Peanut Butter: Reviews

Reviewers say Skippy Creamy is the standout in blind taste tests, with an exceptionally smooth texture that's so important in a creamy peanut butter. It also has a robust peanut taste and a nice balance of sweetness and… expandsaltiness. In addition to roasted peanuts, sugar and salt, Skippy contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which acts as an emulsifier and lengthens the shelf life. The downside of this ingredient is it adds a trace amount of trans fat, which can raise cholesterol. collapse

Chunky peanut butter is reviewed less often than creamy, so we applied much of Skippy Creamy's success to the chunky category, as the ingredients and nutrition are identical. In a few blind taste tests that focus on… expandchunky peanut butter, Skippy takes first place. Reviewers praise the generous serving of peanuts and say the salty flavor is appealing. Skippy Super Chunk also is recommended by some reviewers as an excellent ingredient in peanut butter cookies. collapse

Skippy Natural Creamy uses palm oil, rather than the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil found in regular peanut butter,. Although this eliminates trans fat, the saturated fat is slightly higher (both fats can increase… expandcholesterol). This peanut butter doesn't have to be stirred or refrigerated like natural peanut butters that don't contain an emulsifier. Skippy Natural Creamy is consistently recommended for its very smooth texture and flavor that nicely balances toasty peanuts, saltiness and sweetness (it contains just as much added sugar as other Skippy Creamy and Super Chunk). Like other natural peanut butters made with palm oil, it has a shorter shelf life than processed peanut butter. collapse

Testers say Smucker's Natural Chunky is the best-tasting natural peanut butter with salt as the only added ingredient. Testers note it has a grainier texture than processed peanut butters, but adults like the stronger… expandnutty flavor. Because Smucker's doesn't have added oil, like Skippy and Jif do, its shelf life is shorter and the peanut oil tends to pool on top during storage. Some may find constantly stirring the oil back in before use to be inconvenient. The manufacturer says refrigeration isn't necessary but will help to keep the oil from separating. collapse

If you have a peanut allergy -- or your child's school has a no-peanut policy -- reviewers say almond butter is the best substitute among nut butters. In particular, consumers say Barney Butter Smooth Almond Butter… expandclosely resembles peanut butter, but with a milder flavor. It contains just almonds, evaporated cane juice, palm fruit oil and sea salt. The total fat and saturated fat content is less than Skippy, and it has a third less sodium. Barney Butter also offers more fiber, iron and vitamin E, plus calcium and magnesium. The manufacturer says Barney Butter is made in a peanut-free facility and requires no refrigeration. collapse