We all love peanut butter, right? Just apply it on a freshly toasted piece of bread, top it with some banana slices and voila! Your heavenly breakfast is ready.
Peanut butter is so versatile, you can eat it in so many ways, add it to your smoothies, fruit bowls, milkshakes or have it directly from the jar.
In fact, it is one of the most loved spreads in the world after Nutella. Whether you like peanut butter or not, here is one thing that may surprise you every time you go to a supermarket: the price of peanut butter.
Why is peanut butter so expensive, when peanuts are so easy to grow ? Let’s find out.
Main reasons peanut butter is expensive
There are several reasons peanut butter may seem expensive. Keep in mind that since peanuts are fairly cheap, the price of peanut butter is not the same everywhere.
In some cases peanut butter is very reasonably priced, and you will find the price fluctuates according to a few factors.
Read Also:How To Freeze Peanut Butter The Right Way
1. Storing raw peanuts
A big reason peanut butter is expensive is the storage of raw peanuts. While peanuts aren’t very expensive, storing them safely isn’t easy, if they’re not roasted.
Peanut butter is among the biggest food staples in America. People just can’t do without it. Although peanuts are easy to grow, peanut butter comes with a price.
As aforementioned, peanuts are easy to grow and are grown commonly in America and also in the majority of countries in Asia.
The main problem with peanuts is their storage. Raw peanuts tend to get moldy very fast. They are very much prone to be attacked by molds and what’s a bigger problem?
The molds produced by peanuts can be harmful to humans. The peanut butters are heavily processed and prepared by incorporating stabilizers and certain preservatives.
The raw peanuts from the field are directly taken to the production facility, which means speed and sanitary storage during transport. Those are expensive services, much like rushing fresh peas to be frozen, or dealing with seafood.
2. The country you’re from
While peanut butter is the most popular staple in the US and countries like China, India etc. it is very hard to find it in countries like France, Spain, Italy, Germany etc.
Yes, you’ve read it right. You will probably end up craving for a spoon of peanut butter when you visit Italy. So, next time don’t forget to add a peanut butter jar in your vacation luggage.
Due to the lack of popularity, peanuts are generally not grown in some countries. They import peanuts from other countries which reflect in the prices of peanut butter. For this reason, peanut butter in some countries is more expensive than others.
In some cases the country may simply import ready-made peanut butter, which will end up being more expensive than making their own.
3. Peanut butter is in high demand
Talking about the United States and other countries like China, India and Malaysia, the demand of peanut butter is extremely high.
In the US, it is hard to find a single home without peanut butter. Americans love eating it as a snack and desserts. Also, it is highly versatile and can be used in a variety of ways.
Due to this high demand, the price of peanut butter tends to get a bit high. The manufacturers take full advantage of the weakness of people towards peanut butter and add it to the price.
So in a way yes, peanut butter prices are artificially high.
4. Brands play a major role
Some peanut butters are really cheaper than others, wonder why?
Usually, the least expensive peanut butter comes from the least famous brands. While it may taste equally good than the known brands, it comes at a cheap price due to not being popular.
Brands play a major role in deciding the price of a commercial product. This is because people give priority to branding. So, certain brands take advantage of this popularity and trust of the people and keep their rates higher than their competitors.
So, these were some factors that affect the price of peanut butter all over the world. While in the United States peanut butter is not considered to be too expensive, it seems very pricey in other countries like Italy, Germany and France.
If you’d like to get a cheaper option for peanut butter, how about making your own, right at home ? It is much cheaper and maybe even better than the store bought one. It depends on what you add to it, or if you like it plain.
Here, we are sharing a quick recipe to make peanut butter at home. Give it a try if the store-bought jar seems expensive to you.
Quick homemade peanut butter
What You Will Need :
- 4 Cups Of Peanuts
- A teaspoon of salt
- Any cold-pressed oil
- Mixer grinder
- Any add-ins like sweeteners or flavorings
What You’ll Need To Do
First of all, take about four cups of peanuts and roast them on a low heat until golden brown and crunchy. Make sure to roast on a low flame otherwise they’ll get burnt easily.
Now, let the peanuts cool and then simply remove their skin. This is very easy to do, you just need to rub the nuts when they cool down with your palms. Get rid of the skin and you’re good to go.
Make sure to remove the hearts (the little kernels) as they cause a bitter flavor in peanut butter.
Put the skinned peanuts in the grinder jar and pulse it on high speed once. Repeat this process again and again until you notice the formation of buttery consistency. After that, blend it continuously till you get the desired texture.
Add about one tablespoon of cold pressed peanut /sesame/extra virgin coconut oil to the mixture to get a smoother consistency. This will also act as a stabilizer and they oil won’t separate form the solids.
You can add salt and some honey at this stage, or whatever flavorings you may want.
And voila! Your delicious homemade peanut butter is ready. It is super affordable and also better than the store bought ones.
This was all about your questions – why peanut butter is expensive! We hope you get your answer. And don’t forget to try the DIY recipe if you’re looking for a cheap peanut butter.
