How Long Does Nutella (Hazelnut Spread) Last?
Opened Nutella is best within 2–3 months in the pantry, though it stays usable until its best-by date if kept sealed. Unopened jars keep about 1 year. Do not refrigerate it.
Nutella (Hazelnut Spread) — opened
shelf life- Unopened: 1 year in the pantry
Fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below · freezer at 0°F (−18°C). Freezer times are for best quality; frozen food stays safe longer.
Nutella and similar chocolate hazelnut spreads are mostly sugar and vegetable oil with hazelnuts, cocoa and milk powder. They contain almost no free water, so bacteria and mold do not grow in them and they are stored in the pantry. They decline because the hazelnut and palm oils slowly turn rancid and the spread dries out and hardens.
How to store nutella (hazelnut spread)
- Keep the jar in a cool cupboard with the lid screwed on tight, away from the stove, toaster and sunny spots.
- Do not refrigerate it. Cold turns hazelnut spread stiff and unspreadable and can dull its flavor.
- Use a clean, dry knife. Water, butter or breadcrumbs in the jar are what allow mold to grow in an otherwise mold-proof spread.
- Stir a thin layer of separated oil back in rather than pouring it off, or the spread below will become dry and crumbly.
- In a hot climate where it turns runny, look for the coolest cupboard in the house rather than the fridge.
How to tell if nutella (hazelnut spread) has gone bad
- A sharp, sour, soapy or paint-like smell, showing the nut and vegetable oils have turned rancid.
- A bitter or stale taste in place of sweet chocolate and roasted hazelnut.
- Texture that has become dry, hard and crumbly and will not soften when stirred.
- Fuzzy mold, which only appears when water or food has been introduced into the jar.
- A pale, dull surface film is usually fat bloom from temperature swings, not spoilage.
Bacteria that cause food poisoning usually do not change the look, smell or taste of food. Go by the time limits first, and the signs above second.
Nutella (Hazelnut Spread) shelf life chart
| State | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opened | Not recommended | Not recommended | 2–3 months |
| Best-quality window. The maker advises against refrigeration, which hardens the spread. | |||
| Unopened | Not recommended | Not recommended | 1 year |
Not safe = perishable: no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended = possible, but quality suffers or it serves no purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Does Nutella need to be refrigerated after opening?
No. Nutella should be stored at room temperature, and its manufacturer specifically says not to refrigerate it because it hardens and becomes difficult to spread. The spread has too little water for bacteria to grow, so the pantry is both safe and better for texture.
Does Nutella go bad?
Yes, eventually, though slowly. It will not grow bacteria, but its oils oxidize and turn rancid, and it gradually dries out. An opened jar tastes best in the first 2–3 months. Rancid spread smells sour or soapy and tastes bitter; it should be thrown away rather than eaten.
Can I eat Nutella past its best-by date?
Usually you can, if it still smells and tastes normal. The best-by date is a quality marker, and a sealed jar kept cool is often fine for a few months after it. Open it, smell it and taste a small amount. Any sour, soapy or bitter note means the oils are rancid.
Why is there oil on top of my Nutella?
A layer of oil on top means some of the vegetable and hazelnut oil has separated from the solids, usually after the jar was stored somewhere warm. It is harmless. Stir it back in thoroughly. Separation on its own is not spoilage, but check the smell, since warm storage also speeds rancidity.
Related foods
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut Butter Opened |
6–9 months | 6 months | 2–3 months |
| Almond Butter Opened |
3–6 months | 6 months | 1–2 months |
| Hazelnuts Opened |
6–12 months | 1–2 years | 2–4 months |
| Chocolate Unopened |
Not recommended | 1 year | 1 year |
| Jam & Jelly Opened |
6 months | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Bread Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
More sweet spreads & syrups: Honey, Maple Syrup.
Reviewed 2026-09-20. Times follow published USDA FoodKeeper / FSIS, FDA and CDC storage guidance; where sources differ we use the shorter time. How we compile this data.