Trader Joe’s Organic Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves
I’ve been on a quest to reduce sugar and overall sweetness in the foods I serve my family. We don’t like the taste (or sometimes the potential health tradeoffs) of some sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners, so we stick with traditional sugar, but just less of it.
High-sugar breakfast cereals as an everyday thing are out. I buy granola or snack bars that have little to no added sugar. We enjoy simple fruit as a dessert. If I make a baked fruit crisp, I use a little less sugar than what the recipe calls for with no noticeable reduction in taste. I like going to coffee shops that offer a choice of 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% sweetness in their drinks.
There are a lot of foods and treats that I feel could benefit from a small reduction in sugar while still tasting good. Take, for instance, jam or fruit preserves. While I can find no-sugar jams that use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes, it’s not easy to find lower-sugar options at most grocery stores I’ve been in.
Trader Joe’s, which is a cousin to Aldi, actually does sell reduced sugar preserves, though.
Trader Joe’s Organic Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves cost $4.29 for a 15.2-ounce jar in 2026. That comes out to about 28 cents per ounce.
This is USDA Organic and certified organic by Quality Assurance International.
Nutrition Facts and Ingredients:
This contains organic strawberries, organic sugar, water, pectin, citric acid [acidifier].
One 1-tablespoon serving has 25 calories, no fat, 10 mg of sodium (0% DV), 7 grams of total carbohydrates (3% DV), no dietary fiber, 6 grams of total sugars, 6 grams of added sugars (12% DV), and no protein.
The label states this has “50% less sugar than regular strawberry preserves,” and that “regular” strawberry preserves contain 12 grams of added sugars and have 50 calories per 1-tablespoon serving.
For comparison, at the time of writing I have a jar of Simply Nature Organic Strawberry Preserves from Aldi in my fridge, and it has 45 calories and 12 grams of added sugars per 1-tablespoon serving. So, depending on what you buy, the TJ’s claim to have half the calories and sugar looks to be pretty accurate.
How it Tastes:
This has a mostly smooth texture, with small bits of strawberry pulp and strawberry seeds scattered throughout. It still tastes plenty sweet and is fine for our purposes, which are mostly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or toast with peanut butter and jam.
I like to pick this up when I’m at Trader Joe’s, especially since it’s not easy to find similar lower-sugar jams or preserves at other grocery stores in my area.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Organic Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves are a good choice if you prefer traditional sugar but want a little less of it. These preserves still taste plenty sweet and are great on sandwiches, toast, or however you want to enjoy them.
