Tell me you don't cook without saying you don't cook... Sheesh.

Any reasonably well-stocked kitchen will have some, if not most, of these.

I prefer using plain yogurt as it's a staple in my house, but powdered buttermilk that lasts years, and just milk and a bit of lemon juice are all well-known substitutes. Nothing special needed.

The point of sharing a recipe is to make a fraction of a full batch, not make a liter on permanent standby. I usually make 8 oz at a time when I make wings. Takes 5 minutes. If I were to use packets, I have to make a full batch as packets aren't a homogeneous powder easily divided.

Also, packets and bottled shelf stable ranch contain preservatives that mess up gut flora. So you may have medical costs later as the result of being obtuse about cooking for yourself now.

I have never once "committed" to making ranch other than on-demand, and I don't buy anything special that I only use for making ranch.