Hardly anything sparks unanimous approval in life. But peanut butter comes pretty close.
(Apologies to those with nut allergies — I know you’d be first in line if you could.)
Peanut butter is irresistible. And if you disagree — and I say this with all due affection — you’re mistaken.
So when Savinly asked me to sample several jars to determine which brand delivers the best value, you can imagine my excitement. Then they sweetened the deal by saying they’d pay me for it. How do you like me now, everyone who ever asked what I’d do with that English degree?
Which Natural Peanut Butter Is the Most Economical and Best Tasting?
I won’t dawdle before we dive into the rankings. But since this was a quasi-scientific taste-off, we did set a few ground rules.
We kept texture uniform, so every peanut butter below is the creamy style. (Full disclosure: I’m staunchly team crunchy. Still, creamy is a bit more broadly favored.)
We also focused on “natural” varieties, which generally contain few ingredients beyond peanuts and salt. Natural peanut butters are arguably the healthier choice and typically cost more, so there’s more potential savings in identifying the cheapest yet still excellent option. A few brands — which you’ll notice aren’t on this list — came in at well over $7 per pound. Ouch!
Finally, I used the same delivery method for each spoonful. I briefly considered celery sticks, apple slices, or Ritz crackers.
But let’s be honest: the most neutral vehicle — and the one I most wanted — was spoon-to-mouth.
1. Skippy Natural Peanut Butter
$2.79 for 15 ounces (18.6 cents per ounce)
At first I assumed this oddly small jar was a marketing trick to make the product seem less costly. It turns out it was actually, by a hair, the cheapest in the group.
Skippy’s “natural” version lists sugar and palm oil along with peanuts and salt. A two-tablespoon portion contains slightly fewer calories — and a bit more sugar — than the stripped-down varieties.
It’s in a plastic container with a safety seal, which exposes a thin oil layer on top. It stirs back into the butter smoothly, but the flavor is fairly ordinary and the consistency feels a tad thin.
That might be because of the added palm oil, which helps reduce the natural separation of oils in pure nut butters. For people accustomed to hydrogenated products, finding a slick layer can be off-putting. Yet palm oil can change the texture and flavor, even if it looks neat on your spoon.
Also, this jar doesn’t expire until April 2018, which is a telling detail. Should “natural” PB really last that long?
Verdict: It tastes like textbook peanut butter, but it includes added sugar and oil. So while it’s relatively inexpensive, upgrading to the “natural” label here may not be worth it.
2. Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter
$2.99 per pound (18.7 cents per ounce)
I’ll be honest: I’ve long been a Smucker’s fan, and tasting it alongside the others confirmed my bias.
This jar contains only peanuts and salt and comes in a solid glass container. When you open it, there’s a satisfying thick oil layer. (Fun fact: you don’t have to refrigerate it, but if you do, the oil firms up and is fantastic.)
The aroma is less sweet than Skippy’s, and you can spot tiny flecks of ground peanuts around the rim. Its texture is slightly grainy and unapologetically savory, which makes sense given it has only one gram of naturally occurring sugar per serving.
It tastes exactly like it should: peanuts with a hint of salt.
Verdict: To me it’s ideal, though if you prefer the sweeter, oil-laden products you grew up with, you might feel differently.
3. JIF Natural Peanut Butter
$2.99 per pound (18.7 cents per ounce)
This one shares a price point with Smucker’s — but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.
The ingredient list includes sugar, palm oil, and even molasses, so it’s surprising JIF labels this as “natural.”
Maybe I’m conditioned, but I smell the molasses the second I peel the safety seal. There’s no oil on the surface. When I dig in, it scoops up thick and pasty, reminiscent of the overly processed, sugary spreads I ate growing up.
I spat out that spoonful. Not worth it.
Especially after Smucker’s, this feels adulterated. It’s so thick it’s almost glue-like, with an artificial sweetness that clings to your gums. Gross.
Verdict: If you want a peanut butter that’s “natural” in name only — and doubles as an adhesive — this is the one to buy.
4. Peter Pan “Simply Ground” Peanut Butter
$3.36 for 15 ounces (22.4 cents per ounce)
Okay, I was misled. A closer look shows this jar doesn’t actually say “natural.”
Nevertheless, it’s clearly aimed at that market with imagery of whole peanuts and a minimalist label. It was shelved with the natural options.
Although the label implies it’s just “simply ground” peanuts, the ingredients reveal otherwise: added sugar and hydrogenated cotton and/or rapeseed oils — under 2%, but present nonetheless.
I noticed no oil separation here either. I can, however, see flecks of peanuts embedded in a thick, fake-feeling base similar to JIF. It smells unusually neutral.
Tasting it is odd: less sweet than JIF for sure, but noticeably sweeter than Smucker’s, especially on the finish. It touts being “creamy with a bit of crunch,” and I appreciate the small peanut bits, even if they seem decorative.
Some might argue it doesn’t fully belong in either camp — natural or processed — but maybe that ambiguity could end family debates!
Verdict: Calling it “natural” is a stretch, but it could be a decent compromise if your household can’t pick between chunky and smooth.
5. Santa Cruz Organic Dark Roasted Peanut Butter
$5.79 per pound (36.2 cents per ounce)
At nearly double the price of the cheapest “natural” jars, this one had better be exceptional.
Santa Cruz’s version contains only roasted peanuts and up to 1% salt. It’s organic, which helps explain the premium cost.
Oh man, the aroma when I opened it was divine. The “dark roasted” note is obvious — warmer and toastier than standard peanut butter — and it has an oil layer similar in thickness to Smucker’s.
On the palate there’s an almost vanilla-like nuance; the deeper roast imparts a subtle natural sweetness without added sugar. The oil seems slightly less dominant than in Smucker’s, and the peanut bits are finer.
The blend is rich, creamy, and thoroughly enjoyable, with a depth of flavor I don’t usually expect from peanut butter.
Verdict: Since the dark-roast process changes its taste profile, it’s a bit unfair to pit this directly against the others — but Santa Cruz clearly produces a high-quality product.
Who Wins the Natural Peanut Butter Crown? The Final Takeaway
Ultimately, the best peanut butter is a personal choice. Tastes differ, and you might love the too-smooth, oil-free JIF texture I can’t stomach.
For me, Smucker’s is a fantastic natural peanut butter pick. It’s tasty, has a pleasing oil-to-peanut balance, and contains no added oils or sugar — just peanuts and salt.
At roughly 18.6 cents per ounce, it’s competitively priced next to pricier natural alternatives with pared-down ingredient lists. (For context, a giant store-brand creamy jar runs about 10 cents per ounce.)
My runner-up was Santa Cruz, though the dark-roast character makes direct comparison tricky. While it costs about twice as much per ounce as Smucker’s, I wouldn’t say it’s twice as good.
Want More Tips for Saving on Natural Peanut Butter?
If you want to guarantee a simple, natural peanut butter without sampling jars, you could trymaking your own at home. All you need are peanuts, a food processor, and optional honey or salt.
One of the nicest parts about homemade is total control over ingredients — and over the addition of things like cocoa or vanilla — plus you can make it exactly as crunchy or creamy as you prefer.
Buying peanuts in bulk can also cut down the cost of your peanut butter habit. Some sellers offer a pound of roasted nuts for less than a jar, even if you opt for pre-roasted peanuts. Remember to check bulk bins at nearby groceries and specialty shops to avoid shipping fees.
And here’s a simple money-saving trick: don’t waste a single smear. Heat the jar briefly in the microwave to loosen the stubborn last spoonfuls, or do what I do and stick your finger or a spatula in there.
After all, Savinly readers are nothing if not resourceful when hunting for savings. Also, if you’re curious about alternate uses for that jar in your pantry, check out helpful ideas for uses for peanut butter. And if you’re choosing organic options, you might want to brush up on organic labeling regulations.
We Savinliers do make sacrifices in the name of thrift. I mean, just look at the lengths we put our contributors through.
