Taste Test: Berry Jams

The F&W staff tasted 25 different types of strawberry and raspberry preserves, spreads and jams. These four topped the list.

Should you splurge on a pricey balsamic? We tasted 25 supermarket and specialty brands to find out. We liked the fancy ones for special occasions, but for daily use, some cheaper brands scored.

Trappist Strawberry Preserve

staff comment "Great berry taste and just the right sweetness."
interesting bite The same monk has been refining Trappist’s preserves for 40 years.

Thursday Cottage Raspberry Jam

staff comment "Perfect balance of tart and sweet."
interesting bite The homemade jams are named for the Somerset, England, country cottage where the company started in the 1960s.

Hero Raspberry Preserves

staff comment "Clear raspberry flavor and good texture—not too thick and not too watery."
interesting bite Hero cooks its preserves for only 10 minutes, which helps maintain flavor and color.

Smucker’s Low Sugar Strawberry Preserves

staff comment "Nice, chunky berries."
interesting bite In 1897, Ohio-based J. M. Smucker’s first product was apple cider made from trees originally planted by Johnny Appleseed.

Published May 2004