Jars of sauce - Quick & Tasty or something to limit?

lhtbuzz123

Hi there, looking for a bit of advice/experience.
I'm not a great cook & struggle for time, so currently a lot of my recipes contain jars of sauce. I tend to pick the supermarket own brand "lighter" options (Pasta sauces, veggie chilli sauces, fajitas sauces, curry sauces).
Are there any reasons why I should avoid these or specific ingredients that I should look out for?
I know a lot of people say that these lighter-healthy products are often not as healthy as they'd make out, but so far I've been having them & I'm still under my calorie allowance...?
Good, bad, opinions?

LKArgh

It depends on what the jar contains, and what you consider healthy. A jar of sauce can mean anything from just tomatoes, to 100 ingredients. For most sauces, my main personal concerns and what I would check the label for would be artificial flavourings and colouring (which I personally avoid), sodium content, and of course calories.

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Annie_01

I rarely use them not because I find anything unhealthy in them but because of sodium content. If you have no reason to limit sodium they are fine...convenient...and some of them are pretty good.

kshama2001

aggelikik wrote: »

It depends on what the jar contains, and what you consider healthy. A jar of sauce can mean anything from just tomatoes, to 100 ingredients. For most sauces, my main personal concerns and what I would check the label for would be artificial flavourings and colouring (which I personally avoid), sodium content, and of course calories.

Ya, companies use artificial vanilla because it is much cheaper than real vanilla. Similarly, they use HFCS because it is cheaper than sugar. I give my business to companies that value quality and don't cut these corners.

@lhtbuzz123 you are correct that Lite products can have had something healthy removed / something low quality or unhealthy substituted, but don't especially associate this with the types of sauce you mentioned, with the exception of Alfredo sauce. However, since I make these sauces from scratch, I'm not familiar with what's in the supermarket. Can you post a link to the product's ingredient and nutrition info?

kshama2001

For fajitas, I use this easy, cheap, and yummy Joy of Cooking recipe. From the cookbook, which apparently is different from this publisher correction: http://simon.worldarcstudio.com/WAS/LandingPage/v1/73/staging/Recipe-Corrections.php

The published version has twice the cumin and no anise. The "corrected" version below forgot the sauteed onion and peppers - I use one medium onion and one each red and green pepper.

For the salsa, I just use Newman's jarred.

Steak Fajitas
Serves: 4 servings

Little known outside their native Texas until not very long ago.

Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it:

• 1 skirt steak (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut across the grain on a bias, into strips about 1 inch wide

Whisk together:

• 1/4 cup lime (about 1 1/2 limes)
• 2 scallions, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander or cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground anise seeds

Pour the marinade over the steak, turning to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, tossing several times.Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or preheat the broiler.Remove the steak from the marinade, discarding the marinade, and season with:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Grill or broil until it is cooked to your liking, 2 to 3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Meanwhile, wrap in aluminum foil:

• Four 7-inch flour tortillas

Place under the broiler or off on one side of the grill until heated through, about 4 minutes. Unwrap the tortillas and top each one with the steak, along with a spoonful or two of:

• Salsa Fresca, 61

Roll up the tortillas and serve hot.

Chicken Fajitas

Prepare Steak Fajitas, above, substituting 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, split (about 1 1/4 pounds), and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick strips, for the skirt steak. Marinate for only 1 to 3 hours. Broil the chicken about 6 inches from the heat until firm to the touch and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Substitute Roasted Tomato-Chipotle Salsa, 62, for the Salsa Fresca.

Francl27

I use them occasionally, basically when I make stuffed peppers or meat sauce, but I don't care about sodium.

You can go for plain tomato sauce with no sodium added and just add spices though.

ki4eld

I try to avoid the ones that add sugar or are waaaaay over on fat. Otherwise, whatever! I always have a couple of jars on hand, but I generally prefer to make my own. I do suck at making curry sauces though, so those I always buy. Read the labels. If you can fit what's on the label into your diet plan, eat it!!!

jgnatca

Go for it! I had to learn to make my own sauces because of a long list of prohibited foods my son came home with to prevent migraines. He couldn't have anything with MSG, old cheese, or tomatoes in it. So I learned.

There's nothing wrong with salt, MSG, old cheese, or tomatoes. Unless you are trying to control something like blood pressure.

I learned how to make Teriyaki sauce the other day and oh, my how much nicer it is fresh.

crystalewhite

I use jarred marinara sometimes, when I don't have homemade in the freezer. I like to jazz it up with mushrooms and zucchini, which is actually what I am doing tonight. If you don't have any dietary restrictions, just read the labels and make sure it fits into your calories.
Aside from that, I don't really buy jarred sauces. Prefer to make my own, especially alfredo. Delicious, delicious Alfredo.

lhtbuzz123

Thanks guys, really helpful
I'm not too worried about sodium but will keep an eye out next time to avoid the ones with really high sodium content. I will now also start looking at quick sauce recipes that I can make & freeze for later

@kshama2001 this is the kind of thing I mean - http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/gb/groceries/sainsburys-light-chilli-cooking-sauce-500g?storeId=10151&msg=&langId=44&krypto=L/yzaEkeJFlxdIHeS3vcAIJEmb/PkCo/ZKrA31DARt42SWdSza9Kro+b8e3bsUXjVBp2witGItSH AMnWk6LuM2N8nxK7RlMopU9/CmPtxvOa9ZilBlVeUKDqbsdVPnrh&ddkey=http:gb/groceries/sainsburys-light-chilli-cooking-sauce-500g

lhtbuzz123

& thank you @kshama2001 for the recipes!

Need2Exerc1se

If you are within your calorie allowance jarred sauces should not affect your weight loss. They are also unlikely to affect your health nearly as much as what you are putting the sauces on.

kshama2001

lhtbuzz123 wrote: »

Thanks guys, really helpful
I'm not too worried about sodium but will keep an eye out next time to avoid the ones with really high sodium content. I will now also start looking at quick sauce recipes that I can make & freeze for later

@kshama2001 this is the kind of thing I mean - http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/gb/groceries/sainsburys-light-chilli-cooking-sauce-500g?storeId=10151&msg=&langId=44&krypto=L/yzaEkeJFlxdIHeS3vcAIJEmb/PkCo/ZKrA31DARt42SWdSza9Kro+b8e3bsUXjVBp2witGItSH AMnWk6LuM2N8nxK7RlMopU9/CmPtxvOa9ZilBlVeUKDqbsdVPnrh&ddkey=http:gb/groceries/sainsburys-light-chilli-cooking-sauce-500g

Looks delicious! In this case, it's not Lite because they took something out - it's naturally low fat

Water, Tomato Purée, Red Kidney Beans (10%), Tomato (9%), Onion (6%), Red Pepper (5%), Tomato Juice, Cornflour, Sugar, Coriander Leaf, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Concentrated Lime Juice, Paprika Powder, Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid, Chilli Powder, Cocoa Powder, Oregano, Black Pepper

WinoGelato

I use them all the time - they are very handy on busy weeknights when I don't have time to make something from scratch. Come to think of it, they are very handy all the time, even when I do have time to make something from scratch. I have jarred spaghetti sauce, canned enchilada sauce, a jar of tikka masala sauce in my pantry right now.