Peanut butter (or any nut butter) is a good protein-rich snack on taste, or also good in veggie curries. Sold in smooth or chunky versions, branch out and try other nut butters too! Peanuts need little water to grow so are often recommended as the ‘nut of choice’ for nut butters. Look for brands without palm oil, to protect habitats of orangutans and other endangered creatures. The only caveat is that you may have to stir the jar – a small price to pay, to protect our orange cousins.
Meridian offers several palm-oil-free peanut butters in various textures and flavours. Whole peanuts are roasted in their skins to offer tasty treats with maple syrup, chocca spread and even strawberry peanut butter. Nothing but nuts (apart from a little salt) find them in smooth or crunchy versions, sold in glass jars. The company also makes large 1kg tubs for catering (recycle them at local council depots).
Avoid nuts (and nut/seed butters) for young children and allergies, and keep away from pets (macadamia nuts are extremely toxic). Don’t feed nut butters to pets or birds due to salt (dog-friendly peanut butter biscuits may be okay).
Its hazelnut spread (like vegan Nutella) donates a portion of funds to International Animal Rescue, which is helping to fund the rescue of orangutans and replant the forest trees they have lost to the palm oil industry. 80% of orangutan habitats have been destroyed, with only 100,000 left in the wild, making them critically endangered. While other companies and supermarkets and politicians debate, this company simply doesn’t use palm oil.
proper peanut butters in metal tins
Proper Nutty promises ‘no palm oil, no plastic, just nuts’. Sold in jars or metal tins, it’s made with ethically sourced peanuts in small batches, ground to smunchy texture, and with a little sea salt. This no-nonsense company began in Yorkshire and now sells proper peanut butters nationwide to both retail and wholesale customers.
Middle-eastern-inspired peanut butters
Yumello offer nice palm-oil-free nut butters, sweetened with dates. Stored in a cool dry place, they last around 3 months. This brand is made with hi-oleic peanuts for natural sweetness and good fats. Choose from salted date and smoky harissa (inspired by travels to Morocco – this company also makes jars of tahini – crushed sesame seed paste).
palm-oil-free nut butters from Bath
NUTcessity (Bath) is a brand of sustainable nut butters sold in plastic-free packaging, giving a portion of profits to help clean water projects in India. The range includes toasted almond & cashew butters, plus some really nice flavour combinations like maple pecan, gingerbread almond, date or coffee walnut, caramel cashew & choc hazelnut (Nutella-style!)
This company was founded by a young man who travelled to Tanzania to explore the world, after taking a degree in business, then worked for an organic food company in Bristol when he returned to England. Today this company is sold nationwide, with profits helping Frank Water, a company that installs water coolers in offices, with profits helping to bring clean safe water to children in India.
healthy peanut-butter-stuffed oat bars
Pip & Nut peanut-butter stuffed oat bars could be your new snack of choice. Not only are these bars vegan and free from palm oil, but they are super-tasty and ideal for athletes (the brand was founded by a former athlete who wanted to find a good peanut butter without palm oil, to save endangered orangutans). Made with a blend of wholegrain oats, peanut butter, a little oil and sweetened with date syrup, these nutritious nibbles are great for on-the-go.
make your own homemade peanut butter
Try this simple recipe for homemade peanut butter (Addicted to Dates). You can even push the boat out to try strawberry or chocolate flavours.
simple plant-based peanut butter recipes
Peanut Butter Cookies (Rainbow Nourishments) are so simple to make (just 3 ingredients). All you need is peanut butter, maple syrup to sweeten and almond flour. Although you can buy almond flour, you can easily make your own. Choose sustainably-sourced almonds from Europe (rather than from orchard monocultures in California).
If used, choose vegan butters with no palm oil. Keep ‘human biscuits’ away from pets due to nuts, dried fruits, citrus, chocolate, nutmeg etc. Read more on food safety for people & pets.
Peanut Butter Mousse Tart (Crowded Kitchen) is ready in 20 minutes, made with including peanut butter, vegan butter and organic icing sugar. Replace Oreo biscuits with palm-oil-free Mr Organic cocoa biscuits. No baking needed, just chill or freeze, then defrost 20 minutes before serving
Banana peanut butter pie (Ela Vegan) features a date-sweetened oat crust, and a peanut butter filling, sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla. Look in farm shops for sea-freighted bananas (they won’t be wrapped in plastic, unlike supermarket ones that have to by law, to avoid being contaminated by non-organic produce). Don’t store bananas in the fridge (they’ll go black).