Does Nutella Go in the Fridge?

Ah, Nutella—the spread that’s good on just about everything, and makes us feel like we can get away with eating chocolate for breakfast and calling it a healthy food. People enjoy Nutella on toast, bagels, crepes, and even by the spoonful. But, once you’re done feasting, where should you store it?

While you might think Nutella goes in the fridge, the truth is that’s a resounding no. So how do you store Nutella? Let’s take a closer look at why you shouldn’t be keeping it cold.

There’s no question that Nutella’s flavor profile is delicious and a direct competition to plain peanut butter. But, beyond its flavor, the thing that makes the chocolate hazelnut spread so great is its consistency. It’s rich, thick, luxurious, and spreadable. Putting it in the fridge tends to take away some of those qualities.

When you put a jar of Nutella in the fridge, the spread gets hard and becomes difficult to spread. The smooth paste-like consistency is gone, and you might feel like you’re chipping away at a piece. of hard chocolate instead. If you strictly plan to eat it by the spoonful from the jar, storing it this way might not be a problem, but don’t expect to spread it on your toast with ease.

Alternatively, make sure you’re not storing your Nutella anywhere too warm. The palm oil in the spread needs to be kept at room temperature. Too cold and it will seize up and cause the spread to harden. Too warm, and it could transform your Nutella into a gooey, oily mess that needs to be stirred before use.

A solid block of cold Nutella won’t lose its signature flavor, but it’ll make life a lot more difficult if you’re trying to add the spread to your favorite breakfast carb. Make life easier on yourself and keep your jar in your pantry.