It's Always Starts At Costco
It's not a coincidence that the majority of foods I review are going to be purchased at Costco. I wrote 8 Healthy Buys At Costco and then my most recent review of Pure Protein Bars at Costco. Well, I'm going to add another item Costco that helps me enjoy my healthy/fitness lifestyle. This one came to my attention from my 6-year-old son. He was sampling this and told his mom we really needed to buy it today. It was the E.D. Smith Michigan Cherry Reduced Sugar Spread. A week later I'm eating it every morning and my son said "his taste buds" had changed and won't touch it again!
What is it?
It says it's a spread but I'm going to say it's more of a topping consistency. It's made by E.D Smith a Canadian Company that specializes in jams, spreads, syrups, and pie fillings. The Michigan Cherry Spread that I purchased is reduced sugar. The main ingredients are sour cherries, sugar, and water.
My Favorite Use
You could use it as a jam and as a matter of fact, the first time I had it was on a PBJ. It was good that way but it really shines with my Kodiak Cakes I have every morning for breakfast. I was eating my pancakes with maple syrup (from Costco) every morning but that was starting to get old and I was starting to think about all those extra calories. When I tried a couple tablespoons of The Michigan Cherries it was like having dessert in the morning! They are super flavorful but I'll show you below that it actually saved me calories compared to the maple syrup.
E.D. Smith Michigan Cherry vs Maple Syrup
So I made the change this week to the cherry spread but how does it stack up nutritionally? When it comes to toppings for my Kodiak Cakes sugar is something I'm interested in when I make a choice. The lower the better. Here is a comparison between the two.
​ | E.D. Smith Michigan Cherry | Maple Syrup |
Grams of Sugar | 6 grams | 54 grams |
Calories | 25 Calories | 220 Calories |
To be fair The serving size is a little off. For the maple syrup, the serving size is 1/4 cup. I probably use half of that. It's really a drizzle over one large Kodiak Cake. For the Michigan Cherry Spread, the serving size is 1 Tablespoon. I've been using 2 tablespoons and after you spread it over your pancake that is plenty. Even at 2 tablespoons that's only 12 grams of sugar and 50 Calories. That's not too bad in comparison to Maple Syrup.
How does it Taste?
This stuff tastes great. I describe it as the topping you would get on a slice of cherry cheesecake. The cherries are tart but sweet. You would swear that this is not a reduced sugar product. After eating Kodiak Cakes for months they were starting to get boring. I was starting to think about making a change at breakfast. This new find at Costco has made them something I look forward to now!
Do I Recommend?
Yes, I recommend if you like cherries, and pancakes, and would like to be as healthy as possible. At $6.79 for a 40-ounce jar, it is an affordable addition to my breakfast and keeps my Kodiak Cakes from being boring. I've done some reading and apparently, this is a seasonal item at Costco so it won't be on the shelves much longer. I can't even find it on Costco.com. I'm going back to Costco to buy at least a couple more jars before they run out. If you'd like to turn your pancakes into a healthy dessert you better get to Costco soon!