The trick to elevating simple home-cooked meals and saving tons of time while doing so is to have a selection of spice blends and sauces in your "toolbox" to take even the simplest meals from zero to hero!
Let's be honest, we don't always have the time (or energy) to get the food processor or blender out to make a sauce from scratch.
Stocking your pantry with healthy store-bought sauces, dressings and condiments will make cooking a lot easier, faster and tastier!
BUT using store-bought, processed products comes with the responsibility of checking the labels and being aware of the ingredients!
Many of these products are loaded with salt, added sugars, artificial sweeteners, additives, preservatives, colourants and flavouring.
HERE ARE A FEW TIPS FOR PICKING HEALTHIER STORE-BOUGHT SAUCES:
Check the first 3 ingredients on the label. Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest quantities. If the first ingredients include sugar, refined grains (like white flour), hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils, you might want to consider putting the product back on the shelf and patting yourself on the back for being an excellent health detective!
Use products with a short ingredients list (relevant to the product) containing whole natural ingredients you recognise and can pronounce!
Compare Kilojoules / choose products with 300kJ or less per 100ml
Compare Fat / choose products with 3g per or less per 100ml
Compare Sodium (salt) / choose products with 400mg or less per 100ml
Choose organic if possible or available.
HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE SPICES AND SAUCES
I've linked the products as a reference. Click on the images to view the products online.
As convenient and tasty as these sauces are, remember they are processed, so use them in moderation. Fresh is always better, and sometimes even a simple pinch of salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice is all a dish needs.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOME IDEAS ON WHAT TO COOK?
You can find easy + healthy recipes and ideas HERE
As a Health Coach, I'm on a mission to help people find their groove back in the kitchen, so they enjoy what they put on their plates and see the value their home-cooked, whole, real, fresh foods add to their life, health and happiness.
GET IN TOUCH to find out how we can work together to help you create easy, healthy and manageable meal options based on your needs and the foods you like.
Love x Mila*