Why aren’t there any creamy Vinaigrettes?
Vinaigrettes are typically clear, rather than creamy. The creamy appearance of a dressing is usually produced by mixing oil and water (or vinegar) at high speeds. Vinaigrettes tend to contain less oil than other dressings or keep oil separate from other ingredients, which is what causes their clear appearance. Adding dairy ingredients would give a creamy appearance, but dairy flavours do not blend well with the high levels of vinegar in vinaigrettes.

Are your products Kosher?
No, our products are not kosher. To make a kosher product, we would need to use only ingredients and equipment with kosher certification. It is difficult to find kosher-certified equivalents for some of the ingredients we use, while at the same time maintaining our top-quality taste standards. As well, ensuring that our equipment lines comply with kosher protocol is a complicated process, given our current manufacturing systems. However, we are exploring the possibility of obtaining kosher status and may offer kosher products in the future.

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Are there any Renée’s Gourmet products that will fit into my low-carb diet?
Yes, most Renée’s Gourmet products are low in carbohydrates. For a detailed nutrition facts list of products containing less than 1, 2 or 3g of carbohydrates per serving, click here.

Why do you not provide nutritional information for your online recipes?
A select number of our online recipes do provide nutrition facts per serving. We are currently in the process of evaluating the nutritional content for the rest of the recipes in our test kitchen and Research and Development lab. Each recipe will be updated with nutrition facts as they are compiled.

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Is canola oil good for you?
Yes. Among other edible oils, Canola Oil has been found to have a healthy nutritional profile: it comes from a plant source and contains no Cholesterol and virtually no Trans Fatty Acid; it has the lowest saturated fat level of any vegetable oil; and it has the second highest monounsaturated fat level of any vegetable oil, after olive oil (saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids are known to contribute to the risk of heart disease). As such, canola oil meets the requirements for inclusion in a diet low in saturated and trans fats.
There have been concerns over the biogenetic modification of the Canola plant over the years. Canadian plant-breeding programs, combined with changes in processing techniques, led to a reduction of erucic acid, which was formally found in the plants. The removal of this potentially harmful acid from the plants has made canola oil safer and increased its overall benefits. For more detailed information on canola oil, please visit www.canola-council.org.

Can you use olive oil in your products instead of canola oil?
Unfortunately, we cannot use olive oil in our dressings. When used in a vinaigrette or sauce, olive oil solidifies upon refrigeration, and the dressing is no longer pourable; when used in a creamy spoonable dressing, it alters the texture and stability of the product.

Is the oil you use in your products hydrogenated?
No, none of the Renée’s Gourmet products contain any hydrogenated oils.

Can you make a dressing using yogurt instead of oil?
Not currently. Yogurt, when added to home-made dressings for immediate use, can give delicious results. However, it is difficult for us to make a yogurt-based dressing commercially, because of the instability of the product, coupled with our commitment to preservative-free products. As we explore new technologies, it may be possible to develop a yogurt-based Renée’s Gourmet dressing in the future.

Are the eggs and egg products in your dressings pasteurized?
Yes, all eggs and egg products (egg white, egg yolk) used as ingredients in our dressings, sauces, marinades and dips are pasteurized.

Do your products contain MSG?
All Renée’s Gourmet products contain absolutely no added MSG. Some of the ingredients we use, such as tomatoes and mushrooms, have naturally-occurring MSG, but we add no MSG or preservatives to our products.

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I love your Pineapple Ambrosia meat sauce, but I haven’t been able to find it in any stores for some time. Where can I find it?
Unfortunately, the Pineapple Ambrosia sauce is not available in retail stores at present, and is only produced for Food Service customers (restaurants and fast-food chains). However, the Pineapple Ambrosia sauce is and has always been one of Renée’s favourites – so chances are good that if there is enough demand for it, it may return on store shelves.

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