Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer

Join Ranchology Rewards!

  • Hidden Valley®
    • Recipes
    • Products
      • Featured Products

        • KF
          Spicy Secret Sauce
          Spicy Secret Sauce
        • KF
          Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dips Mix
          Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dips Mix
        • KF
          Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning & Salad Dressing Mix Shaker
          Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning & Salad Dressing Mix Shaker
        • KF
          The Original Ranch®
          The Original Ranch®

        Categories:

        Bottled Dressings & Dips Season It With Ranch Pasta Salads Salad Toppings
        View all products
    • Rewards
      1
    • Close

      Related searches

      Suggested searches

      Slow Cooker (29)
      Veggie (258)
      Dinner (266)
      Soups & Stews (15)

      Related recipes

      Suggested recipes

      • Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders
        Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders
      • Spicy Ranch Hummus
        Spicy Ranch Hummus
      • Sauteed Creamy Ranch Zoodles
        Sauteed Creamy Ranch Zoodles
      • Crispy Ranch-Roasted Cauliflower
        Crispy Ranch-Roasted Cauliflower
      View all recipes
  • Menu Close
    • MenuClose menu

    • Recipes
    • Products
    • Ranchology™ Rewards
    • Home Page
    • Inspiration
    • What’s new
      • Crack Tater Tot Casserole
      • Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
      • Texas Ranch Potato Salad
    • Videos
    • Ranch Shop
    • About us
      • Our Story
      • FAQS
      • Contact Us
    • Editor's Pick
    • Join Now
    • Sign In
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Giving Thanks with Good (and Nutritious) Food

Giving Thanks with Good (and Nutritious) Food
Giving Thanks with Good (and Nutritious) Food
November is traditionally a time when our nation is focused on acknowledging the people and things that give us reason to be grateful. Family is one of the things on the top of my list! That is why I love celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with my husband, kids and extended family on the fourth Thursday of each November. (This year will be extra special, since my husband’s birthday happens to fall on Thanksgiving Day in 2012!) Food is such a large part of these celebrations that it’s easy to go overboard. So I’ve developed several fun ways to keep my family eating healthily during the month: 1.  Go on a special shopping trip for seasonal produce. Many local farmer’s markets and farms allow you to pick your own vegetables through mid-November. There are also several annual harvest fairs and festivals held throughout the country where you can pick up fresh produce from local crops. Wherever you go, make shopping for produce a fun, educational experience. Get your kids involved before you even reach your final destination. Younger kids can help figure out what you will pick up on your special shopping trip, while older kids can write out the shopping list and even help calculate the prices to keep you on budget. 2. Have your kids help prepare special family versions of Thanksgiving recipes. Most kids enjoy being helpful and this is a fun way to allow them to be so. My 5 year-old son Sean especially loves to be my “super helper”. That works out well … especially since he is the child who likes the least types of foods. I have him cook with me as much as possible. It gives him such a sense of satisfaction and he eats more of whatever he helps to prepare … without fail. (For instance, with my special “Bacon Ranch Sautéed Green Beans,” both of my sons trimmed the string beans for the dish.) 3. Use the holidays as an occasion to experiment with food in a fun way. Did you know that there is a food holiday for most foods? Do a Google search for “National (fill in the desired food) Day” and see what comes up. Kids enjoy celebrating holidays, so if there is a particular food that I want to introduce to my kids, I try doing so on its day, week or month “holiday.” You can also use national holidays like Thanksgiving to introduce new or adapted recipes to your family. For example, mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple in my house and my kids love to use a masher to help mash. Adding a new seasoning, like Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning & Salad Dressing Mix Shaker , is the perfect way to transform this traditional dish into a a special Thanksgiving treat with a bit of a kick! ! Did you know that the #1 researched recipe during the month of November is for a Green Bean Casserole? Well, I have a confession … my family does not like that dish. However, I’ve developed a simple “Bacon Ranch Sautéed Green Beans” recipe that is a welcome substitute that everyone enjoys. With ranch dressing and bacon, it’s a hit with family and friends of all ages! Foodie City Mom’s Bacon Ranch Sautéed Green Beans Serves: 4-6 INGREDIENTS: 1 pound fresh string beans, trimmed 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® dressing 4 slices bacon (or turkey bacon), cooked and crumbled INSTRUCTIONS: Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add string beans, and cook for 5 minutes.  Drain the beans in a colander, and immediately pour cold water over them, which will help set the green color and prevent them from cooking further. Toss the beans with the olive oil. Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-low heat.  Add the green beans and ranch dressing to the pan and sauté the mixture for approximately 3-5 minutes, until crisp tender. Toss the crumbled bacon into the dish right before you serve it, so that the bacon stays crisp. TIP: Have the kids help by trimming the string beans. Simply give them three containers – one for the string beans that need to be trimmed, one for the discarded trimmings and one for the string beans that are ready to be cooked!

You might also like

Veggie Fries
Buttermilk Ranch Potato Gratin
Hidden Valley®

The HV Food Products Company. All Rights Reserved

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

  • Recipes
  • Products
  • Inspiration
  • What's new
  • Ranchology Rewards
  • Sign In/Register
Top Recipes
  • Pork Chop
  • Crunchy Baked Chicken
  • Oyster Crackers
  • Roasted Potatoes
  • Spinach Dip
  • Beer Cheese Dip
  • Bacon Cheddar Dip
Categories
  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Dips
  • Pasta
  • Pork
  • Vegetables
Family Brands
  • Glad®
  • KC Masterpiece®
  • Kingsford®
  • Soy Vay®
Helpful Links
  • En Español
  • Site Map
Company
  • About us
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Ranchology™ Terms & Conditions
  • Hidden Valley Kitchens (Foodservice)
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Settings
The HV Food Products Company. All Rights Reserved
Accessibility Statement

Hidden Valley Ranch is committed to making its website accessible for all users, and will continue to take all steps necessary to ensure compliance with applicable laws.

If you have difficulty accessing any content, feature or functionality on our website or on our other electronic platforms, please call us at 1-877-853-7262 so that we can provide you access through an alternative method.

CLX Member of the CLX family of brands
Welcome Wagon

Love Ranch? Dip into Ranchology™ Rewards

Join the new Ranchology™ Rewards program. Fun badges. Delicious rewards. What are you waiting for?

Join Now

No thanks

Welcome Wagon

Sign In To Earn Badges

You can only collect Ranchology badges if you're signed in. Don't miss out!

Sign Up with Facebook

or

SHOW

Register

I forgot my password

No thanks

Don't show me this message again

Ranchology Rewards
Recipe review

Reviewing Recipes can earn you badges

In the Ranchology program, you earn badges for using the site! Join now.

Product review

Reviewing Products can earn you badges

In the Ranchology program, you earn badges for using the site! Join now.

Save note

Saving Notes on Recipes can earn you badges

In the Ranchology program, you earn badges for using the site! Join now.

Save recipe

Saving Recipes can earn you badges

In the Ranchology program, you earn badges for using the site! Join now.

First video

Watching videos can earn you badges

In the Ranchology program, you earn badges for using the site! Join now.

No-recipe generator

YOU SHOOK IT UP, NOW CLAIM YOUR BADGE

Join the Ranchology Rewards program now to claim this Shaker Maker badge and enjoy other fun perks from Hidden Valley® Ranch.

  • Join
  • Sign In

Sign Up with Facebook

or

SHOW

Register

I forgot my password

Sign Up with Facebook

or

SHOW

* Required

Have an account? Sign in.