by: Nicole Dean

It seems that everyone uses dip mix but me. I've managed to accumulate quite the collection of dip mixes. (Ranch, jalapeno, Mexican, etc.)

What can I do with these other than make DIP?

Signed,

Drowning in Dip

Dear Drowning in Dip,

I hear you! I find myself in the same situation. But, I ended up with my pantry over-flowing in dip and finally found some solutions. I hope they help you, too.

All you need to use your dip mix is sour cream, mayonnaise or cream cheese. From there, the possibilities are endless.

Tuna to the Rescue: If you enjoy tuna sandwiches, but get tired of the boring standard of tuna and mayonnaise, then make some ‘fancy' mayonnaise. A few hours before you want your tuna sandwich, mix some mayonnaise and dip packet together. Let it sit. Then, when you want to enjoy your tuna sandwich, simple mix the ‘fancy mayonnaise' with your tuna – and you've got a winner.

Turkey Wrappers: Have cream cheese sitting around? Mix it with some dip and microwave for a few seconds. Then, get out a tortilla wrapper, pile some of the cream cheese and turkey slices on the wrapper and microwave for another few seconds. The cream cheese should be all smooshy and the wrapper will roll up nicely. Add fresh veggies or just enjoy as is.

Potato – A cheap, healthy meal: Mix a packet of dip mix with a container of sour cream (to taste). Let it sit for at least one hour. Microwave or bake your potato as you normally would. Then, top with cheese, veggies, leftovers, meat, beans, etc – and a dollop of your flavored sour cream. Voila!

Pasta Salad – Any noodle salad that pairs mayonnaise with noodles can be enhanced with dip mix. It's much cheaper than buying deli salads and it's very simple. All you need are noodles, mayonnaise, dip mix, veggies and meat. Try it. You'll love it!

So, use up those dusty dip packets and you just might find yourself becoming a fan of those little dip packets in your pantry.