Step Aside, Libby's — This Superstore Makes The Best Canned Pumpkin

With autumn fast approaching, we're entering pumpkin pie season, and there are lots of canned pumpkin brands competing for shelf space in your kitchen. We here at The Takeout put together an ultimate ranking of canned pumpkin brands, with the goal of finding the best pumpkin purée out there, short of mashing up a fresh pumpkin yourself. The odds were in favor of Libby's, which has long been a famous name in pumpkin pie filling. How did it actually compare to other brands, though? Surprisingly, an underdog took the top pumpkin purée prize, and our taste test winner was Good & Gather, one of the store brands at Target.

Good & Gather offers both regular and organic pumpkin purée, and both appear to be pure pumpkin, listing no other ingredients. They're affordable, straightforward, and we found that the organic version had a slightly nutty, sugary flavor that other store brands like Libby's didn't have. On top of that, we found the texture to be extremely smooth and easy to mix. Between the two versions, the organic option is slightly pricier, with its additional "USDA Organic" verification badge, and certification by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA). The difference in taste is noticeable.

Many other online reviews echoed our thoughts: several reviews on both varieties praised the flavor and mentioned using the purée in pies and other baked goods, as well as a few fall-themed smoothies. More people than you might expect also said they added it into baby food and dog food, both of which should be completely safe in moderation. Most negative reviews involved complaints that the cans were dented during shipping, and several of those still claimed that the pumpkin itself tasted fine. It seems that if you buy the cans in-store, then you, your baby, and your pet should be golden.

For an in-house box store grocery brand, Target's Good & Gather has performed fairly well in many of our taste tests at The Takeout. In particular, Target's Good & Gather buffalo dip takes the crown for Super Bowl Sunday, and our staff reviewer was impressed by how close it tasted to homemade buffalo dip. The brand features a number of different pumpkin-themed offerings including pumpkin spice coffee syrup and espresso pods — although both of those incorporate pumpkin flavoring rather than the real thing. When it comes to the best and worst Good & Gather snacks, it's worth dropping a few bucks on the canned pumpkin purée if you're not just buying a whole pie someplace.