This spice collection makes dinnertime a snap

For working parents, meal prep can either be a time to unwind and get creative in the kitchen, or it can be the bane of their existence. I fall into the latter category and loathe figuring out what is for dinner every single day of the week. Typically, it ends up being a bland piece of chicken with a sad pile of rice and defrosted veggies.

Yes, there are Pinterest boards that I can scour and Instagram influencers that I can turn to for inspiration. But I don’t. I may find an interesting recipe over a weekend to try out for Monday night’s dinner, but by Tuesday, I am over it. I am not a kitchen creative and don’t have the gift of coming up with off-the-cuff flavor combinations like some people do. And I try to avoid making daily grocery store runs. Not a good recipe for five-star family meals.

Classic dinner solutions have not worked for me, and trust me, I have tried them all. Meal kits are hit-or-miss when it comes to pleasing all members of my household, and frozen dinners are often too loaded with preservatives for me to serve them to my family guilt-free.

I was constantly on the hunt for a dinner solution that is simple to execute, doesn’t take any pre-planning, is free from preservatives or artificial ingredients, and most importantly, tastes good and exciting. That’s why finding This Little Goat spices and finishing sauces has been a game-changer.

What is This Little Goat?

I discovered This Little Goat spices and finishing sauces quite serendipitously. I will admit, I was initially drawn in by the cute labels and name. Created by Stephanie Izard—who has won both “Iron Chef” and “Top Chef,” as well as a James Beard Award—these flavors have become my go-to solution in the kitchen.

Yes, I could turn to the slew of spice blends and sauces that are available in the sea of options at my local grocery store, but somehow, I have yet to find one that does the job as well as these do. And since I will never have a James Beard Award-winning chef in my kitchen, using these spices is the next best thing.

Instead of offering blends like “chicken seasoning” or “steak spices,” This Little Goat offers spice blends that are inspired by places around the world. Think spices like cinnamon, mustard, and cardamom for the Indian variety; and lime juice powder, coriander, cumin, and fennel for a taste of Cuba. As a non-chef, I certainly don’t have the wide variety of single spices in my pantry ready to make these eclectic blends, and it is convenient for me to have something already mixed up and ready to be added to my protein or starch.

The finishing sauces are restaurant-worthy and kick my dinners up a notch. I finish some steamed green beans with the Southeast Asian variety and use the Yucatán variety as a marinade for fish tacos. The sauces make my green beans taste so good that my 5-year-old asks for seconds.

How I use This Little Goat spices and sauces

I am still not a master in the kitchen by any means, but using these sauces and spices has allowed my family to explore flavors of cuisines from around the world. Instead of leaning on old-school BBQ sauce when I bake chicken, we now enjoy a spicy Cuban-spiced chicken that requires zero thought to prepare—simply sprinkle some This Little Goat Went to Cuba spice onto chicken and cook.

Baked fries have a little more zing and cooked veggies have a little more pizzazz with their new flavor additions. My dinners are far less bland, require less thought, and the flavors inspire me to try new recipes.

I also appreciate that the ingredients are not loaded with stabilizers, fillers, and artificial colors. While some sauces contain a bit of sodium, I generally feel comfortable serving these products to my family.

Are This Little Goat sauces and spices worth it?

Investing in these spice blends and finishing sauces have been an amazing addition to my pantry. While the sauces ($7.99 for 13 oz.) can be on the pricier-side when compared with other popular sauces, it is worth the additional cost to have a product with high-quality ingredients (and a cute label that helps make me feel a little happier about cooking dinner!).

Spices cost $5.99 for a 1.8-ounce jar, and there are pre-packaged sets available if you’re interested in trying them all.

For a busy parent who hates cooking and creating in the kitchen, these items are a great way to get some excitement and variety into family meals with very little effort.

Get This Little Goat Cooking Set on Amazon for $29.95