Can You Freeze Nutella?
Children love chocolates, and a chocolate topping on their bread is the best way to induce a child to have a healthy snack. Nutella, a hazelnut and chocolate spread, is thus popular among children and grownups globally. Therefore, having a bottle or two at home is always handy. So, when you need to keep Nutella fresh for several months, there will be storage concerns. While Nutella can remain fresh at room temperature for an extended period, the nut fat and dairy content can make it go rancid. So, here comes our question. Can you freeze Nutella?
Can You Freeze Nutella?
The Website Says Otherwise
The Nutella website does not recommend freezing Nutella to extend its shelf life. But, we can freeze food items, and Nutella is no exception. However, we caution that Nutella could lose its consistency if not frozen correctly. Therefore, our tips for freezing Nutella the correct way should be helpful. So, we can freeze Nutella. Let us learn how to do it.
How Do We Freeze Nutella?
We can freeze Nutella in two ways.
Freezing The Nutella Bottle Entirely Without Opening It
Transferring the entire unopened Nutella bottle into the freezer is the easiest way to freeze Nutella. There is no concern about the bottle cracking or breaking because Nutella comes tightly packed in plastic containers.
Freezing Nutella After Opening The Bottle
While placing the entire Nutella bottle in the freezer is best for freezing large quantities of Nutella, the procedure for storing small dollops of Nutella is different. We recommend using small plastic sealable bags for the purpose.
Scoop out a spoonful or two of Nutella from the bottle into a small ziplock bag or an airtight plastic container. Seal it well and place it inside the freezer. Then, you can take it out and defrost it when you need it.
How Do We Defrost Nutella?
Nutella is made of nut butter and chocolate. Therefore, it becomes hard when frozen, similar to the chocolate bar when we freeze it. However, keeping the Nutella packet at room temperature for a couple of hours softens and becomes easy to spread on the bread slices.
Defrosted Nutella tends to become watery because the nut oils tend to separate from the chocolate solids. However, you can whisk it and whip the spread vigorously to restore its consistency. The whipping process introduces air into the chocolate mixture and helps restore the original texture.
How Long Does Nutella Last?
Nutella can comfortably last for six months if you store it in a cool and dark place away from direct sunlight. You need not even refrigerate it. Defrosted Nutella can also last for more than six months. We recommend storing Nutella in small packets because it becomes convenient to thaw them and spread them on our bread.
Whisking Nutella introduces air into the mixture. Therefore, there is a risk of bacterial contamination. So, it is better to store the thawed leftover Nutella content in the fridge. But, you should consume it within the next few days.
Different Uses Of Frozen Nutella
Freezing Nutella is one way of maintaining it for future consumption. Besides, frozen Nutella offers you the opportunity to have a delicious cold dessert treat at your fingertips.
- Nutella is available in small single-serving pods, also known as mini-cups. You can directly store these cups in the freezer and enjoy the frozen hazelnut chocolate treat whenever you feel like having one.
- It is possible to melt Nutella and dip your strawberries and apple pieces in it to have a delicious dessert. To ensure a guilt-free snack, you can freeze the fruit toppings in the freezer.
- Ice cream fanatics can switch to a healthy snack by having frozen Nutella. For example, you can cut a banana, insert a popsicle stick, and freeze it. Once set, dip them in a mixture of Nutella and crushed nuts to prepare a healthy ice cream alternative.
- Blend one cup of Nutella with a cup of milk. Mix it well and freeze it in a popsicle mold inside the freezer. After it freezes solid in four to five hours, you will have an incredible frozen dessert treat.
Can Nutella Become Bad?
Nutella can comfortably last for six months to a year, provided you store them properly. However, exposure to air and sunlight can cause it to go bad. Nutella has oil content in it to prevent bacterial contamination. However, Nutella can become rotten with time.
How Do You Determine If Nutella Has Become Rancid?
Products like Nutella with high oil content can naturally separate if kept for extended periods. Nutella does not become deficient if the oil separates from the chocolate. You can give it a good whisk and restore its consistency. However, if it starts to smell awful, you will have to send it to the trash bin.
If you find your Nutella hardening after a considerable time, Nutella is becoming bad. It would have lost its delicious flavor by that time. It can also happen with unopened Nutella jars, especially if you place it deep into the cupboard and forget about it.
So, we recommend discarding rancid Nutella and purchasing a fresh bottle.
Does Frozen Nutella Taste Delicious?
Nutella does not experience many taste changes if frozen well. However, it will not taste as delicious as fresh Nutella. But the difference is negligible.
Is Nutella Fattening?
Nutella has a fantastic, sweet taste and creamy flavor. Therefore, people can find it irresistible. So, consuming excess Nutella is nothing new. However, it can lead to weight gain, especially for children.
Which Is Tastier – Nutella Or Peanut Butter?
It is a personal choice. For example, some people love Nutella, whereas peanut butter has its admirers. However, from a health viewpoint, peanut butter is healthier because it has lower sugar content, is high in proteins, and contains fewer unhealthy fats.
Is Frozen Nutella Good?
Freezing Nutella is an alternative way of keeping it away from sunlight. Freezing can harden the Nutella but does not affect its taste by much. You can freeze Nutella and consume it later on in various ways.
Final Thoughts
While Nutella is a delicious treat, it can tempt children to overeat. Therefore, there is a risk of fattening. One way to discourage children from splurging on Nutella from the cupboard shelf is to freeze it. Unfortunately, defrosting and reusing frozen Nutella takes time, and children generally do not have the patience.
So, can you freeze Nutella? Yes, you can freeze Nutella and extend its shelf life, provided you follow the correct procedure.
