Skip Peanut Butter: The European Food You Can Pick Up At Dollar Tree

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Breakfast in the United States can be many things, such as cereal, eggs, and bacon, and even leftovers, including cold pizza. Across the Pond in Europe, you'll find a pot of Nutella sitting on millions of kitchen tables, with adults and kids happily tucking in. It's not quite as widespread in the US, but those who have ever dipped a finger into this chocolatey hazelnut spread know it's definitely worth having in the pantry next to your peanut butter (unless you keep yours in the fridge). For those who haven't tried Nutella, now's your chance: Dollar Tree is selling dinky 1.05-ounce jars for $1.50 a pop.

That might not sound like a lot, but hear us out. Experience tells us that's just about enough to spread on two medium-sized slices of untoasted bread (that's how it's eaten in France). We think these small but perfectly formed jars would be brilliant among your Halloween candy — the glass is very thick so there's little danger of them breaking — or as part of a gift bundle of other cute, mini foods. 

Nutella is sweeter than peanut butter, though a little harder to bake with as it's very thick when cool — more about that later. If you're eating it "au naturel" (that is, scooping it from jar to face), it has a texture that this writer can only describe as "claggy." That means it sticks to the roof of your mouth and takes quite a bit of work to swallow down. By no means is that a chore though! 

Nutella is as versatile as peanut butter when it comes to different ways you can use it. In France, it's a common and popular filling for crêpes and donuts, while experts agree Nutella will amp up traditional pancakes too. While Dollar Tree's tiny pots might not yield much more than a few mouthfuls of chocolatey goodness, if you invest in a bigger jar like this, we've got a cool trick that makes Nutella a lot easier to use. 

Take a few spoonfuls out of the main jar and put them into a clean glass, then sit it in some hot water — not boiling, you don't want to shatter the glass or cook the Nutella — for a few minutes. It softens the spread enough so that you can smear it on bread or crêpes without tearing them, or pipe it neatly into cakes, muffins, and donuts.