As an avid couponer, my eyes were immediately drawn a few weekends ago to my coupon insert that offered a .75 off 1 jar of Smart Balance Peanut Butter. As Triple coupon events are fairly common in my area, I know that my little .75 off coupon is actually $2.25 off a jar of peanut butter at those times...and I immediately set about to gather as many of these coupons as I could get my hands on. However, before I stocked up - I wanted my son ( the main peanut butter consumer in our house ) to try it. So I went out with a single coupon, and bought a jar of Smart Balance peanut butter.
The ingredient list caught my eye: peanuts: evaporated cane juice, natural oil blend ( palm fruit and flaxseed oils ) , salt, molasses
Huh. Not too bad! Nothing hydrogenated, and the sugars are natural, not processed like granulated sugar.
Calories? 190. Sugar? 3 g, Fat? 16g. All identical to the other peanut butters on the market - including multiple organic versions. Also, because of the addition of flaxseed, this peanut butter provides 320mg if Omega-3 oil per serving - a very good thing!
When I opened the jar, there was a fine oil sheen on the top - very common for natural, less processed peanut butters. It was fairly easily stirred. I tried a swipe - and it was good. I made a peanut butter sandwich for my son and handed it to him without comment. He ate it and enjoyed the taste.
I'm hoping that a Triples event comes along that coincides with this peanut butter being on sale! It will be a good peanut butter to stockpile - a healthier version of the other, more "kid friendly" ( read: sugary craptacular fat laden yuck ) peanut butters I'd personally prefer to move away from.