In our column Fake It or Make It we test a homemade dish against its prepackaged counterpart to find out what's really worth cooking from scratch.
Photograph by Elizabeth Gunnison
I can't really explain why I eat the foods that I do while watching sports on TV. Normally I'm devoted to fresh ingredients--even organic ingredients--but some sort of voodoo takes hold when televised athletics enter the equation. Nachos? Bring it. Ruffles? Yes, please. And definitely, definitely pass the French onion dip.
I'm not repentant or anything. "Everything in moderation," as the old saying goes. And when it comes to this nation's iconic foods, French onion dip is right up there with the iceberg wedge salad and Klondike Bars. It's an American classic. I typically get my French onion fix from a jar, so I couldn't help but wonder: Is it worth going the extra mile to make it from scratch?
The Contenders
Alton Brown's Onion Dip vs. Lay's French Onion Dip
Ironically, French onion dip is about as American as apple pie. Also known as "California Dip," the sour cream and onion party snack is the brainchild of an anonymous west coaster who in 1954 mixed then-new Lipton's Onion Soup Mix with sour cream. The dip spread like wildfire. These days, it garnishes potato chips or crudites, and is mostly bought premade, manufactured by the likes of Lay's, Kraft, and Wise.
Relative Costs
Almost identical. The Lay's version goes for $3.50 for 1.5 cups on peapod.com, which works out to about $2.30 per cup. I spent about $5.50 in on ingredients to make 2.5 cups of dip, or $2.20 per cup.
Relative Healthfulness
Homemade wins this one, hands down. Alton's recipe calls for just sour cream, onions, and mayonnaise with a few seasonings. Lay's French Onion Dip is filled with a laundry list of unpronounceable thickeners, preservatives, and other additives.
Time Commitment
Minimal. The dip took a total of 25 minutes to make, between chopping the onions, sauteing them, and mixing the ingredients into the final product.
Leftovers Potential
Frito-Lay says that once opened, its French Onion Dip is good in the fridge for 10-14 days. The homemade version can be refrigerated and used for 4-7 days.
What The Testers Said
First let me introduce our panel.
