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1. A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey because sometimes dinner is lackluster leftovers or a frozen pizza you unearthed from the back of your freezer. When that's the case, this hot honey will truly transform your meal with a mere drizzle.
I've used this stuff and it is FANTASTIC. I've used it on protein bowls, salads, grilled cheese, cheese and crackers, and a variety of other things.
Get it from Amazon for $13.49.
2. A jar of chili crisp from Fly By Jing to add a tingly kick to dumplings, noodles, meat, veggies, whatever you've got at home ready to be whipped up. You can even put it on ice cream! This'll become your fave new condiment ASAP.
Fly By Jing is Asian woman owned and sells sauces, oils, and dumplings!
Promising review: "I have purchased my share of Chili Crisps, but this is BY FAR MY FAVORITE!!!!!!! My job allowed its employees to build a box of our favorite items and this was one of the items I chose. And I tell you I’m so GLAD I DID!!!!! It had just the amount of heat and DID NOT HAVE A GREASY TASTE!!!! After my first BITE, I looked it up so I can place my order!!!!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!!!" —Pozaya B.
Get one jar from Amazon for $11.99 or two jars from Fly By Jing for $34.
3. Everything Bagel Seasoning Blend you'll want to sprinkle on all sorts of non-bagel things, like avocado toast and scrambled eggs as beginners.
SPQR Seasonings is a small business that sells, you guessed it, a variety of seasonings!
Promising review: "This seasoning is honestly my go to! I first found this company live on TikTok when they were showing the packaging process. I originally bought it mainly to support a small business but once it came I fell in LOVE. The bottle is huge, you definitely get your moneys worth. You can tell the ingredients are actually fresh and not processed. I have used my seasoning on so much but my favorites so far have been bagels, pork tenderloin and today I used it on homemade pigs in a blanket! I 100% recommend and will be buying more when I run out." —Abiagael
Get it from Amazon for $12.97.
4. Maldon Sea Salt Flakes can truly elevate the *look* of your seasonings collection and also your dishes right before serving. There's just something about salt flakes that levels up your stuff.
5. A five-pack of Hon N Saucy hot sauces that'll help fill some gaps in your kitchen. And maybe even some gaps that you didn't know existed! I mean, Collards N Ghost? Now that you know that exists as a hot sauce, you must try it.
Hot N Saucy is a woman-owned and NYC-based small biz that has some super flavorful sauce options.
I've had the Beet N Fresno sauce by the same brand and completely trust any sauces after that.
Promising review: "Talk about an EXPLOSION of flavor in your mouth! I received my order super fast. The packaging was PERFECT, and you can literally taste the flavor before the heat. Best purchase I’ve made in a while and I can’t wait to order more for myself, friends and family!" —Sabrina
Get it from Amazon for $36.
6. A trio of Bushwick Kitchen spicy sauces — including sriracha, maple syrup, and honey — can turn the "what do I do with this" ingredients in your kitchen into something that's pretty satisfying.
Bushwick Kitchen is a small biz. This set includes Spicy Honey, Spice Maple, and Gochujang Sriracha. I have this set and am getting into the dregs of it because I've found so many uses for it! Everything I've tried from the brand is delish.
Promising review: "I am addicted to all of Bushwick Kitchen’s products but I use their Gochujang Sriracha like an essential ingredient. I use it on EVERYTHING and love its mellow spiciness. I use their Meyer Lemon Honey in tea, their Salted Honey on buttered English muffins, and their Spicy Honey on fried chicken (and have even put it on pepperoni pizza — I swear that’s a killer combo)! I bought the gift pack as a hostess gift — both because I knew the chef would love them but also because I’d run out of my own stash and wanted to be sure to have some available for the weekend." —trish becker
Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
7. A bottle of Bachan The Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce to make that plain white rice you've been ignoring in your cabinet taste AMAZING. (Trust me, I've used this very simple equation for a delish, quick meal side.) It's a combo of soy sauce, cane sugur, mirin, tomato, green onion, sea salt, organic rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and toasted sesame oil.
Bachan is a Japanese-owned small business that makes this savory Japanese barbecue sauce. The name means "granny" in Japanese and founder, Justin Gill, incorporates the values and traditions his bachan passed down to him and hopes to continue them with his own family and in his business.
Promising review: "Alright, I get that this sauce is a little pricey, but it seriously packs some incredible flavor. I use this sauce as a binder for salmon. Apply a coat to both sides, season it, and then smoke it. I’m tellin' ya... it’s perfect." —Mark
Get a 17 oz. bottle from Amazon for $7.98 (available in several more flavors).
8. Coop's Original Hot Fudge for a gourmet topping on your emotional support ice cream carton. BTW, it's gluten-free, non-GMO, *and* kosher.
Coop's is a small biz.
Promising review: "Coop's is just the absolute best!! I was introduced to the hot fudge a few years ago visiting friends in Massachusetts and since then I have been hooked! I recently went for the fudge and salted caramel combo package. The caramel is equally as delicious as the fudge. The rate at which my family has been consuming these sauces is a little alarming…it’s dangerously good and my kids call it the good-good sauce! Definitely recommend this to everyone — all ages will be happy!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
9. A two-pack of TikTok-famous Dan-O's seasoning that'll be a low-sodium kick for grilling that's made from dried herbs, citrus, and granulated onion and garlic. Go ahead. Let this do the heavy lifting when it comes to seasoning.
Dan-O's Seasoning is a small business established in 2017 that gained popularity after taking to TikTok during the pandemic, where the company now has over 4 million followers with plenty of droolworthy food content.
Promising review: "I became interested in this product while watching TikToks. I have been adding it to so many things. I use it in spaghetti, on fish, and one of my favorites is to add it to popcorn. My husband had to ask why my popcorn smelled like steak. I love the fact that it is low sodium as well. I am not a fan of extra salt, and most foods already have plenty of salt but need some seasoning. This should be your go to seasoning." —Heartcri
Get a pack of two (one original, one spicy) from Amazon for $13.99.
10. A trio of TRUFF hot sauces — original, hotter, and white truffle — for a gourmet touch to your frozen dino nuggies. Mix the original with ketchup and thank me later.
Promising review: "Man, I tried this stuff at one of those fancy give-you-a-free-sample-and-talk-to-you-for-20-minutes grocery stores, and I had to buy it after that. The truffle flavor is solid, but not overwhelming (and legit truffle, not that watered down shortcut taste you sometimes get in cheaper oils or something) while the 'hot' is more than just straight heat but flavorful hot sauce.
It's pricey because it's quality, from my perspective, and you'll enjoy using it sparingly for a long time on eggs, cheese, pizza (oh, pro-tip; put on toaster pizzas from the supermarket for great added zing), etc. Worth it." —BigFoot Pete
Get them from Amazon for $69.99.
11. And some jarred truffle-infused pasta sauce from the same brand for quite possibly the fanciest take on an easy, reliable pantry meal.
The Pomodoro sauce is hearty without any spice. And the Arrabbiata sauce delivers the heat. I've tried both of these flavors of Truff pasta sauce and they are SO good. It likely goes without saying but if you don't like truffles, you won't like this. It is VERY truffle-y. I'm also a big fan of the Truff hot sauce from the same brand. Most of the time I make a meal of whatever pasta and jarred sauce I happen to have as a last resort, but I look forward to eating pasta with this delish sauce — even if it's just noodles and sauce with not even a sprinkle of Parm to dress it up! It'll cost ya more than Prego or other store-bought sauces. But it's worth it as a treat!
Get two jars from Amazon for $31.99.
12. A container of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust because cinnamon toast is THE ultimate snack and you can feel free to fight me on it. This'll transform all kinds of things just waiting to be dessert.
Check out a TikTok of the Cinnadust in action.
Promising review: "This is 10 out of 10, would order again. Try it on yogurt, ice cream, toast, carrots, and amazingly I saw a TikTok challenge with it on hard-boiled eggs. It is stupendous!!!" —ThatGuy
Get it from Amazon for $3.49.
13. A 20-pack of grill seasonings including a variety of spice rubs and flavored salts. Maybe you're not a ~grill master~ but the seasonin g is just the thing that's been holding you back...'til now.
Promising review: "The fact that each spice is a small bottle helps with the taste. No one ever uses all of a large bottle of spices before they go bad. This collection is perfect." —Calliesophieb
Get them from Amazon for $49.90.
14. An essentials kit from Brightland that comes with two EVOOs and two fruit-forward vinegars that'll make you wanna seek out some bread so you can really go wild dipping.
Brightland is a WOC–owned small biz, from Aishwarya Iyer, that sources its olives from a family-run farm in California.
What's included:
Awake — a bold and robust cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil.
Alive — a smooth and grassy cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil.
Rapture — a raw Balsamic vinegar that is double fermented with California zinfandel grapes and ripe Triple Crown blackberries.
Parasol — a raw Champagne vinegar that is double fermented with California chardonnay grapes and juicy Navel and Valencia oranges.
Promising review: "The oils taste so GOOD — really fresh and light. I love that they add so much flavor to every dish making me a chef at home!" —Barbiana L.
Get it from Brightland for $112.
15. A bottle of truffle seasoning you can throw on ALL sorts of meals and snacks, which might just be the motivation you need to eat what you already have at home.
My colleague Emma Lord (pictured above) is ready to divulge why this stuff is so great:
"Okay, I bought this on a whim because there's a sushi place down the street from me that makes truffle avocado sushi rolls and I was like, 'I need these in my life, but I also need money to live.' I decided to DIY it with a regular $4 avocado roll, and this seasoning and the umami bliss of it all basically exploded my brain. Since then, I've tried it on eggs, on burritos, on potatoes, on chocolate mug cakes — pretty much every sweet and savory thing I can think of. The best part is you really get an excellent bang for your buck; it's so flavorful that I've been using this for months now and have barely made a dent in the container!"
Promising review: "Yes, I'm a truffle lover to begin with. And, of course, only a truffle is a truffle. But I gotta tell ya this delectable heaven-sent powder is one heck of a more versatile option. Utterly AMAZING on popcorn, in eggs, added to soups and sauces to layer flavors, veggies, PASTA... The list is endless (I think the only thing I haven't tried was sprinkling it on ice cream...although LOL). It is a bit salty so I advise testing the waters first. But I just ordered my 9th and 10th bottle of the Truffle Zest." —Greengirl
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
16. A shaker of salt and vinegar seasoning as the BEST excuse to invest in some frozen french fries, throw 'em in the air fryer, and then dump some of this on top. (But, of course, it'll go on lots of other delicious foods.)
Promising review: "Always loved salt and vinegar and this is a great way I can satisfy a craving without necessarily having to buy a pricey bag of chips. Another reviewer said that this particular product was pretty tangy and not sweet like some other brands — I can’t speak to other products, but this stuff is definitely tangy and doesn’t really have any sweetness to it. The consistency is almost like powdered sugar, which is great because it sticks to almost anything. The flavor reminds me almost exactly of Lay’s S&V chips — it’s more of a white vinegar than a malt vinegar (more like Kettle brand or British S&V chips). Def will buy this again." —WJ
Get it from Amazon for $11.40 (and check out some other fun seasonings like sour cream and onion and wild buffalo for more options!).
17. Somos Salsa Macha with dried fruit for an alluring combo of sweet, spicy, and crunchy on top of all kinds of things. Throw some rice and black beans in a bowl and then this on top for an easy meal when you wanna order takeout but shan't.
This is in my cabinet! Along with the brand's other salsa macha with nuts and seeds. In fact, I was starting to go through this jar so fast that I made myself slow down a little bit.
Get it from Target for $10.39.
18. A Just Spices starter set with eight blends you can use to jazz up your go-tos. It comes with a free spice guide to give you ALL kinds of ideas. For a starter, the Avocado Topping will transform a quick n dirty avocado toast or grain bowl situation. Because I can't be the only one who's exited out of a recipe I googled because it has eight spices in it that I don't currently own.
19. A "tingly" Momofuku umami seasoning that'll make quick work of figuring out how to whip up a protein or sides with a serious kick of flavor that regular ol' salt and pepper can't deliver.
Umamicart is a small online grocery store founded by Andrea, who is self-described as a "first-gen, third-culture kid." She was born and raised in Spain to Chinese parents who immigrated there as adults, then made her own move to NYC 10 years ago. She has long connected with her culture through food (her parents owned a Chinese restaurant) and her goal with Umamicart was to create a place to find traditional and staple Asian ingredients in one place.
This has made so many lackluster quick home lunches feel like something I paid $20 for and stood in line to order with everyone else in New York City. And you don't need a whole lot to add some amazing flavor either. When I use it for salmon, I rub the salmon in olive oil and then top it with this before cooking. I love salmon but am sorta bad at grocery shopping, so I tend to eat the same lunch over and over again. (Also, cooking for one is hard!) This keeps things feeling lively and gets me excited about food I actually fixed for myself.
Get it from Umami Cart for $12.
20. The Omsom Bundle is really just fancy talk for flavorful Asian dish starters (aka the sauces, aromatics, and seasonings) to keep stashed in your pantry for heavy lifting. Each comes with recipes you can easily follow. Just add protein and veggies!
Cofounders and sisters Vanessa and Kim Pham started Omsom after stints at startups and in consulting. As the kids of Vietnamese refugees, they were inspired by all the from-scratch Viet dinners they watched their mom cook growing up. With Omsom, they aim to bring lots of flavor to your pantry with their pantry starters that'll help you make some amaaaazing Asian dishes. Each starter serves two to three people. (Fantastic news for lazy people like me who buy a spice once and then let it expire.)
This bundle will give you some major kick for your buck. It includes the entire Omsom collection of six cuisines with 12 starters total, including one Southeast Asian Omsom Sampler with Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino starters and one East Asian Omsom Sampler with Japanese, Korean, and Chinese starters.
Promising review: "Delicious and easy dinner. I love the flavors because they are nostalgic and delicious and make mealtime a breeze with my kids." —Suzanne R.
Get it from Omsom for $59. And if you want to make it even easier on yourself, the brand also makes a saucy noodle starter set for $49.
21. And some pre-made simmer sauces to really zhuzh up that plain chicken breast you have thawing in the sink. Seriously, just dump that sauce on it once it's cooked in the pan! (Psst, they're also keto- and Paleo-friendly but IMO don't taste like it.)
I've tried nearly all of these sauces and can vouch that they dress up all kinds of stuff. If you're craving some takeout food you're too lazy to replicate at home, some of these (especially the Thai Coconut Sauce that's shown here) will help you get some of that taste without buying a million ingredients.
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $15 (available in a variety of combos).
22. A three-pack of Velveeta cheese sauce you can simply pour in a bowl, microwave, and then dump over pasta or just use as a dip for some good old tortillas. These'll come in handy when it's a Wednesday night and you barely want to lift a finger to feed yourself.
Promising review: "These have been great to use. Cooking for just one person isn't the easiest thing for me, but these portions have been great when I want mac 'n' cheese, nachos, or a small smothered burrito for one. I'm sure when it's camping time these will make it into my camping stash." —M. Cheatham
Get them from Amazon for $3.28.
23. A jar of za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend of thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac that'll amp up just about everything in your fridge.
Z&Z is a small biz specializing in seasonings.
Promising review: "This za'atar is the best quality I have found. I've also found that the balance of sumac and thyme to be just right. This instantly spices up my boring meal prep food and I put it on my chicken, meats, salads, yogurt, or just in olive oil — basically it makes everything taste so much better. I highly recommend it!" —TC
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in two sizes).
24. Some tangy Memphis-style BBQ sauce you'll want to pour over basically everything on your dinner plate.
This stuff, also from Pig of the Month, is mouthwatering. My parents and I went through the initial bottle pretty quickly and then my mom bought two more.
Get it from Pig of the Month for $8.95.
25. A truffle-infused honey to top off all sorts of stuff. Sometimes it's the condiments that really make a dish and help you get creative with a loaf of bread and random cheese in the fridge.
26. A cult-favorite ~secret~ popcorn salt if you've been chasing that dream of recreating movie theater popcorn at home and making it a whole dang meal. Well, dreams do come true because this stuff IS life changing and I can personally vouch. Just order a big bag of kernels and you'll be set for MONTHS.
I invested in one of these delicious cartons after reading my colleague Emma Lord rave about it. It's super salty, super buttery, and like, probably something you shouldn't eat every day. But boy is it a total TREAT.
Promising review: "I am a person who will make myself sick eating buckets of popcorn (I have no self control). This has by far been my favorite 'TikTok made me buy' item. My at-home popcorn is now my favorite thing to make and I don't need to go the theater for popcorn. Very much worth the purchase and this will last me such a long time." —S Martinez
Get it from Amazon for $9.45.
27. A "Satan's Blood" hot sauce because think you'd THRIVE on the show Hot Ones. (Same, tbh.)
28. Or a 10-pack of season 22 Hot Ones sauces if they wanna go full throttle with the exercise. Line up those wings!
Included sauces: Buffalo Hot Sauce, Blistered Shishito & Garlic Hot Sauce (5,800 Scoville Heat Units), Spicy Sweet Passion Fruit (16,000 SHU), Los Calientes Barbacoa (33,000 SHU), Power Jab Hot Sauce (55,000 SHU), Whiskey Smoked Ghost (71,000 SHU), Tropic Star Hot Sauce (110,000 SHU), Evolution Hot Sauce (135,000 SHU), Zuzu 7-Pot (620,000 SHU), and The Last Dab (2,693,000 SHU).
Promising review: "When I got my pack I ordered 10 plain wings and tried each one in order. The first few didn’t really have spice, but did bring good flavor. The fun started about halfway through when the heat kicked in. My favorites are the Djablo, Los Calientes, Dawsons, and The Last Dab. Great spice and great flavor! I’ve started adding The Last Dab to soup and it’s a brilliant touch. It’s great that there’s something for all tolerance levels." —Veronica L.
Get it from Heatonist for $120 ($136 value).
29. A Momofuku soy sauce will be a restaurant-grade boost to your weeknight dinners. After all, the expiration date on the bottle in your fridge rubbed off eons ago and you're shocked the takeout packets in your fridge door haven't start decomposing.
I have some of this stuff and home and trust me, you haven't had soy sauce 'til you've had this stuff. Sometimes I just make plain white rice and put this one it, and it's delicious enough to eat solo!
Promising review: "Taste is awesome. So much more flavor. Regular soy sauce mostly tastes like salt. I love it on everything." —Susan S.
30. Kewpie mayonnaise which, for the uninitiated, is soooooo superior to the ho-hum stuff that you get from the huge chain grocery store. (And I'm southern and saying this despite the regional holy grail Duke's.) After all, did you check the expiration date on the bottle in the fridge the last time that you made a quick 'n' dirty tuna salad sandwich?
Promising review: "We love Kewpie mayo on sandwiches, deviled eggs, tuna and egg salad, and almost everything to which you would add mayo." —Lynn F.
Get it from Umamicart for $7.19.
31. Inglehoffer Horseradish Squeeze Wasabi for some sinus-clearing flavor that'll bring even more life to your seared tuna, salmon, and other delectable dishes.
Promising review: "This is a wonderful product and impossible to find any longer in stores. Stock up while you can! It's a great sauce for those who love horseradish and wasabi — truly unique flavor and adds a lot to dishes when you serve with it on the side." —personal feedback
Get it from Amazon for $7.18.
32. A trio of Stonewall Kitchen Aiolis that'll help satisfy your creamy condiment hankerings with a variety of foods.
33. A Whataburger Ketchup Variety Pack in case the normal stuff at home just does NOT compare. (It never does!)
34. Girl Scouts S'mores Seasoning Blend in case a surefire way to make you eat some of your we-have-food-at-home oatmeal is making it taste like dessert. It's also great on yogurt, ice cream, coffee, brownies, cookies, and more desserts.
Promising review: "Paired with the Rice Krispies Treats creamer by Coffeemate, it's immaculate. It's so good, a nice cool s’mores taste." —Tasheba w.
Get it from Amazon for $4.98 (also available in a Thin Mint version!).
35. A shaker of edible cocktail glitter you can use to jazz up your cocktails. It's not really a seasoning per se or will change the flavor of what you're about to consume, but it'll make it feel a little extra special.
Bakel is a small business established in 2016 that specializes in edible glitters for food and drink.
Promising review: "Don’t think any further and just buy it. This was so cool and everyone loved it! I got the clear one because it will go with any drink. I will be the one to put this in all my friends drinks. Also had no taste so it was just the look. Sooooooo cool!" —gigi
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in 17 colors).
36. And in case you want to have some DIY fun, the Levo II herbal oil and butter infusion machine will help you get super creative. This is just another step toward doing a charcuterie board for dinner along with some dipped bread.
P.S. you can even make soaps, bath bombs, and ~infused~ brownies or gummies with the Levo. All you have to do is fill the herb pod and set your dry or activation cycle, add oil or butter, set your infuse cycle, dispense, and enjoy
Levo is a woman-owned small business founded in 2016 by Chrissy Bellman and based in Denver, Colorado.
Promising review: "We love our Levo II! Can't imagine a better way to spend time than learning how to make my own infused oils that help our whole family, whatever the need. Want to add zest to a recipe? Make a concoction to help your loved one sleep? Try a new salad dressing without the mess? Whatever the need, LEVO II will help make an oil, a botanical, a new soap, tea or a lotion that is perfect. The app is abundant with recipes and ideas, so I feel supported with each and every step. East fast clean up. End to end customer experience is exceptional!" —Kendall E. Coleman
Get it from Amazon for $299 (available in four colors).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.