How Paying For Gourmet Condiments Saves You Money

When you're preparing a meal, it's easy to think of condiments as nothing more than a way to add a hint of flavor to a bland sandwich or unsalted fries. You may try a new sauce every once in a while, but over time these forgotten condiments can accumulate in the refrigerator door until they turn watery and unusable. And if you don't have anything on hand to dress up your homemade salad or elevate a frozen pizza, you may end up spending money ordering out to eat. If this situation sounds familiar, and you often find yourself wanting more from your sauces and dressings, it may be worth it to invest in more gourmet condiments. As counterintuitive as it may sound, buying fancier condiments can actually help you save money by helping you to replicate restaurant-level meals at home.

Whether it's as simple as a high quality bottle of olive oil or something more avant-garde like a purple grape mustard, all it takes is a dollop or two of the top shelf condiment of your choice to transform a regular meal into something extraordinary. Take a plain hamburger for example: It can be difficult for even a professional chef to make a flavorful burger without any accouterments, but all it takes is a jar of caramelized onion jam or spicy aioli to upgrade the dish and save a few bucks in the process.

Let's say you want to really splurge and buy a nice bottle of truffle oil. Prices for a bottle can vary wildly, but we'll assume you got lucky and found some for about $35, or around $4 an ounce. Considering that you only need to use a teaspoon or so at a time to drizzle on bruschetta, pasta, or any other dish your heart desires, it won't take long for you to get your money's worth out of that oil. $35 is also cheaper than a trip to the average Italian restaurant where entrees can easily surpass $50 when you include drinks, sides, and a tip.

Even an especially expensive condiment will be worth it in the long run, but a gourmet sauce does not require a gourmet price tag. Rather, it just has to make whatever it's added to taste gourmet. For instance, in the realm of Worcestershire sauce, Lea & Perrins brand is thought to be the best in the game, and you can buy a 15 ounce bottle for just over $5 — definitely less than having to go out to the bar for a Bloody Mary.

A nice condiment can enhance any meal at any time of the day. Furthermore, fancy condiments don't always have to provide unique, challenging flavors; they can simply be refined versions of classic flavors. Starting with breakfast, a first-class ketchup can add a layer of depth to scrambled eggs while still delivering that familiar tomato flavor. Or, if you prefer something sweet, you can swap out regular processed maple syrup for an artisanal option on your pancakes to enjoy a more pure, natural taste. For lunch, a blueberry balsamic is the perfect pairing for any fruit salad or cheese plate, while a ginger lime sauce can really spice up a grilled chicken dinner.

Along with offering a shortcut to outstanding home-cooked meals, collecting creative, grade-A condiments is also a great way to patronize local and family-owned businesses. Some of the best sauces on the market right now can only be found online, not on grocery store shelves. If you're concerned about buying something different that you won't like, look for brands that offer sample packs of their products so you can try a bit of everything. Also, take note of what you like when you go out to eat so that you can find condiments that taste similar. Starting and fine-tuning your collection of gourmet sauces can take some trial and error, but it's worth it for amazing flavors any time you want, all without breaking the bank.