The other day I posted “My Easy 4 Ingredient Dinner” and suggested you use low sugar spaghetti sauce in it.
A few people asked me what sauce I recommend and how do I find low sugar / healthy sauce. So I went on a mission to find the BEST healthy spaghetti sauce options.
Note: I’ve heard that making your own marinara sauce is ‘easy’. But, I try to write for busy peeps who want to be healthy. I always question, “Would Cindy make this?” – Cindy is my best friend who has kids and jobs and carpools and big hair and dog poop to pick up.
And if I told her to make her own spaghetti sauce she’d tell me to shut my wheatgrass drinking trap. So yeah, hope this helps.
The Best Spaghetti Sauce – how to find low sugar sauce
1. Check out the ingredients.
In general it’s good to avoid buying foods with:
- A LOT of ingredients
- “Sugar” as one of the first 4 ingredients
- things listed you don’t recognize
2. Check grams of sugar. Aim to buy sauce with 7g per serving or less. Note: Even without added sugar tomatoes and other ingredients have a little bit of sugar so the grams will not be 0.
3. Overall Nutrition info: Check the calories, fat, saturated fat, fiber and sodium.
Tip: Just because something says “Heart Smart” or “Low Fat!” or “Whole Grain!!” doesn’t mean it’s healthy or has the best ingredients. Make sure to read the labels, not just the attention grabbing words on the front.
My pick: I usually end up buying whatever has low sugar per the above tips and is on sale. Boom.
Question: Are you loyal to certain brands or change it up a lot?
Thanks, Monica.
Read this to hubby. He and I are trying to lower the excess sugar content of our diet. Extremely reasonable advice.
Rao’s has really low sugar but it’s as high as a cat’s back. It’s good though.
I have been that lady reading every label of every jar. The only jarred sauce I have found at my local Meijer is the Classico Spicy Tomato Basil. I will have to price out Francesco Rinaldi though. I’m not sure they carry it. All other brands & Classico flavors have added sugar. I have looked & shuddered at the price of the high end sauces, but $7-12 sauce is ridiculous & I would rather make it from fresh tomatoes at that point. Thanks for your research!
Classico roasted garlic is also free of added sugar.
I tried to find a spaghetti/marinara sauce without sugar and finally settled on one that had 2 grams of sugar in the entire 16 oz jar. Figured that wasn’t bad for starting the no sugar diet!
Impossible. There can’t be REAL tomatoes in that that crap.
I’m having a spaghetti this weekend and good thing I found your post reminding that food labels are important. I’m an advocate of a healthy and fit lifestyle, so yes, being a vigilant on what you buy in the grocery is a way to a healthier and longer life.
Thanks for this. It’s a great reminder of the importance of reading labels. I usually buy whatever is on sale but like Barilla, Bertoli and Classico brands. I’m going to checkout the Kirkland sauce next time I’m at Costo!!
Im loyal to whoever has the best price!!
Making your own sauce really isn’t that hard. A can of tomatoes, a can of tomato paste or tomato puree, some garlic (you can get the pre-minced stuff), an onion, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and about a teaspoon of sugar (it helps cut the acid and makes it taste better, and a teaspoon really isn’t that much). Let it simmer for half an hour, and it’s done. You can even get tomatoes that already have garlic, onion, and herbs in it. I personally don’t like jar sauce, so I do this instead.
We have a decent store brand tomato basil sauce that I buy, although I usually make my sauce using a 28 oz. can of low sodium crushed tomatoes and an 8 oz. can of tomato paste. Then I have fun adding to it…veggies, spices, EVOO, even wine 🙂
I’ve only ever found no-sugar added tomato sauce at Trader Joe’s. It wasn’t too pricey, either.
We love Kirkland Marinara. It’s very tasty, no added sugar and easy on the wallet. We are a family of four (includes two teenagers!). It’s a little high in sodium, but to stretch it I always add one 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes.
If I happen to need some in a pinch and run to the grocery store, I check out what’s on sale with lowest sugar/sodium. Not horribly brand loyal, but certain brands I won’t even consider. Is that reverse-brand-loyal? 😉
oooooor just buy a jar of crushed tomatoes and add your own italian herbs/onion etc…DONE! no oil, salt, preservatives, sugar or fat
I just bought a jar last night for a quick last minute dinner. Ended up with Giada’s Garlic sauce.
low cal, low sugar, but not great. Fed me though!
“I better start drinking green shit and jogging” I am laughing so hard right now! hahahaha. Back to the sauce, I typically just buy the same brand every time the Simple Truth Organic Pasta Sauce!
I only ever buy hunts because for $.99 a can you can’t beat it (price wise). But I always add ground beef to it, that’s what happens when you buy a half cow and need to get rid of half a freezer full of ground beef.
I try to buy marinara without any sugar in the ingredients bc they add sugar to cover up the taste of low quality tomatoes and oils. To me it’s worth a little extra cost!
I’m definitely not loyal to one brand. I switch it up depending on who is offering the healthiest product.
In my fridge right now: Whole Foods 365 brand Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. 45 calories, 2 grams of sugar. Take that Ragu!
thank you so much
Thanks for this post, Monica! I like the Classico brand since it tastes pretty good and isn’t high in sugar.
Thanks for this post! It’s hard to find things that have little added sugar nowadays, and I think many people (including myself) forget to check the labels on simple things such as pasta sauce. Great post!
I definitely change things up based on what’s on sale!!
I just saw a jar of pasta sauce at the store for 12 bucks. NO THANK YOU! I don’t care how healthy you may be for me, $12 is not my jam.
That is expensive!
I totally agree with Cindy – there’s no way I’m making my own sauce. My kids are lucky they get dinner…just kidding 🙂
I usually buy Newman’s Own sauce but I haven’t looked at the sugar in it. Now I’ll have to check it out!
Love this! More people need to get education on label ingredient reading. I’m THAT lady in the grocery store reading labels. Too much gunk added to our foods that we DO NOT need.
I usually just get a can of organic tomato sauce and put my own veggies in it. If I’m suuuuuper lazy, I go for our store brand (HEB) spinach and cheese sauce. I dunno if it’s healthy but it’s tasty!
I usually stick with buying the same things at the grocery store. Just out of habit.
I feel like I always buy the same fruits and veggies.
I am pretty loyal to Vincent’s sauce which is a local New York restaurant that sells their sauce in area grocery stores…But, I do also like Trader Joe’s Organic Spaghetti Sauce all of a sudden…Sometimes just a can of tomato paste, low sodium stewed tomatoes and some spices is enough to make a quick sauce without added sugar.
Not sure if it’s low sugar, but Trader Joe’s Vodka Marinara (not the exact name) sauce is a pretty healthy alternative for a marinara sauce.
I’ll have to check that one out!