Storing Nutella In The Fridge Is An Unexpectedly Terrible Idea
Keeping Nutella in the fridge may seem like a reasonable idea at first, since refrigeration is how we preserve and extend the shelf life of numerous food products. However, when it comes to Nutella, refrigeration is not a good idea, as it compromises its texture and, to some extent, the taste.
This isn't just a suggestion from chefs or self-declared Nutella connoisseurs; it's the guidelines from the maker of Nutella itself. As Ferrero Foodservice explains, Nutella is best stored at room temperature, between 64 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The company specifically states not to refrigerate Nutella, "otherwise it will harden and become difficult to spread."
This is important because Nutella is prized for its smooth, gooey, and creamy consistency. More to the point, it's literally marketed as a spread, so it should glide easily from the knife to the bread. If that isn't possible, we might as well go back to eating toast with strawberry jam and butter.
Why refrigeration hardens the texture
Before delving into how refrigeration alters the texture and taste of Nutella, it's worth knowing its contents. Nutella is a spreadable chocolate-hazelnut mixture made by Ferrero, which is known for its hazelnut-based food products. This particular item is made with sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, skim milk powder, fat-reduced cocoa, emulsifiers, lecithin, and artificial vanillin. In other words, it has a significant amount of fats and oils.
When chilled, the fatty and oily palm oil will solidify and cause the Nutella to become hard and difficult to spread. As a result, when you take it out of the fridge and attempt to use it, you may find the stuff has become stiff and grainy. However, this advice to leave Nutella at room temperature largely depends on where you live. If you reside in a place with blazing hot weather, keeping Nutella on the kitchen counter could cause the oils to separate.
Folks disagree on how fridges affect Nutella's taste
It's not just the texture of Nutella that changes with refrigeration. The flavor does, too. Most people would agree that when Nutella is refrigerated, the taste becomes less pronounced. However, there is a small group of dissenters. For example, one article from the Irish Times claims "warm Nutella is slightly too sickly sweet, [and] cooling it punches up its nuttiness so that ... it is far more moreish." Similarly, a column in The Guardian purports cold Nutella has a "ganache-like quality." To each their own.
The good news is that Nutella has a long shelf life — 12 months from the date of manufacture, per Ferrero. This product is designed to be stable and safe at ambient temperatures, and again, refrigeration does little to extend its freshness. So, if you're really trying to use up your jar of Nutella in a hurry, make Nutella pancakes for breakfast or just eat a spoonful like you're a kid again; don't worry about cooling it down first.