The Worst Bonne Maman Preserves Flavor Leaves A Lot To Be Desired

Jam is just one of those go-to condiments that never gets old. You can use it on toast, in a sandwich, to spruce up your pancakes, and even as an ingredient in savory dishes (orange chicken, anyone?). But when you head to the grocery store, what sort of jam should you bring back home with you? The Bonne Maman brand delivers quality time and again, but it also features a whole bevy of options that might make it hard to choose. To give you a helping hand, here's our list of popular Bonne Maman flavors ranked worst to best. And, by our measure, you're definitely going to want to leave the plum preserves on the shelf.

The plum preserves experience was, in a word, underwhelming. It's not like this sweet jam was bad, per se, but it was oddly lackluster for a brand known for high quality. The flavor profile was pretty one-note, mostly being saccharine with just a hint of plum flavor. The texture, too, left much to be desired, with only a few bits of plum skin breaking up the smooth monotony of a homogeneous, spreadable jam. There was none of the complex tartness a good plum brings. Really, at a price tag of roughly $6 per 13-ounce jar, you're better off snagging a less expensive brand, because the flavor quality just isn't worth the price.

That's not to say Bonne Maman isn't a stellar brand in general. And the best Bonne Maman flavor is a classic: raspberry. This jar of preserves gives us everything we hoped for. It's tart, it's bright, it has a sweet and mellow fruitiness, and it's both delicate yet bold enough to not get lost in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It has a nice, chunky texture along with a crunchy smattering of raspberry seeds. It's a stark contrast to the brand's plum flavor, which is so impossibly smooth that you can't help but remember it isn't even close to being homemade.

But, speaking of, if you have the time and means, you really ought to make homemade jam for yourself if you're craving a stellar plum spread — or any fruit, for that matter. This obviously takes more effort than simply buying a jar at the store, but the payoff is well worth it. After all, would you rather drive all the way to the supermarket and spend over $5 on a mediocre, forgettable jam — or make your own memorable one from scratch? Save your toast and your taste buds, and thank us later.