• I tried four different brands of buttery spread from the grocery store to see which I liked best.
• I didn't think Smart Balance or Earth Balance were very spreadable or particularly impressive.
• Country Crock was my favorite spread, and it was easy to work with.

I grew up on "buttery spreads," butter alternatives typically made with some blend of vegetable oils. We put them on everything from bread and mashed potatoes to corn on the cob.

As I've grown up, I've started using real butter for its rich flavor and creamy texture. I keep some in a covered dish on the counter for a spreadable option and some in the fridge for whenever I need it chilled.

I figured all buttery spreads tasted the same, but I decided to revisit my childhood and try four different brands to see if there are any standouts worth keeping in my fridge.

Since each container retails for just over $3 at Walmart, I didn't factor price into my review.

Country Crock had the lowest percentage of vegetable oil.

I bought a 15-ounce tub of Country Crock, which is the brand we always kept in the house when I was a kid.

The label emphasized that it was churned in Kansas and contains "farm-grown ingredients." It also had the lowest amount of vegetable oil of the brands I tried, at 40%.

Its oil blend consists of soybean, palm-kernel, and palm oils.

It was incredibly easy to spread, but needed a little more salt for flavor.

I noticed right away that Country Crock's butter alternative was easy to spread, even when chilled.

The texture was smooth, and it didn't tear the soft bread at all when I spread it.

I tasted it both plain and on the bread. Although it tasted similar to butter, I think it could've used some more salt for a better flavor — it was a little bit bland. 

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter has an AHA seal of approval.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter's spread has an American Heart Association certification label because it's made with soybean oil (an unsaturated fat) and has about 70% less saturated fat than regular butter.

Aside from the AHA certification, the label also noted that it's rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and contains 45% vegetable oil (a blend of soybean, palm, and palm-kernel oils).

I could believe this wasn't butter, but the flavor was still good.

The texture of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter was very smooth and almost as easy to spread as Country Crock.

As for the flavor, this didn't have me fooled into thinking I was eating real butter. But it wasn't bad by any means.

It definitely had an earthy, vegetable-oil taste, but it wasn't bland, and it thankfully didn't have an oily texture.

Earth Balance had the highest percentage of vegetable oils.

Earth Balance's spread was highly distinguishable from the others.

The label also noted it's non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan. It contains 78% vegetable oils, the highest of any I tried, including a blend of palm, canola, soybean, flax, and olive oils.

After opening the tub, I noticed right away that this spread was the darkest in color and looked more solid than the other products.

The Earth Balance spread didn't have a lot of flavor, and it was incredibly challenging to spread.

I found it really difficult to spread Earth Balance, maybe because of the high vegetable-oil content.

Although some of the other spreads were smooth and spreadable even when chilled, this remained pretty solid even after it came to room temperature.

The flavor was fine. It had both a slight buttery taste and an earthiness from all of the oils, but overall it was pretty bland.

Still, as the only vegan product I tried (some of the other spreads contain vitamin D that can be sourced from lanolin, which can come from sheep wool), it's a decent alternative to real butter.

Smart Balance notes health benefits on the label.

Similar to Earth Balance, Smart Balance has a high percentage of vegetable oils at 64%. Its blend includes canola, palm, and olive oils.

The label says that the product contains 400 milligrams of omega-3 ALA per serving.

This product was really difficult to spread.

It wasn't dark beige like Earth Balance, but Smart Balance's butter alternative was similarly difficult to spread.

When I tried putting it on bread, it started tearing up the piece. It also came out of the container in solid chunks.

It softened up somewhat as it came to room temperature, and the label at least warned that it would be "firm out of refrigeration." But I think the perk of a buttery spread is that it can be used right out of the chilled container, unlike waiting for real butter to soften. 

In terms of flavor, Smart Balance had a great butter-like taste at first. But then, as it melted in my mouth, it left an aftertaste I didn't love.

Country Crock was my favorite, but I still plan to stick to traditional butter.

Of the four buttery spreads I tried, Country Crock was my favorite.

It was the easiest to spread — which is the whole point, in my opinion. It wasn't the most flavorful, but none of the spreads were really rich in flavor.

I thought the flavor of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter was pretty good, but it wasn't quite as easy to spread. I'd probably skip Smart Balance and Earth Balance because of their higher cost and more solid texture.

All in all, I still plan to stick to using traditional butter. But I'd buy Country Crock again if I needed a quick, convenient butter-like spread.

This story was originally published on January 4, 2023, and most recently updated on June 3, 2025.

• I tried "6-to-1" method for buying groceries to see if it'd save me money and make my life easier.
• The method focuses on picking up a few ingredients to make a mix of meals throughout the week.
• I saved money and minimized food waste, so I plan on using the method again.

Grocery shopping can feel expensive and tiring, but some people have developed methods they believe can make it easier and better.

For people like chef Will Coleman, the "6-to-1" shopping method is a helpful way to meal plan and reduce food waste.

In a TikTok video, the chef said this method involves buying six vegetables, five fruits, four protein sources, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one "fun" item.

According to Coleman, focusing on simple ingredients and sticking to a short list can help shoppers save money.

As someone who shops for myself and my partner, I was curious if this could cut down our grocery spending and maybe even simplify our meal-planning process.

Here’s how the 6-to-1 method worked for me.

It took a minute to get the hang of grocery shopping using this method, but I was pleased with my haul

My usual shopping process involves planning my meals, checking my kitchen for what I already have, collecting coupons, and making my grocery list.

Coleman’s method seemed adaptable, as a shopper could go into the store, buy the items they like in each category, and then meal plan based on what they purchased.

At first, seeing six veggies and five fruits on my grocery list intimidated me. I followed a vegetarian diet when I tried this, but it still sounded like a lot of produce to stock up on.

However, I quickly maxed out in these categories.

Throughout my shopping trip, I struggled to decide on three starches and got creative with the categories. For example, I bought Greek yogurt, which could be a protein, to fit into my sauces category.

I left with the following groceries:

• Vegetables: carrots, spinach, salad mix, bell peppers, jalapeño, and mushrooms
• Fruits: apples, cherry tomatoes, bananas, blueberries, and frozen raspberries
• Proteins: great northern beans, chickpeas, eggs, and tofu
• Starches: spinach-and-ricotta ravioli, petite potatoes, and whole-wheat English muffins
• Spreads or sauces: plain Greek yogurt and Hershey’s chocolate-shell topping
• "Fun" item: pistachio ice cream

Only focusing on what I needed to build meals and skipping random items or add-ons that didn't fit into my plan helped me save money.

I spent about $60 on all of my items this trip. Normally, I spend between $70 and $85 on groceries each week.

I repeated my breakfast and lunch meals throughout the week to save time

I usually switch between one savory and one sweet breakfast throughout the week. My lunches typically involve a salad or leftovers, and I usually just switch between two meals.

So, I did the same when I tried the 6-to-1 method.

For the first breakfast, I chose to eat whole-wheat English muffins with nut butter, honey, and bananas or blueberries. The second meal consisted of English muffins, egg, cheese, spinach, and hot sauce.

For lunch, I mixed chickpeas and fresh apple slices into spinach and a pre-bagged salad mix. These meals were simple but utilized a lot of produce and saved time on meal planning.

My meals were more creative on evenings and weekends

I have more time to cook during evenings and weekends, so I tried to add variety to these meals.

One night, I made a spicy bean-and-tofu burrito with a Greek-yogurt dip.

I also made spinach-and-ricotta ravioli with pesto that I had in the freezer, and added mushrooms and cherry tomatoes I'd purchased to it.

Another pasta dish I made included bucatini and Parmesan I already had, as well as spinach and tomatoes. On the weekends, I roasted, quartered, and shredded potatoes for hash browns and made veggie and fried-egg dishes. 

It was nice not having to think too hard about which ingredients I had to use up since I'd only purchased a few items in each category.

During the week, I ate more fruit with the desserts I made

As a fun treat for my partner, I made our favorite chocolate-chip cookies with pantry staples and the frozen raspberries, which turned out delicious. 

I also enjoyed my "fun" grocery pick, pistachio ice cream, with fruit and Hershey’s chocolate-shell topping when I craved something sweet.

Overall, the 6-to-1 method was handy, and I'd use it again

Although I did use a few staples I already had on hand to make this method work, I'd say my week was pretty successful.

I used almost all the groceries I purchased for this experiment and spent less than I normally would on food this week. A few items that weren’t eaten after seven days, like the ravioli and carrots, were easy to save for later.

This 6-to-1 method seems especially helpful for people who struggle with making and sticking to lists, avoiding impulse buys at the grocery store, or using up food before it goes bad.

Although I won't use this every week, I'd use it again on grocery trips when I need to simplify meal planning or tighten my budget.

The plan also seems flexible, so I may swap out sauces and spreads for dairy or dairy alternatives next time. I think those would've been helpful to have on hand.

This story was originally published on February 23, 2024, and most recently updated on April 28, 2025.