How many of you opt to make healthier versions of your favourite takeouts at home, only to find that the condiments you use are also packed full of sugar and processed ingredients?

Today, we will explore some of our favourite condiments, and provide healthier DIY alternatives to help make home cooking even healthier and somewhat more affordable.

So, let’s get started.

15 Healthy Substitutes to your Favourite Condiments

1. Ketchup; if you were to attempt this at home simply mix a ½ cup of tomato paste with a ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder and salt to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat, then allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours before giving it a try.
2. Mayonnaise; attempting this is easy enough with 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, a dash of apple cider vinegar, half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 cup of avocado oil and salt to taste. Simply pour into a container and use an immersion blender to puree into a thick consistency and store in the fridge.
3. Teriyaki sauce; the next time you decide to make a salmon teriyaki, simply mix equal amounts of soy sauce and either honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar in a bowl and pour over your salmon. You can further enhance the flavour by adding crushed garlic and ginger.
4. Hoisin sauce; if you are cooking a dish that calls for this ingredient, we recommend making a substitute with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 2 teaspoons of honey, some crushed garlic and a dash of rice vinegar and sesame oil.
5. Oyster sauce; another condiment that features regularly in Asian cooking and can similarly be substituted with either 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or miso paste, a dash of honey or maple syrup and some water to temper the sauce into a thinner consistency.
6. Fish sauce; substitute this ingredient with 1 or 2 pieces of anchovies and soy sauce. Option to add some sweetness with honey or maple syrup if preferred. Simply mix until fully combined and add it to your dish.
7. Salad dressing; whatever the dressing, make your own! In the event that you aren’t able to recreate a dressing, simply opt for a classic vinaigrette.
8. Caesar dressing; speaking of salads, you can’t have a Caesar’s salad without the dressing, and this is pretty easy to make at home. If you are looking to cut down on cream, simply replace it with Greek yogurt, and once you blend in the lemon, anchovies, parmesan, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper, you’ll hardly be able to tell the difference.
9. Brown sauce; make a healthier alternative, by slowly caramelising 2 cups of coconut sugar in a pan until dark, then stirring in 1 cup of boiling water until smooth, then seasoning with salt. Transfer to a jar to cool, and store in the fridge.
10. Barbecue sauce; you can make this by simmering 1 cup of tomato puree with a ½ cup of vinegar, 3 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup and flavouring with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Be sure to bring to room temperature before storing in the fridge in an airtight container.
11. Sriracha; if you’re looking for a little added heat, simply substitute with Tabasco, which consists purely of chili peppers, vinegar and salt. If however, you want a more sriracha-like consistency, you can either blend in some honey, or make your own with 2 red chili peppers, 1 red capsicum, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, a dash of chili flakes and 2 teaspoons of maple syrup. Blend together and serve.
12. Pesto; whether it’s green or red, you can easily make this in your food processor or blender. Simply blend some basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and salt. You can substitute the basil for some rocca or spinach, and the pine nuts for some walnuts instead. If you’re making red pesto, then replace the greens with a lot of sundried tomatoes, and if you prefer a vegan option, replace the cheese with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
13. Worcestershire sauce; next time you’re making a beef stroganoff, make your own with 1 tablespoon each of apple cider vinegar and soy sauce and mix in a teaspoon of tamarind paste for that tangy sweetness. Taste and adjust accordingly if needed.
14. Soy sauce; no substitute necessarily required, but we do advise you to opt for brands with whole ingredients, as opposed to the ones that contain preservatives, sugar and alcohol. Tamari is a good option as it is gluten free, and typically only contains soybeans, water and salt. And if you’re avoiding soy, then coconut aminos are an excellent alternative, but again, be sure to go for the brands that only contain coconut tree sap and salt.
15. Cornflour; not exactly a condiment, but used a lot in recipes as a thickener and meat tenderizer. What many people don’t realise however, is that corn flour is an industrialised starch that offers no nutritional value and strongly contributes to blood glucose rises. A decent alternative would be to switch to arrowroot powder, or to skip it completely. If you’re making a stew that requires ‘thickening’, you can either simmer with the lid off, allowing the mixture to reduce and thicken naturally, and then end with a knob of butter to create a more luxurious and glossy finish.

There you have it, a bunch of healthy alternatives to your favourite meal enhancers. So think twice next time you decide to buy any of these items, and make use of what’s already in your kitchen.

Please reach out if there’s anything we missed, or a condiment that isn’t listed that you would like a healthier alternative to!