy ingredients are out of the question. Instead, we rely on simple, nutritious, locally-sourced ingredients, including milk from local herds. We believe this is not only a whole lot healthier, it tastes way better too!

Toby’s Dressing is found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, where they stay fresh and delicious until you take them home! Psst…don’t put them in the pantry by accident—remember they belong in the fridge.

To help you see the difference, let’s compare Toby’s Ranch and another popular shelf-stable ranch:

So what should you do as a consumer to make sure you’re making a good, healthy choice for your salad dressing? You work too hard to make a nutritious salad or cut-up veggies to have it ruined by an unhealthy, less-tasty dressing!

Here are a few guidelines:

Read the back label. The front label will most likely sound nutritious with words like organic, healthy, low-calorie. Don’t be deceived. You should be able to understand what all of the ingredients listed on the back label are. If there are a bunch of words you’ve never heard of, then most likely you’re looking at fillers and preservatives.

Beware of fat-free. That sounds good, doesn’t it? But healthy fats can be good for you and add balance to your salad. A low-fat or fat-free dressing often has less-nutritious ingredients like sugar, excess sodium, and even artificial colors, and flavors.

Shop in the refrigerated section. As we already mentioned, shelf-stable foods, especially ones that contain dairy, need extra preservatives to last on that shelf for months and months, even years! Instead, shop in the refrigerated section (preferably for Toby’s) and you’ll find a much fresher selection with simpler ingredients.

So now you see why Toby’s Dressing has so many fans! You may think with the cost of these yummy ingredients and refrigeration you’d have to pay more. We work hard to keep our pricing competitive, but on average Toby’s is a little bit more than most shelf-stable dressings. Luckily, it tastes so good you never have to worry about throwing away a half-used bottle. Your family will devour it along with your delicious, nutritious salad. 

Now that you know which aisle to find Toby’s Dressing, look for us at your local grocery store near the produce section! We’re now available across the nation––click here to find a store near you.

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