If I had to name the one group of foods that delivers the most hidden unhealthy ingredients to consumers, it would be condiments (sauces, dips and dressings.) Most of us pay more attention to the main ingredients we include in our entrees, side dishes, and snacks, forgetting that by adding condiments, we may be unknowingly eating a lot of added sugar, chemicals, and harmful oils.
Here’s the good news: my latest Handpicked Health Fave! I’m sharing with you today one of my favorite food brands, Primal Kitchen. Just so you know, I’m sharing my genuine thoughts without any company paying me to do so. Your trust means everything to me!
Primal Kitchen
From the brand’s Instagram Page: “We make delicious condiments & staples with good fats, real ingredients, no added sugar, dairy, soy or canola. Never settle, make every meal exciting.”
Certified grain and dairy free means these products are fantastic for anyone who eats a gluten-free or dairy-free diet. I love that there are also no hidden added sugars, and they use healthy oils like avocado and olive.
Some of the products they offer: ketchup, mustard, mayo, buffalo sauce, queso dip, teriyaki sauce, cocktail sauce, pizza & pasta sauce, gravy, steak sauce, marinades, and dressings including Greek, Ranch, Balsamic and more. They also have collagen peptides and non-dairy coffee creamer. Many of their products are also organic, yay!
You can buy Primal Kitchen products at Target, Mariano’s/Kroger, Whole Foods, Jewel, Amazon, and Thrive Market.
My Picks and Skips
Our household favorite is their Buffalo Sauce. So good on chicken, veggies, and other sides. I also love their Golden BBQ Sauce, which is similar to a Carolina-style sauce. The Balsamic dressing is great, and the Mayo is solid. Mayo is not something I get very excited about, but I love that it’s made with avocado oil rather than canola or soybean oil like conventional brands.
There are a few products we’ve tried and are more “meh” about, including their Ranch and Greek dressing. The dairy-free Queso Dip is okay.
I still want to try their ketchup, which comes in both Unsweetened and “A Tad Sweet” versions. “A Tad Sweet” is sweetened with honey. Many people are shocked to learn that conventional ketchup, such as your basic Heinz, includes high fructose corn syrup. Even organic versions aren’t necessarily healthy–they still contain sugar! I also have yet to try their pizza and pasta sauces, but they have a wide variety of flavors that sound really good.
Start Replacing
Plan A: If you’re feeling very “out with the old, in with the new,” drag the garbage can to your fridge and start dumping all your old condiments to be replaced with Primal Kitchen products. However, this could get very costly.
(I must digress and add that in an ideal world, we all make our own dressings, dips and sauces. Homemade salad dressing is actually super quick and easy…but I don’t always have time to make my own and I’m guessing you don’t either! Enter Plan B…)
Plan B: A more gradual, practical approach: each time you are grocery shopping, choose one condiment to replace.
If you can’t find Primal Kitchen, look for another brand with clean ingredients:
-no partially hydrogenated, canola, sunflower, soybean, or safflower oils
-no added sugar or high fructose corn syrup
-no artificial flavors
-no artificial colors
-no ingredients you can’t pronounce or find in your own kitchen
As always, Eat Like Your Life Depends On It!
Nicole
