You have your favorite peanut butter, but what about a favorite grape jelly? We tested five brands to find the best jelly for your PB&J.
We Found the Best Grape Jelly for Your PB&J
Making up lunches for the kids to take to school? You might turn to these fun recipes. If you’re in a real hurry though, you might send those kiddos (and yourself) off for the day with a classic PB&J. It’s simple, but the pairing of peanut butter and grape jelly is always satisfying—even as a grown-up.
When it comes to this combo, most folks have a preferred peanut butter—Taste of Home staffers certainly do! But what about the grape jelly? Do you go for the big names? Do you grab what seems fancy? Do you choose organic? Do you think they all taste the same?
Of course, we had to settle this debate with a blind tasting of every grape jelly we found at the grocery store. We tried five brands, and two stood out. Check out our favorites as chosen by our staff.
Runner-Up: Smucker’s
Score: 7/10
You know the slogan: “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good.” This catchphrase certainly rang true with our taste testers. Smucker’s grape jelly tasted familiar and comforting. It’s the jelly many of us remembered from our own childhood—be it used in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or spread across toast at our favorite local diner.
This jelly was sweet but not over the top, tasted strongly of grape and was easy to spread. And the price tag is budget-friendly (it’s only $2.34 on Amazon!). What more could you ask for?
Best in Show: ShurFine
Score:Â 8.2/10
Smucker’s was a tough jelly to beat, but ShurFine—a generic brand available at independent grocers—managed to do it. ShurFine grape jelly tasted strongly of Concord grapes, and while it was sweet, the flavor wasn’t overpowering. This jelly had a hint of tartness to help balance out the flavor, which made all the difference in this test. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though. A little bit of tartness, like the squeeze of lime juice in this grape and apple fruit salad, can help you appreciate the sweetness even more.
The Bottom Line
Some taste tests really run the gamut from no thanks to more please! This grape jelly test was a bit different. We definitely found some great jellies for these PB&J-inspired recipes, but we also found out that the very best in grape jelly isn’t too far off from our lower-ranking brands. In total, there were less than three points separating the jellies from top to bottom.
If you ask me, that’s just fine. I’ll grab what’s on sale knowing that these chili-jelly meatballs will always be a great potluck treat.
Try Making Your Own Jellies at Home
Blueberry JellyBlueberry jelly is an instant upgrade for a PB&J or an elegant addition to any brunch spread. Use fresh or frozen blueberries to make it.
Jalapeno JellyThis sweet and spicy jalapeño jelly makes for the perfect dip, condiment or appetizer!
Orange JellyFor a change of pace, give this yummy jelly made from frozen orange juice a try. I've given it as gifts to friends and family—and many times the jars have been returned for refills. —Mary Rice, Maysville, Oklahoma
Honey Lemon JellyI love both honey and lemon, so I combined those ingredients into a doubly delightful jelly. Spread it on toast, bagels, English muffins or scones for a tangy breakfast treat. —Ramona Wysong, Barlow, Kentucky
Kickin’ Red Pepper JellyPeppers grow like wild fire in our hot Missouri summers. That's when I make spicy jelly to give as gifts at Christmas. The leftover pulp can be frozen in small batches and stirred into chili, pasta sauce, salad dressing and salsa. —Lee Bremson, Kansas City, Missouri
Rhubarb JellyI help help my husband with the pouring and skimming for this jelly—my own personal favorite. It's nice as both a breakfast spread and a topping for pork or other meat. —Jean Coleman, Ottawa, Ontario
Cider JellyFor a tasty jam during the fall, try this cider. The candy adds a wonderful cinnamon flavor.—Donna Bensend, Dallas, Wisconsin
Plum JellyI've had this wild plum jelly recipe for ages. Each year when the plums are ripe, I'll fill my pail and make this jelly. It's so good served with toast, pancakes or waffles! —Ludell Heuser, Mount Horeb, Wisconsin
Blackberry Apple JellyAugust is the busiest month of the year on our small farm—that's when we're harvesting sweet corn, pumpkins and pickling cucumbers for our stand. But I always make time to put up this jelly. The apples come from our old-fashioned orchard, while the blackberries grow wild along our creek...and the jelly's usually gone by January! —Liz Endacott, Matsqui, British Columbia
Cran-Raspberry JamI'm sure to pick up extra bags of cranberries for the freezer in the fall so that I can make this lovely, delicious jam year-round. My kids love it on peanut butter sandwiches. Jars of this pretty ruby-colored jam also make great gifts. —Marjilee Booth, Chino Hills, California
Lime Mint JellyThis holly-green jelly won a Best of Show at the county fair and I was so thrilled. Flavored with lime, it's delicious on roasted meats. —Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio
Corncob JellyMaking this jelly every year in the summer is a tradition in my family. I often give this jelly as a gift.—Marge Hagy, Brewster, Washington
Rosemary JellyThis deliciously different green jelly gets its flavor from an unusual source: savory rosemary. The herb adds a refreshing zip to the otherwise sweet spread. —Margaret Dumire, Carroll, Ohio
Cranberry JellyA great addition to any holiday table, cranberry jelly is a simple, three-ingredient recipe that's ready in just 35 minutes. This treat will also make a very welcome gift-in-a-jar.
Notes:
- This blind taste test was performed by our staff and was not part of a sponsorship. All opinions shared are our own and have not been influenced by advertisers.
- Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
