Taste Test: Nutella vs. Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Like most of you, we love Nutella in this family. It is marketed as a healthy choice but it does have sugar as the first ingredient and palm oil as the second. I love that it has hazelnuts, real cocoa, and skim milk but while I wouldn’t call it junk food, I certainly wouldn’t call it healthy either.  I saw Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter in the grocery store and noticed that the first two ingredients are dry roasted hazelnuts and dry roasted almonds. I also noticed that Justin’s is organic and all-natural. I bought a small packet of Justin’s and decided we should have a good old-fashioned taste test.

I knew that the two products would likely taste significantly different from each other.  I was right. Not only do these two products have very different tastes, these two products also look very different.  If you click on the picture to the right you can see there is quite a bit of difference in the texture and density of the two products. Nutella is creamier and thicker, while Justin’s is thinner and more grainy.

The differences in flavor between these two products are substantial. On their Web site, Justin’s compares “other” products to frosting.  Obviously, the point they are making is that Nutella is very sweet and high in sugar. That might be the reason why Nutella tastes more like a treat. Nutella is sweet and creamy and my children love it.  They do not, however, like Justin’s at all.  Both of my kiddos spit the Justin’s out and did not come back for a second try willingly.

I admit that after my first taste I was ready to toss the Justin’s product into the trash. However, I went back for more and found that I did like it quite a bit.  Justin’s has a flavor with a strong nutty and cocoa taste and is barely sweet. Once I gave it second chance, I could not stop eating it. Justin’s is not going to replace Nutella.  It is not the same type of product in my opinion.  However, I will buy it again for myself. The kiddos might not eat it, but it will be a welcome break from the sugar overload that Nutella can be. Don’t get me wrong, I love Nutella, but it will be nice to have a chocolate spread that is not so sweet from time to time.

Is Nutella popular in your home? Have you tried Justin’s?  Feel free to leave a comment. Share and let’s talk about it.

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