One of the perks of living in New Jersey is this wonderful Hoboken Farms Marinara Sauce – the next best thing to homemade. This family-owned American company has organically grown from a local, outdoor farm market to an emerging national brand. Even if you don’t live in the tri-state area, you might find it on your local grocery store shelves.
No matter what brand of tomato sauce you buy, here are 3 tips to help you choose one that’s healthy.
- Look for simple real food ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and basil.
- Choose one with no added sugar. No added sugar brands typically have less than 5 grams of natural sugar per ½ cups serving. Check the ingredient list for sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
- Make sure the sodium is close to 10% Daily Value per ½ cup serving – the lower the better.
Compared to many other foods, vegetables (including tomatoes of course) are high in water and fiber and low in calories. Eating veggies can have many health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and supporting a healthy weight. That’s why jarred tomato sauce is a staple in my pantry. It may not be the most exciting ingredient on its own but in a recipe, there are endless delicious possibilities.
One of my favorites is this Stuffed Peppers recipe made with ground chicken. And if I’m in the mood for a meatless dinner, this Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper recipe is one of my go-to meals. I often make these on the weekend and double the recipe, so I can have leftovers for lunch or a quick weeknight dinner.
Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS, RD
PS – Have you been thinking about improving your eating habits and losing some weight? Are you ready to make some much-needed changes? I would love to help you with that!
Message me or call 732-494-1149. Let’s get started with a conversation.
