Top 5 Reasons We Love Nutella So Very Much

Parisians were rioting over Nutella last week and we understand why: we love Nutella too. While most people think of the chocolate hazelnut spread as a French delectable, it was actually invented the small town of Alba, Italy over 50 years ago by a man named Pietro Ferrero shortly after the end of WWII. At that time, chocolate was expensive, so he mixed it with hazelnuts as a way of making it more affordable. This first version of Nutella was actually called Supercrema and it wasn’t until 1964 that Pietro’s son, Michael, launched Nutella as we know and love it today.

In the years following, it has become an international phenomenon. Last year, over 800 million pounds of Nutella were consumed across the world – that’s roughly the weight of the empire state building, or enough to spread across 1,000 soccer fields!

If you haven’t tried this delicious concoction yet, get to it because you are missing out. Here are the top 5 reasons we love Nutella (and a few more fun facts about the delicious spread):

5.) It’s An Acceptable Way to Indulge in Chocolate For Breakfast 

We could eat this all day, every day…

One of the reasons we love Nutella is because it’s marketed as a breakfast treat. While the truth is it’s not much different from a Hershey bar, we deceive ourselves into thinking it’s an acceptable way to start our day due to their brilliant marketing campaign. Just spread Nutella on toast and breakfast is set! Or skip the syrup and melt some Nutella on your pancakes. Why not?

Chocolate chip banana Nutella pancakes. Photo: daily-deliciousness.tumblr.com

[amazon_link asins=’B00KKFYF9M’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’top50c30-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’95544300-0777-11e8-9eb8-ad04e4f38a51′]

4.) It’s Part Hazelnut… So It’s Protein, Right?

We love food that we can justify as healthy, which is one of the reasons we love Nutella. Nutella is filled with hazelnuts, hazelnuts are protein, therefore Nutella is good for us. Right? In our minds, not only is it the perfect breakfast, it’s the perfect post-workout snack, too.

Here is the Nutella Protein Shake recipe:

• 3/4 Cup (6 Ounces) Sugar Free Vanilla Coconut Milk (or Regular Milk/Other Milk Substitute)
• 1 Scoop (30g) Chocolate Protein Powder
• 2 Tablespoons (10g) Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tablespoons (14g) Coconut Flour
• 1 Tablespoon (18.5g) Nutella
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup (56.5g) Fat Free Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 Banana
• 1/4 Cup Ice

Calories per shake:

• Calories: 454
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Sodium: 533mg
• Carbs: 44g
• Fiber: 12g
• Sugar: 24g
• Protein: 38g

Combine all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend them together. Drink. Brain freeze!

Tips:

• Top with some whipped cream, cocoa powder, and banana slices!

[amazon_link asins=’B01C1M666G’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’top50c30-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d6f56856-0777-11e8-9744-c720e4d2cd2a’]

3.) We Can Put It On (Or In) Anything

Salted Pretzel Nutella Fudge Milkshakes. Photo: inbetweenbuns.tumblr.com

Those of us that love Nutella (like, seriously love) can’t think of anything we don’t want to put it on (or in). From wonderbread to oranges to ice cream to a million other amazing concoctions, it really does pair well with everything. We’re not the only ones who feel this way: chefs across the country agree! Mario Batali replaced his wine shops with Nutella Bars in his popular Eataly markets in Chicago and New York, where the menu consists solely of Nutella-inclusive items.

Eataly’s Nutella Bar in Chicago

James Beard Awarding winning chef Dominique Ansel debuted exclusive Nutella-filled cronut holes at a 50th Anniversary celebration for the creamy spread, and Chopped winner Silvia Baldini attests that pretzels dipped in Nutella are one of her guilty pleasures.  

Learn how to make your own salty and sweet Nutella pretzel snack! 

Nutella pretzel snack. Photo: prettysimplesweet.com

[amazon_link asins=’1511620218′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’top50c30-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’e4cbe3de-0777-11e8-b2c1-951777c481c4′]

2.) Easy Storage Means You Can Have Just One Bite (Or The Entire Jar)

via GIPHY

As chocolate lovers can attest, sometimes you need an entire chocolate bar. Or a bowl of chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup. But sometimes, you want just a little bite – enough to satisfy that sweet tooth. Nutella’s packaging makes it easy to do both. Had a rough day and chocolate and a RomCom are the only things that will fix it? No problem! Get out a spoon and a jar of Nutella and eat as many spoonfuls as you desire. On a diet, but craving just a smidge of sweetness? No problem! Grab a teaspoon and fill it with just a little bit of Nutella then put the jar back – for months even! Nutella’s packaging makes portion control (or lack of) easy and is just another reason we love Nutella.

Wondering how long Nutella is good for?

Nutella Expiration Date

More details on expiration on eatbydate.com.

[amazon_link asins=’B01AT6AGEY’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’top50c30-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f1a5fd17-0777-11e8-aa23-b524dc3c2500′]

1.) It Makes Us Feel Cultured

While Nutella has been a popular European delicacy for quite awhile, it didn’t debut in the US until the mid-1980s, and only gained its cult status in the US within the past 10 years, when the company launched an America-targeted marketing campaign. So, while European children have fond childhood memories of the spread, we Americans still remember the first time we tried it, when we thought it was a hip European thing. And, now that’s it’s here to stay and is still considered an “elevated product” (some would even call it a “foodie” item), we feel cooler eating it than we do Skippy. We’ve always loved peanut butter, and now we love Nutella just as much.

[amazon_link asins=’B071RHTRPZ’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’top50c30-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4820d024-0778-11e8-9a30-37f5d7690373′]

Are you a Nutella lover too? Tell us what your favorite food to dip in Nutella is!

There’s nothing better than Nutella