Buffalo Chicken Dip

As usual this weekend we are headed to another summer BBQ. That inevitably means that I need to figure out what yummy recipe to take. PCL of course recommends his favorite...Buffalo Chicken Dip.  I will admit that I do like buffalo chicken dip but I like to try different things as well.  I thought maybe I do a quick nutrition analysis on this dip that everyone seems to love so much.  I sometimes feel guilty for giving people things that are less than nutritionally superior.

Let's just say that I really wish I hadn't done the analysis.  A small 1/4 cup serving (measure it out, level it off, it is a pretty small serving) is 284 CALORIES for the "regular version"!!!  That doesn't even include any chips!  One whole workout wasted on this little snack.  Add a small portion of Scoops, my favorite chips to have with wing dip, and you add another 140 calories for just 11 chips.  It might be ok if that was a meal. That isn't enough for for a meal and that is way too many calories for a snack!

So  when I usually make it I do use the 1/3 less fat version of cream cheese and I use lite ranch dressing but I can't bring myself to using lowfat cheese.  A rough estimate shows it cuts my calories per 1/4 cup to 160.  I still think its a lot  especially because we generally eat a slightly larger serving. And this is just a snack.

I think this weekend, I am going to try to find another snack to take.  I hope I can find one that people love just as much as the dip but with 1/2 the calories!