I shall call it the “Other Butter’. Peanut Butter Alternatives
Have you tried any? There’s mixed controversy over whether schools who have banned peanut butter, should allow alternative butters, which could be mistaken for peanut butter, be allowed on school grounds. But controversy aside, let’s talk taste. Do they really match up? My daughter has never had the pleasure of eating peanut butter or even bothered to pay attention when others eat it. So it had to be a little strange to watch mom put brown spread on her cracker today. She was part amused and part nervous to try it. When moment’s like this occur, it makes me wish I took a picture of her face to capture the moment. I digress… I gave her feedback below under “Toddler Says”
If your little one is only allergic to peanuts, you have many more options outside of the two pictured above. However if you have nut and tree nut allergy, it’s pretty limited. Especially after reading closely that even sunflower butters are processed on the same equipment that processes nut butters! ARG!!We found two candidates that are Nut free and processed nut free, and for us, allergen free.
Our hunt just began, but we found Sun Butter and Biscoff. Both are pretty healthy.
Sun Butter:
Taste:
On first taste, it has the same texture as natural peanut butter however Sun Butter has whole sunflower seeds inside so you can see them. For picky eaters (aka my toddler) this may not float well. The taste is creamy and close to peanut butter, however not as sweet, maybe even slightly bitter. It tastes best when paired with jelly. There’s a sweet tooth that runs in our family so we like sweet. I could see how this butter would compliment a bagel or english muffin in the morning.
Texture:
The oil rises to the top, so it’s best to do a good stirring before eating. The texture is similar to all natural peanut butter, the less processed version.
Toddler Says: OK
She didn’t really care for it on a spoon by itself. I was able to pair it with jelly on a graham cracker and it passed the toddler test. She wasn’t in love with it, but I think it’s a go for an afternoon lunch.I know to add more jelly and butter to the sandwich.
Biscoff:
Taste:
Do I have to share? Biscoff cookies have been a favorite of mine since years ago. And now that it is in peanut butter form…LOVE! It is healthy in moderation. Since it tastes so good, it can easily become a secret indulgence 🙂 Ok, back to taste…It’s light and creamy and Oh so GOOD. Tastes just like Biscoff cookies in a jar. With only 5 grams of sugar per tbsp. Yes I did stop at 1 tablespoon…this time! I didn’t pair this one with Jelly, I think it would be too sweet, we’ll see.
Texture:
It’s very similar to peanut butter but lighter. A little whippier (lol). It’s very smooth and my daughter LOVE IT.
Toddler Says: More Please
I felt like Cat in the Hat, she will eat it in a boat, with a goat…on a spoon, on the moon, anywhere. I think she would give it 2 thumbs up.
This is our quick peanut butter alternatives, tell us what yours are in the comments below!
*Update: Originally I loved Biscoff, until I learned more about soy. Now we are watching our soy consumption and no longer eat Biscoff. Sometimes we have to do what’s best for our health instead of our tastebuds 🙂