World Nutella Day

You may not have been aware, but World Nutella Day is celebrated every year on the 5^th of February, to enjoy and share the great taste of the chocolate and hazelnut spread. It was created by the American food blogger Sara Rosso in 2007, who fell in love with the sweet treat while living in Italy. Today, the Nutella company Ferrero encourages people from around the world to get involved through making chocolate art, trying out new recipes and giving Nutella gifts to family and friends.

There’s another special reason why we’re celebrating this day, as the first week of February is Children’s Mental Health Week. The theme this year is ‘Express Yourself’, and children are being invited to find imaginative ways in which to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings. And what better way to get creative, have fun, (and make a tasty meal), than through making Nutella art?

 This is an activity that you can do with your family, or perhaps with some friends over Zoom, as a chance to come together. Chocolate can also be good for our wellbeing, as eating it releases the chemical dopamine in the brain, which makes us feel happy. It provides calcium and vitamin B2, as found in milk, and nuts are also a great source of energy. So there’s no need to feel guilty when choosing the occasional chocolate treat!

Make Your Own Chocolate Art

You won’t need professional equipment for this activity- just use whatever you can find around the house! Nutella will act as paint, or a nut-free alternative like chocolate spread will do just fine. We recommend using bread as your canvas, or perhaps another food like a pancake, just make sure that there is a flat surface that won’t rip easily. Use a butter knife as your palette knife – (it’s best to select one that is blunt and flat for spreading) – or simply use your fingers!

Different techniques will create different effects, so try and experiment. For example, you could use your fingertips to make blotches, spread Nutella thinly with a knife to make a shaded area, and use a tooth-pick to add tiny details.

Don’t forget about decorations! This can be a great way to add colour to your design. Some interesting additions could be chopped-up strawberries, bananas, almonds, or seeds. Add these at the very end so that you create the base in chocolate first.