One ingredient is the goal
The best label has one word on it. Organic chickpeas. Organic cumin. Organic sprouted rolled oats. That's the food and nothing else. If there's a second ingredient, the only one I'll accept is sea salt or Himalayan salt, and I still reach for the single-ingredient version first.
No cans, and jars only in water
I don't buy anything canned. Sometimes I buy jars, but only when what's inside is packed in water. Brines, marinades and oils are where the extras hide, and a jar packed in plain water has nothing to hide.
I make my own blends
Most store-bought seasoning blends have more on the label than spices: anti-caking agents, fillers, sugar, "natural flavors." So I buy single organic spices in bulk and mix my own. It's fresher and better quality, and I know exactly what's in every jar because I put it there.
Check your labels
It takes fifteen seconds. Turn it over, count the words, and put it back if you can't say every one of them out loud. Your kitchen gets simpler, and so does your cooking.
Keep reading: The one pan that runs my whole week →