Review: MaraNatha Dark Chocolate Peanut Spread

Continuing an oft-revisited theme here at NEAROF!, I fell victim to the inescapable draw of a grocery store end-unit display.

This time, it was a shelf full of MaraNatha Dark Chocolate Peanut Spread at Planet Organic that did me in. My wife balked at the price (“$6.29?” she asked, incredulous), but I bought it anyhow, justifying the cost by saying it was for NEAROF! purposes, not just because I can’t resist chocolate-peanut products …

The Look: A cute little glass jar with a metal lid. Pretty design. The spread itself is a dark, thick, shiny chocolate paste that could benefit from a bit of stirring once opened.

The Pitch: “MaraNatha’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Spread balances rich dark chocolate and peanuts in a velvety spread. Spread it on bread, apples, pears and cake, or try it warmed on ice cream. It’s also delicious straight from the jar. With 3 g of protein per serving, it’s a simple indulgence you can feel good about.”

The Taste: On toast, very nice. I expected something that tastes like Reese peanut butter cups, but that’s not what this tastes like. Think of it as Nutella made with peanuts instead of hazelnuts. It’s not salty like peanut butter, so what you taste is sweetness with cocoa and roasted peanuts. This would be a tasty filling in sweet crepes, especially paired with bananas and shredded coconut.

Alternative Uses: On a slice of apple: OK. On a piece of warm buttered naan bread: Meh. Plain, licked from a spoon: Good.

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RATINGS AND DETAILS

Cost: $6.29 for a 368-gram glass jar at Planet Organic in Edmonton.

Value for cash money: Not cheap. For the same price, I could buy a large tub of peanut butter elsewhere.

Availability: Organic/health shops, health food aisles in grocery stores.

Nutrition?: Go easy. Per 1 tablespoon (16 grams): 90 calories, 7 grams of fat, 15 mg of sodium (yay!), 3 grams of protein. (And who the hell has only ONE tablespoon of spread on their toast?)

The verdict: I like it more than Nutella, but that’s because I like peanuts more than hazelnuts. Good, yes, but I wouldn’t have it every day at breakfast.