An unofficial ranking of supermarket jarred tomato sauce options

On those days when you can't pick fresh tomatoes and basil straight from your backyard garden (sorry, Ina), store-bought is the next best thing. Yes, sometimes you're craving a big, saucy dish of pasta but don't have the time or energy to whip up a homemade batch of tomato sauce. Here's where the supermarket's jarred sauce aisle comes into play.

If you're in a pinch, a big jar of ready-made tomato sauce is exactly what you need to get a delicious dinner on the table. But not all grocery store brands are created equal. Because we can't have you eating spaghetti with just any old tomato topper, we picked up five of the most popular brands on the market and got to tasting. Ranking the brands on texture, flavor and authenticity, we found a few that reign victorious.

Pro tip: Even if you aren't going the from-scratch route, you can easily spruce up these jarred beauties with a sprinkling of sharp Parmesan or a few tears of fresh store-bought basil. Now, grab a fork!