Best Reviewed
Peanut Butter
- Best creamy peanut butter Skippy Creamy *Est. $2
- Best chunky peanut butter Skippy Super Chunk *Est. $2
- No-stir natural peanut butter Skippy Natural Creamy *Est. $2
- Best natural peanut butter Smucker's Natural Chunky *Est. $3
- Best almond butter Barney Butter Smooth Almond Butter *Est. $9
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Smucker's Natural Chunky
Best natural peanut butter
- Strong peanut flavor
- No added saturated fat or sugar
- Lower sodium
- Requires mixing in separated peanut oil
- Shorter shelf life
- Children may not like lack of sweetness
You don't have to be a health "nut" to appreciate the lower sugar, sodium and saturated fat in natural peanut butter made purely with peanuts and a bit of salt. Among these, Smucker's Natural Chunky does particularly well in blind taste tests. Adults like the "nice toasty flavor," but the lack of sweetness may be less appealing to children. Smucker's Natural Creamy (*Est. $3.20 for a 16-oz. jar) also earns praise for flavor, but the grainier texture isn't comparable to processed smooth peanut butter. The main drawbacks of Smucker's and other natural peanut butters that don't have oil added as an emulsifier are a shorter shelf life and peanut oil that pools on top during storage. If you don't want the hassle of remixing the separated oil before use, reviews recommend Skippy Natural Creamy (*Est. $2.40 for a 15-oz. jar) among no-stir natural peanut butters.
We found the best blind taste test of Smucker's Natural Chunky at SeriousEats.com, where it's compared to other natural peanut butters. Smucker's Natural Chunky was also named a favorite (and Smucker's Natural Creamy was a runner-up) at Real Simple magazine. Smucker's Natural Creamy was included in blind taste tests of both processed and natural peanut butters at Cook's Illustrated magazine and SeriousEats.com. In an older review at EatingWell.com, testers compare Smucker's Natural Creamy to other smooth, natural peanut butters.
Our Sources
In a recent review at SeriousEats.com, taste testers evaluate nine natural, crunchy peanut butters. Smucker's Natural Chunky receives the top score of 6.78 points out of a possible 10.
Review: Taste Test: Crunchy Peanut Butter, Stir, Erin Zimmer, June 2011
2. Real SimpleDetails/Subscribe
At Real Simple magazine, writer Lindsay Funston evaluates creamy, chunky and unsalted natural peanut butters. Smucker's Natural Chunky is the winner in the chunky category, and Smucker's Natural Creamy is named the runner-up in the creamy category. We are unsure what methodology was used in determining which natural peanut butters are the best.
Review: The Best Natural Peanut Butter, Lindsay Funston
3. Cook's Illustrated MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Editors at Cook's Illustrated magazine recently evaluate 15 brands of processed and natural creamy peanut butters. Smucker's Natural Chunky isn't included in the lineup, but Smucker's Natural Creamy makes it past the first round of taste testing.
Review: Creamy Peanut Butter, Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine, March 2011
A taste test at SeriousEats.com compares Smucker's Natural Creamy and 15 other creamy peanut butters. After evaluating smoothness, spreadability, sweetness, saltiness and peanut taste, editors rank them from the favorite to least favorite.
Review: Taste Test: Peanut Butter, Creamy, Editors of SeriousEats.com, May 2011
Although this review is older, it's one of the few that includes children in its judging panel. The food magazine rates natural peanut butters on taste, appearance and texture. Smucker's Natural Creamy takes second in all three categories (the winner is no longer available). Smucker's Natural Chunky wasn't included in this review of only creamy peanut butter.
Review: EatingWell Taste Test: Natural Peanut Butters, Editors of EatingWell.com, January 2006
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