Preparedness is a big topic these days and many people are looking at purchasing packages of food that are good for long term storage. The biggest challenge with pre-made prepared foods is all of the chemicals and additives that are in them. Of course, making a list of foods to have on hand for those times when you need it is important. But when you're putting that list together consider skipping the condiments.

Making condiments

I'm not saying don't have condiments on hand. However, I do believe it's better to know how to make your own condiments. This way you'll have them on hand fresh and tasty, plus you'll avoid all the negative ingredients found in many condiments. And truthfully even those without too many harmful additives don't last that long. By knowing how to make your own condiments and having a few simple, easy to store ingredients on hand you'll always have delicious, nourishing condiments available.

You'll need to remember that when fermented the condiments may have a slight bubble to them or may seem to separate slightly. They may also have a slightly tangy smell. Do not eat them if they are fuzzy, discolored, or smell really bad/moldy.  If you've done it right, this should not happen.

Needed ingredients

When making lacto-fermented condiments you start with a basic condiment recipe. Then you add some sort of liquid that helps with the fermentation process.  The two best options are whey, the liquid that's left over from making yogurt, or the liquid you have when you make homemade sauerkraut.  You often have quite a bit of either of these left over after making the item. You can store it in a jar in the fridge until you need to use it to make recipes like these condiments below.