Houmous or Guacamole? Cheese and Onion or Sour Cream and Chive? Doritos Mild or Doritos Hot Salsa? Maybe even a baked Camembert.  It is Christmas after all. Whichever dip you choose, we’ve done a little research so you can dip away without a worry in the world.

 

What are those delicious dips made of?

 To some extent, yes, it’s what we dunk our favourite crisp, pretzel or veggie  stick into. But with such a wide range of dips on the market now, coming from all over the world, we thought it would be good to have a closer look at what you’re really dipping your crunchy snack into. 

What to Look Out for? (The Bad Stuff)

 

• Long Ingredients Lists

 

Ingredient after ingredient on the back of a product is usually a warning sign or red flag.  And when you realise you’re struggling to pronounce some of them, alarm bells should start ringing.

 

• Artificial Additives

 

E-numbers, stabilisers, emulsifiers, preservatives, and artificial flavourings are some of the additives you could find in your favourite dips 😔

 

• High Sugar

 

Sugar is often added as a preservative in salsas, giving them a longer shelf life. Make sure you check the label so you know you’re getting the lowest sugar you can.

 

Fun Fact: Doritos Hot Salsa has less sugar in it than the Doritos Mild Salsa!

 

• Seed Oils

 

These unfortunately seem to be quite hard to avoid when it comes to dips 🤦‍♀️ But there are some goodn’s out there that give us hope for a seed oil free future!

 

So, Where’s the Good Stuff?

 You’ll be pleased to know it isn’t all bad. We’ve been reviewing as many dips as we can get our hands on before the dipping season begins and compiled all our thoughts and recommendations into ‘A Helpful Dips Shopping Guide’. Don’t just take our word for it … check it out for yourself.

 

 

Click this icon to download the pdf 💻🥑

On mobile? Click here to get the mobile friendly version instead🥑📲

 

Here’s a Quick Summary of what you'll find in our guide:

 

• What to look for when picking your delicious dips

• What to avoid

• What brands to go for (do you make the switch from Doritos to Holy Moly?)

• Where you can find them all (supermarkets: Tesco, Waitrose, Asda and more)

 

Don't forget to follow us on TikTok or Instagram for more daily health hacks. 

 

 

@tonichealth It's dipping-licious! Check out our top 3 dips for the Christmas party season! #dipitrealgood #partyseason #healthtok #supermarkettiktok #trend ♬ original sound - Tonic Health 🍊

 

 

What Impacts Our Choice of Dip?

 

1. Health

 

If health is something you prioritise (and let’s face it, it should be!)Then why not try whipping up some of your favourite dips yourself.  Sour cream and chive dip can be made with just a tub of sour cream and some chopped chives…(duh!)

 

2. Budget

 

Something more and more of us are thinking about is where we can save our pennies. Supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl are great for budget buys. Their dips start at only £0.79!

 

3. Sustainability

 

Another thing at the forefront of our minds right now; if your focus is sustainability then look out for these things when choosing your dip. 

 

• Organic products are beneficial to the environment as organic plant cultivation doesn’t pollute surrounding areas. It increases soil fertility as well as reducing soil erosion and protecting wildlife. This enables land to be used for generations to come. 

 

• Ambient dips, such as Doritos salsas, can be stored in the cupboard until the Christmas celebrations, at which point we imagine they will be eliminated by guests. This means they require no energy for storage! 

 

Final Thoughts

We know the dip selection can make or break the grazing table at a party, and hope this rundown of dips do’s and don’ts has cleared some of the snack related stress from your mind.

Time to grab the Christmas crackers and party away with some peace of mind!

Have something to add or a burning question? Email sunnavankampen@tonichealth.co and chat with our founder!