Quick Answer: Our top pick for strawberry jam on a charcuterie board is Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves (4.8 out of 5). Value: Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spread. Organic: Crofter's Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread. We ranked 6 widely sold options on how they work on a board, published taste tests and awards, ingredients, value and how easy they are to find.
Strawberry jam is the friendliest spread on a board: it goes with brie, goat cheese, ricotta and every cracker, and kids reach for it first. Two big taste tests from 2025 named the same two brands at the top, just in a different order. These rankings combine them with Sporked's jam test.
How we ranked these: these are researched picks, not a side-by-side tasting. We scored each product on published taste tests and awards, its ingredient list, price and where you can buy it, plus how that style of product behaves on a board. Sources are listed at the end, and the full method is on our buying guides hub. Prices and stock last checked October 2026.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Rating |
|---|---|
| Best overall: Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves ($$) | ★★★★★ 4.8 |
| Best value: Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spread ($) | ★★★★½ 4.3 |
| Best organic: Crofter's Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.7 |
The full ranking
| Product | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves ($$) | ★★★★★ 4.8 | Every cheese board |
| 2. Crofter's Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.7 | Real strawberry flavor |
| 3. Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spread ($) | ★★★★½ 4.3 | Budget boards |
| 4. St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.3 | Fresh, tart flavor |
| 5. 365 Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread ($) | ★★★★☆ 4.0 | An organic store brand |
| 6. Kroger Strawberry Preserves ($) | ★★★★☆ 3.8 | The cheapest good jar |
1. Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves
★★★★★ 4.8 out of 5 · Best overall · Best for: Every cheese board · $$ mid-range
Chowhound's winner of 12: packed with chunks and balanced sweetness. Tasting Table ranked Bonne Maman's strawberry fruit spread 2nd of eight as tarter and more fruit-forward.
- Why we like it: Top two in both big tests, with real fruit chunks.
- Keep in mind: Pricier than supermarket jam.
- Where to buy: Nearly every grocery store.
2. Crofter's Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread
★★★★½ 4.7 out of 5 · Best organic · Best for: Real strawberry flavor · $$ mid-range
Tasting Table's winner: it "tastes the most like actual strawberries" of the eight tested, with a fibrous, fruity texture. Chowhound ranked it 2nd as sweeter, with bold strawberry flavor.
- Why we like it: Organic and very fruity.
- Keep in mind: Brownish color, so it looks less glossy in a bowl.
- Where to buy: Whole Foods, Target and many grocery stores.
3. Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spread
★★★★½ 4.3 out of 5 · Best value · Best for: Budget boards · $ budget
Chowhound ranked it 4th of 12 for good strawberry flavor, chunks and balanced sugar, with no high fructose corn syrup.
- Why we like it: Cheap, everywhere, and a cleaner label than regular Smucker's.
- Keep in mind: Less fruity than the top two.
- Where to buy: Nearly every grocery store.
4. St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread
★★★★½ 4.3 out of 5 · Best for: Fresh, tart flavor · $$ mid-range
Sporked's best strawberry jam, with 9.5 out of 10: "sweet and tart and tastes super fresh." Chowhound ranked it 5th, noting it's made from all fruit but pricey for a small jar.
- Why we like it: No added sugar, sweetened with fruit juice.
- Keep in mind: Small jar.
- Where to buy: Most grocery stores.
5. 365 Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread
★★★★☆ 4.0 out of 5 · Best for: An organic store brand · $ budget
Chowhound ranked it 3rd of 12 for fresh fruit flavor and balanced sweetness, though it isn't chunky.
- Why we like it: Organic at a fair price.
- Keep in mind: Smooth, with few chunks.
- Where to buy: Whole Foods and Amazon.
6. Kroger Strawberry Preserves
★★★★☆ 3.8 out of 5 · Best for: The cheapest good jar · $ budget
Chowhound called it classic, sweet and chunky, and a strong budget pick at 6th of 12.
- Why we like it: Low price, with chunks.
- Keep in mind: Sweet.
- Where to buy: Kroger and Kroger-family stores.
How the scores break down
Each product is scored 1 to 5 on five things, then weighted: how it works on a board (30%), published taste tests and awards (25%), ingredients (15%), value (15%) and how easy it is to find (15%).
| Product | On the board | Reviews and awards | Ingredients | Value | Easy to find | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4.8 |
| Crofter's Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4.7 |
| Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spread | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4.3 |
| St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4.3 |
| 365 Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4.0 |
| Kroger Strawberry Preserves | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3.8 |
What to look for on the label
Label check: Strawberries should be the first ingredient, sweetened with sugar or fruit juice. High fructose corn syrup and "seedless" usually mean a smoother, sweeter jam with less fruit flavor.
Skip: Seedless strawberry jam. Tasting Table ranked Smucker's Seedless last of eight for having almost no texture.
Serving it: spoon the jam into a small bowl with a spoon, not straight onto the board. It goes with brie, goat cheese, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, shortbread and dark chocolate. Swirl a spoonful into whipped ricotta for an easy dip.
For what strawberry jam pairs with and how to serve it, see the dessert board guide. To see every ranked guide, visit our charcuterie buying guides.
Strawberry jam questions
What is the best strawberry jam?
Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves. It won Chowhound's 12-jar test, and Bonne Maman's strawberry spread came 2nd at Tasting Table. Crofter's Organic won Tasting Table's test.
What cheese goes with strawberry jam?
Brie, goat cheese, ricotta, fresh mozzarella and mild white cheddar.
What's the difference between jam, preserves and fruit spread?
Preserves have the biggest fruit pieces, jam is smoother, and fruit spread is usually sweetened with fruit juice or less sugar.
Is strawberry jam good on a charcuterie board?
Yes, especially on dessert boards and boards for kids. It's milder than fig jam.
Sources
- Tasting Table: 8 Strawberry Jam Brands, Ranked
- Chowhound: 12 Store-Bought Strawberry Jams Ranked
- Sporked: All the Best Jams We've Tasted
Get one board idea a week, plus the free charcuterie cheat sheet, when you join the Charcuterie Lab newsletter.
