The Applesauce Brand We're Never Adding To Our Grocery Cart

Applesauce is one of those comfort foods that brings back memories of childhood, whether it's a side dish with a warm meal, a healthy snack, or a tasty baking ingredient. If you're not making applesauce at home (you should, some time — applesauce is pretty simple to make), there are tons of brands to choose from at the grocery store. However, after Daily Meal tried 10 store-bought applesauce brands, there's one that really missed the mark for us: Vermont Village.

Vermont Village is a cooperative-turned-company founded in the 1970s, and located in the center of the Green Mountains (which are in, you guessed it, Vermont). While its applesauce may look appealing with its organic label and claims of pure, wholesome ingredients, unfortunately, the taste of the sauce falls short. And while it's one of the "healthier" applesauces on the market, the product's taste and texture make it one product we won't be adding to our grocery cart again anytime soon.

What's the point of reaching for a jar or cup of applesauce if it doesn't have that bright, fresh flavor? Unlike the vibrant and tangy sweetness or mulled cinnamon flavor you might expect from applesauce, Vermont Village's version tastes, in a word, flat. It lacks the natural sweetness that apples should provide, instead offering a subdued, watery taste. The applesauce feels as though it's been diluted or over-processed, which leaves you longing for that fresh, just-picked apple taste. 

While many brands manage to balance a slight tartness with a natural sweetness, Vermont Village seems to miss this balance entirely. It's neither sweet enough to satisfy your cravings for a fruity snack, nor tart enough to provide a nice contrast to the sweetness. Its organic unsweetened applesauce, which we sampled in our taste test, only has two ingredients: apples and apple puree. The brand does make a cinnamon version, but it's possible Vermont Village is just using the wrong kind of apples.

Next, let's talk about the texture. One of the joys of good applesauce is its creamy, smooth consistency (or, if you're a fan of chunky applesauce, mixing in soft apple chunks give a bit of texture). Vermont Village, however, completely misses the mark in this regard. The applesauce is mealy and thick — kind of like baby food. Paired with the lackluster flavor, this applesauce is just disappointing. It's also more expensive than the best brands.

If you're looking for a low-calorie option, though, and you like the taste and texture, then Vermont Village's applesauce might be the right fit for you. At just 50 calories a serving, and with 0 grams of added sugar, this brand is definitely one of the healthier ones out there — just, unfortunately, not the tastiest.