McDaniel Bite-Sized Reviews | Litehouse Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dressing

by | Jun 13, 2019 | Family Nutrition, Food, Healthy Eating, Reviews, Wellness

hummus platter with pita

Welcome to “McDaniel’s Bite-Sized Reviews” | Litehouse Dressing: Cilantro Greek Yogurt by Opa

It’s a weekly series we’re calling “McDaniel’s Bite-Sized Reviews!” Each Thursday, we’ll share a popular food, drink or supplement one of our MNT Registered Dietitians tried, reviewed and rated. With the growing number products on the grocery store shelves, figuring out which items are getting you the most nutritional bang for your buck can feel overwhelming? Our hope is that we can make grocery shopping at least 0.5% easier!
FYI – these posts aren’t sponsored. They are opinions of unpaid tastebuds.

Check Out Our Past Reviews:

Product: Litehouse Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dressing by Opa

What is it?

OPA is a brand within Litehouse that aims to provide healthier dressings to families, without sacrificing any of the flavor. Their yogurt dressing lists greek yogurt as the first ingredient so you know you are getting a thick and creamy base with fewer calories and less fat. Of the twelve flavor varieties offered, we chose the avocado cilantro because it is light and versatile for any summer salad recipe.

Why Did We Try?

Let’s face it, DIY dressings are ideal from a nutrition, cost and taste perspective, but it’s nice to have a healthy, convenient option on hand. Unfortunately, many dressings are calorie-laden. The goal is to find a brand of dressing that uses high-quality, great tasting ingredients, and won’t soak your salad in salt and sugar. I was curious to try this line of salad dressings because they claim to be much healthier than the average creamy dressing.  We know kids (and adults) will eat more veggies if a dip is offered, so my choices need to be appreciated by the palates of my boys as well.

Nutrition Facts Label

Where to Find & Cost

OPA by Litehouse products can be found at most Schnucks, Shop N Save, or Dierbergs. If you are outside of the Midwest, use their online store locator: The average cost per 11.25 oz. bottle is $3.99 (12 servings of 2 tbsp each)

Worth the Bite? Our 5 Star Rating 

Taste: 4/5 stars

For a light dressing, the yogurt and avocado added a creamy consistency without the fat. The cilantro flavor was strong, so if you don’t care for cilantro, you might go with another flavor within the brand. The poblano pepper added the slightest touch of heat but was not overwhelming. Overall, I enjoy the tangy dressing with a healthy fat flavor from the avocado and pumpkin seeds. 2/3 of my boys enjoyed the Litehouse dressing, and I think the main reason my oldest didn’t like it was related to the cilantro.

Nutrient Density: 4/5

Compared to the other avocado based dressings, it is one of the lower calorie, fat options. This is advantageous if you like to add other fats to your salad such as nuts, avocado or cheese. I also appreciated the use of a heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat from canola oil compared to the omega-6 rich soybean oil (which we eat too much of).  While the Litehouse dressing was a bit high in sodium, it was in line with most other options.

Comparison for Similar Types of Creamy, (yet, light) Avocado-Based Dressings: 

Value: 4/5

The average cost is $3.99 per 11.25 oz. bottle, which is approximately $0.36 per serving.

  • Marzetti Simply Dressed Dressing, Avocado Ranch = $4.49 per 12 oz. bottle/ $0.37 per serving
  • Organic Girl Avocado Cilantro Dressing = $5.99 per 8 oz. bottle/ $0.75 per serving
  • Primal Kitchen Green Goddess Dressing = $7.95 per 8 oz. bottle/$0.99 per serving
  • Bolthouse Farms Avocado Cilantro Yogurt Dressing = $3.99 per 12 oz. bottle/$0.33 per serving

As you can see, the OPA by Litehouse dressing is at a relatively average price point. It is less expensive than some of its competitors out on the market, making it a great cost effective option.

Overall Rating: 4/5 Stars

How We Took a Bite:

hummus platter with pita
As a chickpea spread!
We smashed one can of rinsed, drained chickpeas with 1/4 cup Litehouse dressing, 1/2 squeezed lemon, 1/8 t. salt and pepper.
Other ways to enjoy a creamy salad dressing other than salad!

  1. Add dressing to a mashed up avocado for a delicious dipping sauce for crackers, crudités or as a spread on burgers or sandwiches.
  2. Smashed into chickpeas with lemon juice
  3. Marinade for meat, fish our vegetables prior to grilling
  4. As a batter for baked chicken (soak chicken in dressing + egg, then toss with with panko bread crumbs)
  5. Add to slow cooker with chicken and pork – shred!
  6. As a dressing for a cold pasta salad – add lemon juice to thin
  7. As a sub for mayonnaise in a cold potato salad
  8. As a dip on a cheese and veggie plate

June IS fruit and veggie month, so we give this Litehouse dressing a thumbs up for a great tasting pairing with produce.