Mesa de Vida

Mesa de Vida makes chef-crafted starter sauces in Latin, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Creole and Caribbean styles, meant for simmering, slow cooking and oven braising. The sauces are blended from vegetables, fruit, whole spices, herbs and tomato paste, with no added oil and low sodium, and come in recyclable glass jars. They were created by Chef Kirsten Helle Sandoval, a private chef to professional athletes, who started out selling them with her kids at farmers markets. The brand is based in Oceanside, California.

• Why are the sauces low in sodium?

  The founder wanted flavorful convenience sauces with little or no added salt, so you decide how much salt goes into your food.

• Are the sauces vegan?

  No animal products are used. The sauces are made from fruits, vegetables, whole ground spices, non-GMO vinegars and citrus juice.

• Why do the sauces use tomato paste?

  Salt-free tomato paste made from non-GMO tomatoes gives concentrated flavor and a rich texture, so no stabilizers are needed.

• Are the sauces gluten free?

  They contain no gluten ingredients but are not certified gluten free, as they are made on shared equipment that may process gluten.

• Do the sauces contain nuts?

  The Caribbean sauce contains coconut aminos. The others contain no nuts but are made in a facility that may process tree nuts.

• How are the sauces packaged?

  The sauces are concentrated to fit smaller jars and packed in recyclable glass, with no single-use plastic jars.