Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, and beyond turkey, the food most popularly associated with this holiday is cranberry sauce. But how do you choose between all the cranberry sauces on the shelves? Have you ever even thought about all the choices, or do you choose by tradition or brand? Let us help, because this is what we do. Eatiquette, a mobile app, compares products against each other. We review what makes them distinct by taking a careful look at ingredients, nutrition facts, allergens, and other product attributes. You’ll be surprised by how different they can be. So open your Eatiquette app and grab a can opener, because we’re going to compare 25 different packaged cranberry sauces!
Serving Size Differences
We found serving sizes are not consistent across brands. Some varieties of cranberry sauce suggest just a dab the size of a tablespoon, whereas others go for a quarter cup. We compare the sauces like for like, independent of whether you are using a dab or a dollop.
Fat & Sodium in Cranberry Sauce – LOW
All cranberry sauces are similarly low in fat and sodium. You won’t find protein either, but that’s what the turkey is for. Based on ingredient lists, you won’t find any animal-based ingredients or gluten, making all the varieties suitable for vegans and gluten-intolerant guests at your in-person or distanced dinner. Keep in mind, “natural flavor” is something that can be tricky to identify as vegan or non-vegan, and vegans who eschew traditional processing of sugar may want to stick with the organic options.
Sugar Content in Cranberry Sauce
Sugar. The tartness of cranberries is balanced well by sweetness, so If you are going for low sugar when it comes to packaged cranberry sauces, you are out of luck. Sugar is also the biggest variable between all the sauces, with some brands listing sugar as the first ingredient and others listing it as the third. Many of the brands do not identify “added sugars” in their nutritional labels, so we compare brands based on total sugar content as a % of weight.
Organic Cranberry Sauce Options
If you prefer organic foods over conventionally produced foods, you’ll be pleased to know that eight of the 25 cranberry sauces are certified organic. A few of the organic options, such as Pacific Organic Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce, Woodstock Organic Cranberry Sauce, and Whole Foods (365) Organic Cranberry Whole Berry Sauce, contain only three or four ingredients, specifically cranberries, water, sugar, and/or lemon juice concentrate.
Food Allergens in Cranberry Sauce?
None of the 25 cranberry sauces contain any of the main 14 allergens. While one product lists “soybean oil” as an ingredient, this is generally not considered a soy allergen.
The Ingredients – Cranberries & Sugars
When reading nutrition labels, remember that ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, and the top three ingredients for all sauces are cranberries, water, and sugar (not necessarily in that order).
Cranberries are listed as the first ingredient for all but four sauces which listed either high fructose corn syrup, sugar, or water as the first ingredient.
One product, Walden Farms Cranberry Sauce & Fruit Spread, remarkably contains no cranberries at all, instead, it uses cranberry flavor and additives. This is the only product with 0 calories, and includes the artificial sweetener sucralose, making it an option for those on sugar-restricted diets.
Notably, Sarabeth’s Cranberry Relish includes only three ingredients, two of which are fruit; cranberries, oranges, and sugar.
Surprisingly, only five of the 25 products, those from Dickinson’s, Market Pantry (Target), Ocean Spray, and Safeway contain high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn starch that is about 1.5 times sweeter than sugar.
Cranberry Sauce with Additives
Oftentimes, the longer the ingredient list is, the more additives the food contains. But in this case, most of the other ingredients are spices such as cinnamon, cloves or ginger, or fruits such as apples, oranges or elderberry extract.
Wine, such as port and cabernet sauvignon, are included in three products (Bonnie’s Jams Cranberry Cherry Cabernet Jam, Dickinson’s Premium Cranberry Relish, Mrs. Bridges Cranberry Sauce).
If you like a kick with your sweet and tart cranberry sauce, Stonewall Kitchen Cranberry Horseradish Sauce, includes tangy horseradish along with fruit and spices.
Some cranberry sauces do include common additives such as thickeners (pectin, etc), acidity regulators, and preservatives.
When comparing jellied versions, such as Gefen Jellied Cranberry Sauce, or skin intact versions, such as Trader Joe’s Cranberry Sauce, the ingredients seem to be virtually the same, giving you even more options for your holiday plate.
Taste! Which is your favorite?
Last but never least is the category of taste. This is the most subjective and personal category, so we are leaving that to you!
Open up your Eatiquette app and remember, we don’t judge, we just give you the tools and information to judge for yourself.
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