Smart Balance Buttery Spreads Really are Dairy-Free and Plant-Based

Smart Balance Buttery Spreads confuse many dairy-free consumers, and for good reason. This brand has twisted and turned more times over the years than I can count. Early on, a company called GFA Brands produced Earth Balance and Smart Balance. Yes, they are made by the same company, and reportedly in the same facility. GFA was eventually bought by Boulder Brands, which has since been swallowed up by Conagra Foods.

The Earth Balance line of products has been dairy-free all along, but many of the Smart Balance products started out with dairy. They made a light version without dairy, and later added a specifically dairy-free Smart Balance Buttery Spread. Then one day, Smart Balance, as a brand, went completely dairy-free and plant-based. For a while, their packaging even said “dairy free butter” on the front. Some of their old customers weren’t happy about this, so they have since added a dairy “Butter Blend” line of products back into their mix.

So now, all of the Smart Balance Buttery Spreads are dairy-free, but they do have a dairy butter blend line of spreads. Whew! Fortunately, the two lines look quite different. The butter blends are small oval containers, while the buttery spreads are full-size, square-ish tubs. They did remove “dairy free butter” from the buttery spread packaging, but I’m guessing it was just to avoid potential dairy lawsuit issues about using the term “butter.” There wasn’t any other change to that product line, and they are still dairy free.

Smart Balance Buttery Spreads Really are Dairy-Free and Plant-Based

Here are full details on all of the current dairy-free and vegan buttery spreads from this brand. Please do leave your own unbiased rating and review below if you buy and try any of them, and be sure to mention which one(s) you use!

Original

Ingredients: vegetable oil blend (canola, palm, and olive oils), water, contains less than 2% of salt, pea protein, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, beta-carotene (color), vitamin d, monoglycerides of vegetable fatty acids (emulsifier); and potassium sorbate, lactic acid, calcium disodium edta (to preserve freshness).

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 80 calories, 9g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

Organic

Ingredients: oil blend (palm fruit*, soybean*, canola* and olive* oils), water, salt, natural flavor*, crushed soybeans*, soy lecithin*, lactic acid (non-dairy), and naturally extracted annatto* (color). *organic. contains: soy.

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 80 calories, 9g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

Omega 3 (not vegan)

Ingredients: oil blend (canola, palm, fish, flaxseed, and olive oils), water, contains less than 2% of, salt, pea protein, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, beta-carotene (color), vitamin d, monoglycerides of vegetable fatty acids (emulsifier); and potassium sorbate, lactic acid, tbhq, calcium disodium edta (to protect freshness). contains: fish.

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 80 calories, 9g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

Low Sodium Whipped

Ingredients: oil blend (canola, palm, olive, and soybean oils), water, less than 2% of salt, pea protein, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d, beta-carotene color, monoglycerides of vegetable fatty acids (emulsifier), potassium sorbate, lactic acid, calcium disodium edta (to preserve freshness). contains: soy

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 70 calories, 8g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ingredients: vegetable oil blend (canola, palm, extra virgin olive, and flaxseed oils), water, less than 2 percent of: salt, pea protein, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, beta carotene (color), vitamin d, monoglycerides of vegetable fatty acids (emulsifier), and potassium sorbate, lactic acid, tbhq and calcium disodium edta (to protect freshness).

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 60 calories, 7g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

Light with Flaxseed Oil

Ingredients: water, vegetable oil blend (palm, canola, flaxseed, and olive oils), less than 2 percent of: salt, natural and artificial flavors, vitamin a palmitate, beta-carotene (color), vegetable monoglycerides and sorbitan ester of fatty acids (emulsifier); and potassium sorbate, lactic acid, tbhq, calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor).

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 50 calories, 5g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

Light Omega 3 (not vegan)

Ingredients: water, oil blend (canola, palm, flaxseed, fish, soybean, olive oils), less than 2% of salt, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, beta-carotene color, vitamin d) vegetable monoglycerides and sorbitan ester of vegetable fatty acids (emulsifier), potassium sorbate, lactic acid, tbhq and calcium disodium edta (to preserve freshness). contains: fish, soy

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 50 calories, 5g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

Light with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ingredients: water, oil blend (canola, palm, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed, and soybean oils), less than 2% of salt, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, beta-carotene color, vitamin d, vegetable mono-glycerides and sorbitan ester of vegetable fatty acids (emulsifier), potassium sorbate, lactic acid, tbhq and calcium disodium edta (to preserve freshness). contains: soy

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 50 calories, 5g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*

More Facts on Smart Balance Buttery Spreads

Price: $2.99 to $3.99 per 13- to 15-ounce tub; select varieties are available in larger sizes.

Availability: Smart Balance Buttery Spreads is sold at mainstream grocers throughout the U.S., like Walmart, Kroger stores, Albertsons stores, and more. Look for them refrigerated in the butter section.

Certifications: Smart Balance Buttery Spreads are Certified Kosher Pareve. The Organic variety is Certified Organic.

Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Smart Balance Buttery Spreads are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and keto-friendly. Select varieties are soy-free, vegan, and/or vegetarian.*

For More Product Information: Visit the Smart Balance website at www.smartbalance.com.

*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy. 

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What Others Are Saying ...

Chemical Taste in Current Product

Rated 1 out of 5

April 29, 2022

Yes. Just opened a new container of Smart Balance purchased at wholesale club. Spread some on a slice of bread and immediately tasted something wrong. Isolated the foul taste to the Smart Balance. Like a chemical or petroleum taste.
Called Conagra. They could care less. They agreed to give me a refund but refused to investigate and follow up with me on what is the source of this problem.
How many other customers have experienced this? Is it harmful? Etc. They said they would handle this matter INTERNALLY!
Don’t trust these people or their products.

Bob

looking for the pump spray

Rated 4 out of 5

June 15, 2021

Love the product ….. BUT where is the spray?

Evelyn Dickerson

Love it

Rated 5 out of 5

November 21, 2020

I use the olive oil spread and cook with it. I love the flavor and texture. Took me several years to find and realize it was dairy free.
Try it you will love it.

Marsha

I never knew that about all of the butters

Rated 5 out of 5

November 20, 2020

I never knew that about all of the butters i use. I use them and really like them. Its a life change for me and my family. Thank you for this great over view of them all.

Mary Harper