Unboxed: 10 foods and beverages with 5 ingredients or less

Chefs know that if you're going to place a dish on a menu with very few ingredients, it better contain the best quality ingredients you can find...

Similarly, natural manufacturers who prioritize products with just a few ingredients also care about conscious sourcing methods, certification labels such as USDA Organic and smart formulations to honor an ingredient's inherent flavor. 

Some examples: Patagonia Provisions’ new line of mussels are sourced from EU Organic-certified mussel farms in Galicia, Spain, and are packed in their own mussel broth, organic olive oil and wood smoke for a memorable eating experience. The olives used for Nudo’s Italian olive oil are picked by hand and pressed via mechanical (not chemical) means the same day they are harvested—the result is a spicy, fruity oil that can make a meal with a loaf of bread and a pinch of sea salt. 

Aside from quality, products with very few ingredients (here we highlight ones that contain five or fewer), can signal clean label to consumers. Performance-based additives such as xanthan gum or maltodextrin usually don’t have a place in these products.