Most of what carries a fat-free label never had a fat problem. Salt, vinegar, hot sauce, hard candy, gelatin, starch -- none of it ever contained any. This aisle is the shelf-stable end of the shop, sorted by what the nutrition panel says rather than by what the front of the box says.

Seasoning and acid first: Morton Lite Salt, Maldon sea salt flakes, Cavender's Greek seasoning, Heinz distilled white vinegar by the gallon, Kikkoman soy sauce, Frank's RedHot, Texas Pete, Tabasco. Herb-Ox and Better Than Bouillon for stock. For baking, Bob's Red Mill potato starch and rice flour, Knox unflavored gelatine, Domino sugar cubes, Plantation blackstrap molasses. Behind the bar, Daily's and Finest Call mixers, Torani syrups, Stirrings simple syrup. And hot cereal, Cream of Wheat.

Fat-free is a figure off the nutrition panel, and the panel is per serving -- servings here are small: a teaspoon of hot sauce, one ketchup packet, one hard candy. It is also not the same as low-sugar or low-calorie; a good part of this aisle is sugar, syrup and salt. Panels are on every product page and formulations change, so check the box.

Common Questions

What does fat-free mean on a label?

Under FDA rules, fat-free means less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Serving sizes vary, so compare the panel to how much you actually use.

Are fat-free foods low in calories or sugar?

Not always. Syrups, mixers and molasses are fat-free but high in sugar. Check the full nutrition panel if you are watching calories or sugar.

Where can I see the nutrition facts?

Every product page lists nutrition facts. Recipes can change, so check the label on the package you receive.