Can 3 Ingredients Really Replace Nutella?🍫👀 We Put It to the Test!

Did you know over 55% of Nutella is JUST SUGAR!😱A staple ingredient for kids in many households and unfortunately also another addictive and highly processed food we are on a mission to find a replacement for because the sugar highs, crashes, and long term impacts are just not worth it!

So when I came across a video from @tastyiri_en promising a homemade 3-ingredient Nutella with no junk, I thought, “Okay, let’s see if this passes the kid test.” Spoiler alert: three out of four boys were sold. Hudson, our sharpest food detective, was not fooled but that’s still ok. With a 75% pass rate I’d say this is definitely worth families giving it a shot because let’s be honest, ANY CHANCE of replacing nutella is better than no chance at all.

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What’s Really in Store-Bought Nutella?

Before I share this recipe from @tastyiri_en, let’s just take a quick peek at the label on the classic jar. The first two ingredients? Sugar and palm oil. Not hazelnuts. Not cocoa. Just sugar, oil, and then a sprinkle of flavor.

Per serving, Nutella packs around 21 grams of sugar (that’s more than five teaspoons in just two tablespoons). The palm oil isn’t doing us any favors either - it’s cheap, processed, and linked to a host of health and environmental concerns. In other words, it’s tasty but not exactly what I want my kids eating by the spoonful.

As we continue exploring new recipes, we also want to shed light on some common foods that may be doing more harm than good. Please know, this is not about shame! Brodie and I have definitely given our kids MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE of less-than-ideal snacks and treats but we’re focused on now becoming more mindful of what we feed our children.

Since making small changes, we’ve already noticed huge positive shifts with our boys. It’s not about perfection but instead, it’s about simple, consistent tweaks that can create a lasting impact over time!

The “Healthy Nutella” Recipe

Here’s the version we tested from Instagram:

Ingredients

• 120g unsweetened cocoa

• 180ml hot water

• 2 tbsp honey (I eye balled this and probably added a little bit more. If it’s your first shot at this with the kids I’d suggest the same!)

Method

1. Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. *if it’s too thick just add a splash more water and then re-blend*

2. Store in a cool place.

That’s it. Three ingredients, two steps, and no scary additives.

For context, a typical serving of store-bought Nutella (2 tablespoons) has about 21g of sugar, 11g of fat (mostly from palm oil), and only 2g of protein. By comparison, this homemade version for the same portion size comes in at around 7g of sugar (from honey), 3g of fat, and 4g of protein. The difference is huge - less sugar, no palm oil, and a little extra protein, which makes it a much friendlier option for kids (and parents) without sacrificing that chocolatey flavor.

The Taste Test Moment

Here’s how it went down at our house:

• Po, Boden & Ashton: Approved immediately. They slathered it on toast like it was the real deal and went back for seconds.

• Hudson: Not having it. He spotted the difference right away and gave me the side-eye. Honestly, I respect his honesty - every family needs one truth-teller.

Overall? The texture was a little thinner than Nutella, but the flavor was surprisingly rich and chocolatey. And with just honey as the sweetener, it wasn’t sickly sweet, which I actually preferred.

The Verdict

Would I make it again? Absolutely. Does it completely replace Nutella? NO obviously not. There will never be a true, healthy replacement that’s as sweet and perfect as nutella but given the sugar bomb that is the store-bought version, this is a way better option to keep around for toast, fruit dipping, or baking.

So while Nutella might still make an occasional appearance in our house (hello, birthday crepes), this three-ingredient version has officially earned a spot in the rotation. Note, I also want to try a variation of this as I got a TON of comments about adding hazelnuts and dates which I do agree, would make this even better.

Because if I can get the kids to eat something chocolatey without five spoonfuls of sugar and palm oil… that feels like a parenting win. So my overall recommendation for this is DEFINITELY give it a go and the worst thing that can happen is it is a no. With these healthy recipe hacks we need to continually try the alternatives to find what sticks!

P.S. another huge shout out to the creator who originally shared this recipe @tastyiri_en. She has tons of great recipes so make sure you check her out!

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