We’ve always thought of applesauce as food for the toothless — for oldies who soak their saltines in soup and for toddlers slurping up their Gerber. Trader Joe’s raspberry applesauce, however, is not for nursing homes or highchairs.

It seems a crime to turn crisp and crunchy apples to beige-colored mush, to render the once-proud produce the fruit equivalent of Cream of Wheat. But Trader Joe’s puts the apples back in applesauce — and then improves on it with raspberries. And make no mistake: wedges of apple too big to fit in your mouth most certainly require chewing, so you’ll need a full set of functioning choppers. Of course, without teeth you wouldn’t have to worry about the raspberry seeds getting caught between your molars, but that’s a small price to pay for the sweet tartness and perfect blend of chunks and crunch.

Trader Joe’s also offers all-natural apple-peach, apple-pear, and apple-strawberry sauces. Try them, and be reminded why it’s so nice to have teeth. And, for that matter, a tongue.

Available for $2.99 for a 32-ounce jar at Trader Joe’s locations, including 1317 Beacon Street, Brookline; 899 Boylston Street, Boston; and 727 Memorial Drive, Cambridge.