My Favorite Healthy Condiments, Sauces & Snacks

I’m curious…is your pantry and fridge anything like mine? Where I feel like I’m overflowing with healthy condiments, sauces, and snacks. I mean I love cooking, so I love having options. But I also need some quick snacks on hand too.

One thing I find that’s important with healthy eating is to have good quality ingredients on hand. Sure I don’t 100% of the time eat perfectly, but especially when I’m at home, I sure try to. So that means that I don’t want to surround myself with temptations or lots of unhealthy stuff.

Even when thinking of snacks my boyfriend might like, I try to keep it pretty healthy for him. I’ll usually get him beef jerky or chips and salsa, so he’s not snacking on junk at my place. And I don’t think he minds too much. I try to keep the salt and processed ingredients as low as I can.

So what makes healthy condiments, sauces, and snacks ones that would make my list? I personally prefer non-processed ingredients, gluten free and dairy free when possible, and nutrient-filled. I look for is the ingredient list, if I can identify all of the ingredients, and then if they’re health-filled.

On a side note from the healthy condiments talk, a few things I’ve been trying to avoid lately are refined ingredients like AP flour, white sugar, white rice, and pasta. Sure I can’t avoid them on occasion, but when I can limit them at home it makes a HUGE difference. The thing is white flour, rice, and pasta are overly processed which means the good stuff in them has pretty much been stripped out by the time we get them to the table.

So I’m looking at using and making snacks and healthy condiments and sauces that are as clean as possible.

I’m organizing my healthy condiments & more list with several categories, which you’ll find below. Click on the category to go straight to that section, and then find my picks plus recipes. Because if you know what to shop for, you also need to know ways to use them!

Sweeteners: Anything to add some sweetness to sweet or savory dishes plus my morning coffee!
Smoothie Additions & Toppings: I love smoothies and they’re a great way to get tons of healthy ingredients in your body.
Fats & Oils: These items are often the base of a meal and what you cook your veggies and proteins in. So what you choose is super important.
Nuts & Nut Butters: Healthy fats abound in this category!
Spicy Additions: In case you can’t tell, I love adding heat to recipes and these are my favorite items.
Dairy Substitutions: I limit dairy when I can, and these items and recipes are some of my go-tos to keep the dairy flavor there.
Sauces & Acids: Now this is where the flavor really comes into play in a dish!
Snacks: I’m a snack-loving kinda girl, and when I reach for something healthy, it’s usually one of these.
Chocolate Addictions: And a bit of chocolate on occasion is a happy indulgence for me, so I’m sharing my favorites.

Favorite Healthy Condiments, Sauces & Snacks

Sweeteners:

Liquid Stevia – This goes in my morning coffee for a healthy, sweet addition, because there’s nothing natural about aspartame, yo! I’ve had the best luck finding it at Whole Foods or Amazon, and check the ingredients list and you’ll be all set!
Maple Syrup – Adding this to sweets and topping roasted veggies with just a dash of maple syrup is so the right thing to do. The main thing to look for here is pure maple syrup, because you don’t want anything added to it.
Raw, Organic Honey – Oh the benefits of honey are probably a whole blog post in itself, but I always look for raw, organic honey. That’s because raw honey contains all the goodness and isn’t over processed.
Coconut Sugar – These days anytime I see a recipe with sugar in it, I ask myself if coconut sugar would work. So I just switched it out in a recent stir fry recipe, and I’ve even made jam and baked with it. This stuff is versatile and also adds a richer, deeper sweetness and isn’t over processed. Trader Joe’s has it for a great price, and it’s usually where I grab mine.

Recipes: Roasted Spicy Maple Acorn Squash, Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots, Mixed Berry Scones, Pear Cranberry Galette, Dairy Free Gingerbread Belgian Waffles, Apple Veggie Pork Chops, Broiled Grapefruit with Bananas & Honey, Warm Bourbon Honey Apple Cider, Honey Thyme Salmon, Sticky Honey Lemon Ginger Chicken

Smoothie Additions:

While Blending:

Chia Seeds – These are becoming so easy to find, and I usually grab them at Trader Joe’s or Target. The amount of fiber and overall goodness packed in each seed is unreal. I love them best in chia seed puddings and my smoothies.
Matcha Powder – I love the energy I get from matcha, and the Epic Matcha is my current favorite brand over on Amazon.
Maca Powder – The Thrive Market Maca Powder is a big value, is great for balance, and has a butterscotch quality smell to it.
Turmeric – This spice benefits you for SO many reasons so adding some to my smoothies is a no brainer.
Ground Cinnamon – The same goes for cinnamon and that it helps with blood sugar and tastes fantastic.

For Topping:

Hemp Seeds – This ingredient doesn’t have a ton of taste yet is super good for you, so it’s a great smoothie topper.
Chia Seeds – If you want an extra dose of chia seeds, put some on top too!
Coconut Chips – I love the tropical notes from coconut that work really well as a healthy fat on smoothies. Trader Joe’s sells coconut chips at a great value.
Fresh Fruit – While you don’t want to go too crazy with fresh fruit because it does have sugar, there are still TONS of benefits. So anytime I can enjoy fresh fruit, I happily will.
Cacao Nibs – If you like chocolate, this isn’t sweet but adds a great crunch with subtle chocolate nod.

Smoothie Recipes: Superfood Blueberry Smoothie Bowl, Tropical Matcha Smoothie Bowl, Tropical Turmeric Chia Smoothie, Acai Smoothie Bowl, Skinny Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie

Fats & Oils:

Coconut Oil – I love cooking and baking with coconut oil, and always buy organic, virgin usually from Trader Joe’s.
Avocado Oil – I’ve quickly become obsessed with this oil for sautéing, roasting, and even making scrambled eggs. And the La Tourangelle brand is my favorite and I get it at Thrive Market.
Olive Oil & Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – These are pretty classic choices, and I think you can find great values on both.
Grapeseed Oil – If you’re cooking at a high heat, then this oil, like avocado oil, is a great choice. The Napa Valley Naturals brand is my recent purchase for this oil from Thrive Market.
Sesame Oil & Toasted Sesame Oil – Cooking Asian flavors is a favorite cuisine of mine lately, and these 2 oils come in oh-so-handy!
Tahini – I love Tahini (especially in my Sesame Chicken Noodles), and the brand I’m obsessed with for its mild flavor is Artisana. I pick it up at Thrive Market, which you’ll soon see is a major theme.
Ghee & Coconut Oil – I also buy this blend on Thrive Market which is their Thrive brand and it makes it into my coffee as well as cooking eggs in it weekly.
Earth Balance – When I bake and cook dairy free, I usually reach for this butter, which you can find most places these days. It works as well as regular butter.
Grass Fed Butter – And if you don’t mind the dairy, then grass fed butter is the way to go.

Recipes: Sesame Chicken Noodles, Roasted Veggie Sriracha Tahini Bowl, Spicy Asian Tofu Stir Fry, Healthy Shrimp Rice Noodle Pasta Salad, Coconut Almond Spice Granola, Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Nuts & Nut Butter:

Cashews – These nuts are incredibly versatile, so I always have them on hand, and Thrive Market has them for a great price.
Pine Nuts – Love these in salads and pestos, and you can get a great deal on them at Trader Joe’s.
Walnuts – Walnuts are a favorite of mine on salads and baked goods.
Almonds – I love almonds in sweet and savory dishes plus on my smoothie bowls!
Pistachios – Just sign me up for pistachio everything, because it’s so damn good!
Cashew Butter – The obsession is very real with Thrive Market’s brand of cashew butter, because it’s mild and SO good!
Justin’s Maple Almond Butter – This almond butter is just crazy good, end of sentence.
All Natural PB (currently using Skippy’s) – Lately my happy place is smearing some of this on dark chocolate and indulging!

Recipes: Homemade Almond Butter, Peanut Butter Blender Muffins, Chia Peanut Butter Protein Balls, Dairy Free Mexican Lime Crema

Spicy Additions:

Sriracha – I add Sriracha to just about everything these days, so I can never run out.
Frank’s Hot Sauce – This is my go-to hot sauce, because it’s just the right amount of heat.
Jalapeño Tabasco – If you want some mild heat, then this sauce is the one. I love adding it to cheese sauces, roasted veggies, scrambled eggs, and I’ll even use it when I’m cooking with almond milk to counteract the natural sweetness.
Salsa – Brandless’ Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa & Paul Newman’s Own are my current faves.
Chili Oil – A few dashes of chili oil add such a depth of flavor to your favorite Asian dishes.

Recipes: Tomatillo Salsa Verde, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Sriracha Drizzle, Mexican Quinoa with Lazy Guac, Sesame Chicken Noodles

Dairy Free Substitutions:

Vegan Parmesan – I’ve served this “fake” Parm as I like to call it to my boyfriend a few times, and he’s not noticed at all.
Cashew Cream – This DIY cream is perfect as a base that you can flavor your favorite way. I love making a lime version and a Sriracha version when cooking Mexican food.
Kite Hill – So far everything they’ve made I really like, especially their dairy free version of cream cheese. It’s just crazy good!
Almond or coconut milk – I don’t even have regular milk in my fridge, because I use these nut milks in place of them. The Silk 30 calorie almond milk is my go-to one.

Recipes: Vegan Parmesan, Cashew Cream (Make the base of this and then flavor it however you like!), Spicy Chicken Flautas

Sauces & Acids:

Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce – I could eat soy sauce all day, and Trader Joe’s has a great value on them.
Tamari – And when I’m avoiding gluten, which is a lot these days, I use Tamari instead of soy sauce. Coconut Aminos are another great option, but I haven’t used them enough just yet to add them here.
Tomato Paste – Get that concentrated tomato flavor with a bit of tomato paste, which I love in marinara and chilis.
Rice Vinegar – For a milder vinegar, I really love rice vinegar.
Red Wine Vinegar – For some acid that’s kind of in the middle, this one is great.
Balsamic Vinegar – And if you want vinegar that’s aged with tons of flavor, then this is the choice for you.

Recipe: Easy Lemon Zest Vinaigrette, Ultimate Chili Recipe, Healthy 5-Spice Rice, Sesame Chicken Noodles

Snacks:

Enjoy Life Lentil Chips – OMG, their thai chili lime flavor is SO good! I get this one over at Thrive Market.
Plantain Chips – These have quickly become a favorite snack of mine from Thrive Market (also the Thrive brand), although they are fried. But damn they’re good!
Hummus & Veggies – One super healthy snack coming up! And Sabra hummus is usually the one I grab.
Tone It Up Protein Muffins, Bars, and Bites – Grab these at Target or join the Tone It Up Community for access to TONS of recipes for great snacks.
Frozen Grapes – Wash them, dry them, freeze them, and then thank me later!
Beef Jerky – The Field Trip brand has quickly become one of my favorites and there are tons of options over on Thrive Market.

Recipes: Spicy Tropical Fruit Leather, Maca Almond Protein Balls, Homemade Coconut Almond Spice Granola, Basil Garlic Popcorn, Garlic Ginger Edamame, Chia PB Protein Balls, Smokey Roasted Chickpeas

Chocolate Addictions:

Chocolate Bars – Dark Chocolate to be specific, and my boyfriend is always marveling (ie- eye rolling) at my stack. Hey they’re my little indulgence I allow myself once or twice a week. I love the Endangered Species & Theo Chocolate brands are great for dairy free options with TONS of flavor! I’ve bought them both on Thrive Market.
Toasted Sesame Caramel Chocolate – Now if you don’t mind a little dairy, these are great and have a depth of flavor I love. Oh and they’re from good ol’ Trader Joe’s
Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds – Make them yourself or buy them, but either way, eat them. I munched on them on Halloween for a slightly healthier sweets option, but I love making them myself.

Recipes: Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds, Spicy Black Bean Brownies, Paleo Chocolate Pumpkin Bars

All those links to Thrive Market are using my affiliate link, and that will get you 25% off your first order! Love sharing the love with you!

Now you know what I’m eating and cooking with on a daily basis when it comes to healthy condiments, snacks, and sauces. This doesn’t necessarily mean I have all of them on hand at every moment, but I do restock them pretty frequently.

My plan is to keep updating this list adding new items and updating the brands. Because I want this to be a resource I use as well, and I know new brands and ingredients will pop up.

So since I love a good sharefest, tell me what are YOUR favorite healthy condiments, snacks and sauces you love? What are those things you find yourself reaching for or stocking back up on regularly? Comment below, because I’d LOVE to chat more about it.

Stay inspired & have a well stocked kitchen!
~Kelli

My Favorite Healthy Condiments, Sauces & Snacks