I can remember one of the first times I ever had Nutella. My stepdad is German and he brought it into my life when I was about ten. For that I will forever be grateful. We were taught that it should be spread on white crusty rolls or thick rye bread - but only on top of a thick layer of salted butter. I figured my mom must be in love with the guy if she was letting us eat chocolate and buttered bread for breakfast, but as a kid I knew better than to bring that up. Just eat the Nutella and smile.
Even at the age of ten I knew that Nutella was not a healthy food. It was delicious, creamy, rich and eaten on special occasions. That's not to say I don't eat it - I do. But in moderation and as a treat. Like spread on warm, just from the oven croissants after a long run....
So I have to admit that the recent class action lawsuit against Nutella seems kind of ridiculous to me. The makers of Nutella, Ferrero, settled for three million dollars. Anyone who purchased Nutella between 2008-2012 can jump on the bandwagon and make up to $20 for being "misled" by the advertising.
So here's my question: Is it the responsibility of individuals and parents to READ THE LABELS of food to determine if it is a healthy breakfast food, or do companies have a responsibility to be clear about the nutritional benefits (or lack thereof) in their items?
What are your thoughts on this? Should people really benefit from the unclear advertising of Nutella?
I fully support the idea that Nutella should have to change their advertising to be clear that - guess what - melted chocolate isn't super healthy. Shocking. But awarding the customers? Meh. Not sold.
More importantly, how delicious is Nutella? Favorite way to eat it?
Off a spoon is good enough for me. But when there's a little bit left in the bottom of the jar, I like to dump in some coconut flakes and crushed almonds and then mix it all up. HEAVEN.
Even at the age of ten I knew that Nutella was not a healthy food. It was delicious, creamy, rich and eaten on special occasions. That's not to say I don't eat it - I do. But in moderation and as a treat. Like spread on warm, just from the oven croissants after a long run....
So I have to admit that the recent class action lawsuit against Nutella seems kind of ridiculous to me. The makers of Nutella, Ferrero, settled for three million dollars. Anyone who purchased Nutella between 2008-2012 can jump on the bandwagon and make up to $20 for being "misled" by the advertising.
So here's my question: Is it the responsibility of individuals and parents to READ THE LABELS of food to determine if it is a healthy breakfast food, or do companies have a responsibility to be clear about the nutritional benefits (or lack thereof) in their items?
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What are your thoughts on this? Should people really benefit from the unclear advertising of Nutella?
I fully support the idea that Nutella should have to change their advertising to be clear that - guess what - melted chocolate isn't super healthy. Shocking. But awarding the customers? Meh. Not sold.
More importantly, how delicious is Nutella? Favorite way to eat it?
Off a spoon is good enough for me. But when there's a little bit left in the bottom of the jar, I like to dump in some coconut flakes and crushed almonds and then mix it all up. HEAVEN.
Nutella isn't even chocolate. Look at ingredients #1 and #2: palm oil and sugar. Gross. THAT is what angers me. Marketing crisco+sugar as a hazelnut spread. WTF?
ReplyDeleteI am with you, I don't think nutella needs to be paying everyone off. Its like, come on we are all adults here and can read the labels. We should know what is good and bad for us.
ReplyDeleteI like to eat it on grahams :)
I have always eaten nutella on rye bread. I had no idea other people did that too!
ReplyDeleteI think it's our responsibility to know what we're eating/putting into our bodies....BUT I do recall that commercial claiming nutella was a healthy alternative - so I think they deserve a bad rap for LYING but I think it's crazy people would go to those lengths for $20 ;)
ReplyDeleteI just discovered it this last year and that is likely a good thing! I happen to love it but I also love a few other things that no one would call health food.
ReplyDeleteYup, be a label reader!
And BTW, I made pb and Nutella swirl cookies yesterday and they are to DIE for! Will be posting the recipe next week.
:)
I love nutella. I think it's pretty clear that it's not a health food. Spreadable chocolate? Let's get serious. They shouldn't advertise it as being a heathy breakfast but at the same time, consumers should be smarter than that. Just like when a fast food chain comes out with their "light" menu options. Most of them aren't really light and I think we know that.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, nutella is one of my favourite things on earth. I can't keep it in the house or the whole jar is gone in two days. My favourite way to eat it is just straight up out of the jar but I'm totally trying the coconut and almond thing. That sounds heavenly!
As a mother of three, this annoys me to no end. How hard is it to pick up the Nutella, turn it around, and read the sugar content?? We buy Nutella in our house. We LOVE Banana, Nutella, and Almond Butter sandwiches. Do I think Nutella is healthy....not a chance.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to try Nutella but I remember that commercial basically saying it was "healthy". I do debate it every time I go to the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteSooo many people don't look at labels. They are only cognizant of food labels if they feel 1) self conscious OR 2) are having a health issue OR 3) actually care about health in general.
I definitely think that the makers of Nutella seem to advertise the product as healthy. I have seen the commercials with the mom giving the kiddos toast with Nutella and some orange juice and calling it a "balanced breakfast." BUT I also think that common sense needs to come into play at some point and that parents should read labels. If you are intelligent enough to go through an extended legal process you are intelligent enough to read a darn label. Judges should not pay off parents who have forgotten to use their common sense.
ReplyDeleteI have a very good friend whose 7 year old son LOVES Nutella. He recently read on the label (he is SEVEN) that it contains palm oil. He just learned that palm oil production destroys monkey habitat and he LOVES monkeys. He has given up Nutella and written a letter to the company. The world could learn something from this 7 year old. Labels, people!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome!!
DeleteI don't think the company should say it is part of a balanced breakfast or anything like that (though, at the same time, lucky charms say the same thing, don't they?)... but I mean, people need to take their health into their own hands and realize that advertising is just that: advertising. They are doing whatever they can to sell a product.
ReplyDeletei had my first exerpience of nutella in germany and my dad is german. Oh man is it good. But i heard about that law suit... RIDICULOUS! the woman should learn to read labels and know what's healthy. It's not terribly bad but its not terribly good for you either. Heck, maybe my non organice banana is not healthy... false advertising chiquita! LOL, i am being sarcastic of course
ReplyDeleteI get so angry with all of this....just one more way people can blame others for there issues. And the quick response...Hmmm, can I get any money out of this? Every one is "sue" happy these days...or so it seems.
ReplyDeleteRead labels, own up to your own eating, take responsibility for your own actions! ;-)
Geez, who said people aren't reading labels and taking responsibility for themselves? Nutella lied in their ads and now they're getting penalized for it. It's that simple. Do you really think corporations should be permitted to make any claim they want in their advertisements?
Deletewhile the commercials may be misleading, it still is our responsibility to research a product, check labels for nutrition and ingredients. I love Nutella, but I know it's not great for me. It's frustrating when people don't take responsibility for their health. No one is forcing you to eat these things, so you should be smart about it.
ReplyDeleteThis is like when people sue McDonald's because they are obese or have a heart attack from eating crap food. I agree that Nutella should not be leading people to believe that their product is healthy, but come on. It is everyone's responsibility to be aware of what they are feeding themselves/their families. There are plenty of foods out there (like kid's cereal) that are marketed as a healthy breakfast and are not really healthy at all. Read the label, it's not rocket science.
ReplyDeleteNutella is a delicious treat, and my favorite way to have it is spread on some fresh bakery bread, preferably bread with dried fruit like craisins or cherries in it. I will definitely be trying your coconut/almond combo though, that sounds good!
I agree read labels.. We (my 3 year old nephew) call Nutella "camping peanut butter", it's used while camping. I like it on a banana for dessert or after a good run.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little torn. On one hand, I think we should all be responsible for reading labels and thinking about what we put in our bodies. On the other, I think it is wrong to lie in an advertisement. Manufacturers and advertisers should definitely be held accountable if they flat out lie in their commercials.
ReplyDeleteI think it is right for Nutella to get fined for lying...not sure about the suing though.
That's like saying, "I didn't know it wasn't healthy to eat too much fast food"...it's the consumers responsibility to educate themselves on what they are eating.
ReplyDeleteI think that's half the problem is that people don't take the time to read what is actually in their foods BEFORE they buy it.
That's like eating a bag of potato chips and then saying you want money because you thought they were potatoes and therefore healthy. You can mix unhealthy things with healthy things and make them...unhealthy! I know. Crazy, right?
ReplyDeleteI am not a huge hazelnut fan, but when I lived in France I could not find peanut butter (I know, crazy again, right?) so I was known to eat a fresh croissant or baguette with a slab of nutella!
So I got two emails informing me I could get some cash the day the lawsuit was announced. Unfortunately, I have never bought Nutella, because I can't afford it. Not so much the product itself, but the entire new collection of pants when I eat the entire jar and then ten more and gain 150 pounds in a month. But, my friend bought some and we all ate spoonfuls of it right before we left for GORUCK because we were shaking with terror and needed some pure happiness. Now, I will not rest until I have it on fresh bread with butter like you so wonderfully described. People are stupid and need to take responsibility, that's all I can say that would be PG rated. Lesson learned: Do not write a post about chocolate if you don't want me to write an entire book in my comment. I actually could still go on but I won't.
ReplyDeleteNo I lied, I have to tell you that my mom made Nutella fudge for Christmas and when I die I want to go to heaven and eat nothing but that forever and ever.
ReplyDeleteMy husband keeps a jar in his nightstand with a spoon....I guess for emergencies?
ReplyDeleteThat is really funny. I was just thinking about that the other day as I dug into a jar of nutella with a spoon (to be consumed straight from the spoon). I am a huge reader of food labels. I believe that anything edible can be part of a nutritious meal (in moderation). For example: My mother used to let us sprinkle a small handful of chocolate chips onto our oatmeal in the morning. Believe me, we ate our oatmeal! And, it may even have been better for us than processed dry sugar cereal, who knows. I believe consumers should be responsible for their own health and should be grateful that they even have food labels to read.
ReplyDeleteI have never had nutella. I know shocking. Im way behind. I think that lawsuit is crazy - I read labels all the time and don't depend on the companies to tell me what is good for breakfast or dinner or not good.
ReplyDeleteGood grief, that's a ridiculous lawsuit. No one wants to take personal responsibility for their own actions anymore. Duh- chocolate is not a health food to be eaten with abandon.
ReplyDeleteAnd I cannot buy Nutella. lol I cannot control myself around it. But now that I know it can be considered a health food, I may stock up...
If my son were not allergic to tree nuts, we'd be eating Nutella as a treat. That being said, I am an educated adult who can read labels and interpret them. I don't need anyone to "wipe my butt"!!!
ReplyDeleteThe best form of nutella is the nutella milk shake at flip burger boutique!!! OMG!!!!
I don't know about the lawsuit, but the commercials claiming it's part of a healthy breakfast are laughable.
ReplyDeleteI think the commercials are misleading….but customers also have to read the labels. I love Nutella just about any way possible :)
ReplyDeleteI use Nutella to make smores love it. stupid frivolous lawsuits.
ReplyDeleteThe ads for Nutella here are the same - I think they even have a nutritionist spouting it as a healthy choice for breakfast with a glass of milk and a piece of fruit.
ReplyDeleteI thought i didn't like Nutella and as a kid i may have been told I didn't, and then one day I bought a jar for my boys. My boys don't like Nutella, but somehow it keeps entering the house and getting eaten....