Which chocolate spread is more affordable and delicious, Nutella or retail? Was Nutella with a great taste of hazelnut a hit with our panel of tasters, or are there less expensive, equally tasty options available in supermarkets? Now is the perfect time to stock up on your favourite toppings as Pancake Day draws near. But are supermarket brands less expensive than Nutella and still as tasty as Nutella for your chocolate hazelnut spread needs? In a blind taste test, a variety of grocery alternatives, including a fabulously affordable Lidl spread, outperformed Nutella in terms of flavour. We asked a panel of consumers to compare eight own-brand chocolate spreads, including those from M&S, Sainsbury's, and Lidl, to Nutella in January 2022. In comparison to its rivals, one inexpensive option lacks flavour. Discover which chocolate hazelnut spreads did better than Nutella in our taste test, our best-value option, and how the selection at your local supermarket compares. We also looked at which spreads contain palm oil and what you should know about palm oil sustainability. Most excellent chocolate hazelnut spreads Waitrose and Lidl outperformed Nutella in our taste test, earning Best Buys. Lidl's alternative is a great choice if you're looking to save money on groceries because it costs less than one-third as much as Nutella. Waitrose essential chocolate hazelnut spread Our taste test revealed that Waitrose's hazelnut chocolate spread is the best, confirming its reputation as an "essential." Our panel gave it top marks for flavour, texture, scent, and aesthetic appeal. 75% said the consistency was perfect, while 83% thought the hazelnut flavour and sweetness were about right. At 43p per 100g, Waitrose is one of the priciest retail brands we reviewed, but it is still less expensive than Nutella. Choco Nussa Spread from Lidl The best deal is Lidl's Finest Buy chocolate spread. It is one of the least expensive spreads we evaluated and costs 61p less per jar than the winning Waitrose spread. It had a viscosity that was less thick than other spreads we tested, and tasters thought the chocolate and hazelnut flavours blended well. It is the finest choice if you're looking for something a little bit healthier because it also has the least sugar and saturated fat (albeit it is still heavy in sugar and saturated fat). Tesco and Nutella are some spreads that are well regarded. Not far behind the top were these two scorers. Customers of Tesco who are looking for a less priced alternative to Nutella should definitely consider this chocolate hazelnut spread. Although it had a darker tint, our panel felt that its flavour and texture were on par with our Best Buys. More than 75 percent of tasters thought the chocolate flavour was the ideal level of strength. Spreadable chocolate Nutella Nutella nearly placed in the top three in our test. Despite being one of the spreads with the best flavours, 62% of consumers said the texture was too thick for their preferences. It is typically the most expensive option, though there may be discounts available (which it often is). Remember that Nutella comes in a smaller jar (350g) than the majority of commercial spreads (usually 400g). Compared to Lidl's Best Buy chocolate spread, the price per 100g is more than three times more. Additionally, of the spreads we examined, it has the largest amounts of sugar and saturated fat (though all are classed as high on these measures). While Nutella does have a good flavour, other supermarket brands of chocolate spread scored similarly well or even better, so if you're looking to save money, give one a try. Nutella is it vegan? Since Nutella contains skim milk powder, it is not suitable for vegans. Although there are dairy-free chocolate hazelnut spreads on the market, none of the ones we tried were vegan. Does Nutella have palm oil in it? Palm oil is present in many products, including chocolate hazelnut spread. It is a productive crop with several useful qualities, including prolonging shelf life and improving texture. Its popularity has, however, led to significant deforestation, raising questions about its effects on the environment. All of the tested spreads, including Nutella, include palm oil that has received RSPO certification, certifying that it was produced sustainably in accordance with the RSPO scheme. The only chocolate spread without palm oil that we tested is M&S Smooth Hazelnut Chocolate Spread. How spreads made of chocolate and hazelnuts were rated We excluded vegan and low-sugar varieties when comparing Nutella to typical chocolate hazelnut spreads from supermarkets. 58 people rated each chocolate hazelnut spread. They gave each product a score based on its flavour, texture, aroma, and aesthetic appeal and let us know what they loved and disliked about it. To avoid bias, the panellists tried the chocolate hazelnut spreads in completely random order while remaining unaware of whose brand they were rating during the blind tasting test.
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