Ah nut butter. We love you. Do you spoon it from the jar? Have it on toast? Eat it after the gym? For National Peanut Butter Day, these Instagrammers reveal how they enjoy theirs
Ah peanut butter – once a school snack that many weren’t overjoyed to fish out of their lunch box. Now? It’s in, on, under, over, above, below and around literally everything.
Ps: As it’s National Peanut Butter Day, you totally have permission to stop reading this grab a spoon and a jar of peanut butter and then you can continue reading…
You simply cannot scroll through Instagram without seeing at least half of the feed containing some sort of nut butter recipe or a delicious looking bowl of porridge that contains the infamous nutty elixir of life.
Research, conducted by Healthista on 1500 readers in association with Pip & Nut, found that just under half of us (45%) have eaten peanut butter for breakfast, lunch, and for dinner whilst nearly a third of us (30%) have even taken peanut butter on holiday (they have to get a picture for the ‘Gram’ duh).
The new research also shows that a whopping 70 percent of us rate peanut butter as our favourite ever spread, beating old favourites (such as honey 7 percent and Marmite 6 per cent).
Indeed, nine out of ten of us eat it straight from the jar, with two thirds of us admitting to double-dipping our spoons – don’t try to pretend that you haven’t.
So we wanted to hear from the professionals of Instagram. How do they enjoy nut butter? And why is it their new favourite spread. Here’s what nine Instagrammers had to say on the nuttylicious matter…
Lucy Mountain – the one who spoons it straight from the jar
Instagram: @thefashionfitnessfoodie
Followers: 295k
Lucy is a self-titled ‘Instagram person’ based in London. Through quirky infographics and a heavy dose of sarcasm, she uses her Insta squares to help women have a better relationship with food and their bodies.
Her approach is no-nonsense and as a result, has created workout guides and a cookbook for people who are sick of the fitness fads. Posting before and after pictures that don’t fit the status quo and spreading evidence-based info. Lucy is a fully qualified personal trainer and is studying to be a nutrition coach too.
Your typical diet?
I’m the kind of person you’d want to invite round for dinner, as I eat anything and everything. I don’t put a label on my eating habits because I don’t ever want to assign myself to eating in any particular way, beyond just food that I enjoy.
Most days, I aim to eat foods I love which give me things like nutrients, as well as foods I love which, well, I just love. Like pick and mix.
Your typical day?
Every day is so different for me – although I’m working to establish more of a routine. I’m a boring morning person, so like to be up by 7am and out the house.
If it’s a day where I don’t have any meetings or filming planned, I’ll head straight to the gym and then I just float between two to three coffee shops – making my drink last as long as possible until I feel awkward and move on.
Regardless of what project I’m working on at the moment I try to leave one to two hours in my day to make Instagram content to stay relevant.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl0vHTRnYkK/
Why do you love nut butter?
Being truthful here, I wasn’t that much of a Peanut Butter addict UNTIL Pip & Nut came along. (They didn’t pay me to say this.) It’s true though. The texture and flavour combo is like an addictive substance which I can’t get enough of. In terms of why I eat it – I purely eat it for those reasons!
A balanced diet looks after our mental and physical health – and if peanut butter makes you happy then you better bloody eat it.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I usually just eat it straight out the jar with a spoon like a yoghurt because I lack self-control and quite frankly I’m really okay with that. I nervous-ate a whole jar of the cherry bake-well flavour in one night when I launched my cookbook online. It was great.
Gina Obeng – the one who uses nut butter for her Sunday dinner…
Instagram: @just_geen
Followers: 22.8k
Gina is a health and fitness influencer and personal trainer. Gina is also the founder of Just Geen Ltd, a health and fitness brand that provides innovative and exciting ways to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle.
Your typical diet?
It varies depending on my goals but generally it’s high in protein, low in carbs and moderate in fats – but like I said it varies.
Your typical day?
Just like my diet, my day varies too. Sometimes it starts as early as 7am and finishes as late as 12am. Alongside training my clients, I run a meal prep business, teach classes and regularly podcast so I’m constantly on the go.
Why do you love nut butter?
I absolutely love the taste. I would say I consume it around three times a week. I think it’s nutritious but my problem is I can’t help but over indulge because I like it so much.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I like to have peanut butter in my foods. My background is Ghanaian and one of our traditional dishes is a peanut soup, which is my absolute fave. Culturally it’s what you have on Sundays as a ‘Sunday dinner’.
If I don’t have it in my foods as an ingredient, I love putting it on rice cakes or eating it as a sauce with natural yoghurt.
Zanna Van Dijk – the one who has nut butter with literally everything
Instagram: @zannavandijk
Followers: 278k
Zanna van Dijk is a London-based personal trainer, blogger, vlogger and co-founder of a sustainable swimwear brand called Stay Wild Swim. Which features in our recent swimwear round up FYI.
The Yorkshire-born Instagram sensation explores topics related to fitness, food, travel, lifestyle and environmental issues – only a small list of things then. She is on a mission to educate as many people as possible about how to look after their bodies in a balanced, enjoyable and sustainable way.
Zanna is also totally committed to raising awareness of the global plastic waste crisis and issues surrounding sustainability – she is always posting tips and tricks on how one can live a more sustainable life. She has even collaborated with Chilly’s to release her own reusable water bottle, to reduce our dependency on single use plastics.
Your typical diet?
I eat a plant-based diet focusing on whole foods, nutrient dense meals and basically lots of goodness. With a whole host of treats thrown in, as I love soul food.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMO2thLjeA3/
Your typical day?
Every day is different in my job, I work for myself and run a couple of businesses so I could be at home all day working at my desk or out on a shoot, running between meetings or hosting events.
Why do you love nut butter?
I blooming love peanut butter. I have been a long time nut butter lover and probably have it every single day, if not twice a day depending on my preferences. It’s a great source of healthy fats and plant-based protein which keeps me super satisfied.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I tend to eat it with apple slices and cinnamon, that’s my most frequent combination. However I also eat it out the jar, on porridge, in a satay sauce or over ice cream… literally any way I can!
At the moment I’m obsessed with Pip & Nut Crunchy Peanut Butter. People look past the crunchy maple but it is the gem of the Pip & Nut range, it has the best texture. It’s a drizzler, you can drizzle it on everything. I love to drizzle it on a chopped apple with cinnamon.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BT8w6NRhTIw/
Sarah Malcolm – the one who drizzles
Instagram: @sarahmalcs
Followers: 10k
Sarah Malcolm is a London based yoga teacher, content creator, recipe developer and blogger.
She teaches in London based studios as well as Yoga retreats worldwide and hopes to empower her students to move in ways that feelgood for their bodies, rather than look a certain way. She also creates, styles and shoots recipes for brands, bloggers and herself.
Check out our recent 30 Day Yoga Challenge with Sarah Malcolm.
Your typical diet?
My diet massively changes on how I’m feeling in my body and I try to be as in tune to that as I can. I was diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome when I was 22 which forced me to address my diet choices a lot more, by learning to balance and control my insulin levels and generally welcome a much more abundant diet, full of lots of fresh veggies and enough protein to sustain me.
Your typical day?
My weeks vary quite a lot but typically I wake up at 6:30am and leave the house by 7am, grabbing my jar of overnight oats (that I made the night before) from the fridge and my keep cup of turmeric tea on my way out. Then I head to teach a morning yoga class, either on my bike or on the bus.
After teaching, depending on what projects I’m working on, I’ll either sit down with my emails and to-do list or head back home to spend the day cooking in my kitchen. If it’s a day of recipe testing, then I’ll usually eat what I’m cooking at home, which is usually a plant-based meal.
If I can get myself to a yoga class or my favorite barre class at Define London in the day, then that is a luxury, otherwise I’ll head to teach my evening classes and try to squeeze in some self practice and movement.
If I’m not teaching an evening class, sometimes I’m off to events or catching up with friends. It’s a very welcome evening these days to have some time at home with my boyfriend, so when that happens, he’ll usually cook something delicious and we’ll sit down and enjoy it together before I prep my breakfast for the next day and try to hop into bed with my book at around 10pm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwJofEmnGkL/
Why do you love nut butter?
My boyfriend doesn’t like peanut butter and I think that’s the strangest thing in the world. I genuinely don’t think I go a day without peanut butter. I adore the taste. I used to be a crunchy girl but recently definitely favor a massive drizzle of smooth peanut butter over my porridge or overnight oats.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I really don’t think porridge is complete without peanut butter. If I’m out in the morning, I’ll always prep a cinnamon and cacao overnight oats, with oat milk and frozen blueberries (that defrost overnight in the fridge) and a giant dollop of peanut butter. I look forward to it every day.
If I have the luxury of being at home for breakfast, I will make a warming creamy bowl of porridge with cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom and again… peanut butter OR a super speedy smoothie with banana, spinach, blueberries and peanut butter.
I’ve also recently become obsessed with slicing open a big medjool date and filling it with peanut butter & cacao nibs and then eating the whole thing. It’s so hard to stop after one.
Ursula Walsh – the one who claims she ‘couldn’t live without it’
Instagram: @momfitnessdiary
Followers: 54k
Ursula Walsh is a mom of three who uses her Instagram to share her journey into fitness after giving birth and gaining weight, Ursula loves sharing her motivation and passion for healthy food.
Ursula Walsh is also a qualified health and nutrition coach whose goal is to help everyone who wants to transition into a healthier lifestyle.
Your typical diet?
I love healthy food but I also like to treat myself and relax my routine over the weekend.
Your typical day?
I get up and get the kids ready for school. I always have a drink of supplements in the morning while the kids eat breakfast. I’ll take them to school, then come back and prepare a bottle for baby number three and while she drinks it I make my porridge and a big mug of coffee.
I bring her up to bed and then eat my breakfast in peace and quiet while I catch up with my favourite bloggers on their Instagram stories.
After that it is all go go go. I make dinners, collect the kids, have my lunch, supervise homework with my boys while I have a snack, take the kids to extra activities, come back, photograph, edit, write captions for my post of the day, feed the family, go to the gym, come back have my protein shake, shower, post on Instagram and finally – sit down to meditate and read before bed.
I also clean the house in between all that chaos!
Why do you love nut butter?
I adore peanut butter because it’s healthy and tastes like such a treat. I would definitely have it everyday. I couldn’t live without it.
Pip & Nut is especially good. It is my favourite in the world – plus it’s 100% healthy because Pip & Nut don’t add any sugar or palm oil.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I eat nut butter every day with either a coffee or tea, especially while my two boys do homework. My followers always ask me if I get bored of snacking on nut butter but I swear I don’t. It’s just too good!
I love peanut butter on energy balls, dark chocolate and peanut butter cups. My favourite snack that I have every day is spreading nut butter all over a banana and then I sprinkle bee pollen and cinnamon on top. Try it, it’s SO good.
Sarah Lindsay – the one who loves nut butter with chocolate
Instagram: @roarfitnessgirl
Followers: 44k
Sarah Lindsay is a three-time Olympian, personal trainer and owner of ROAR Fitness London. A European gold medallist, 2x world silver medallist and 10x British speed skating champion, Lindsay is an inspiration to anyone looking to reach their full potential.
Sarah is also the owner of ROAR Fitness London, a personal training gym that sees transformations like no other. She is also one of London’s most recognised celebrity personal trainers, whose clients include Caroline Flack, Pixie Lott, Melanie Sykes and Sheridan Smith to name a few.
Your typical diet?
My diet depends on what my training goals are, and will always be adapted depending on what’s happening in my life at the time. For example, once a year I do a cutting diet for six to eight weeks where I am very strict, this is to try and get as lean as possible.
Usually I time this ‘cut’ before a holiday, so I feel really confident in a bikini. I know it’s not cool to care about this anymore but I definitely feel better in swimwear if I have recently worked hard for it.
The rest of the year I am generally maintaining my strength, fitness and level of conditioning (leanness) and the goal is to eat as much as possible so I can train hard and keep my metabolism high, without gaining fat.
Generally to do this I will eat protein and fats for breakfast, such as eggs, salmon, steak etc. Then I always have two lunches of lower fat protein and vegetables, such as chicken or lean mince with a salad or vegetables and white fish or white meat, and then chicken and veg for dinner.
I also add in carbohydrates either around my training for example oats or porridge before and high sugar cereal or fruit after. If I am not training then I will add sweet potato or rice or cous cous to my lunch meal.
I eat chocolate everyday as it’s my favourite thing in the world but I am allergic to milk so it will always be high quality 85% dark chocolate like Ombar or something a bit posh like Booja-booja, Pierre Marcolini or Paul A Young.
I do prep all my meals as I am a bit fussy about the quality of meat I eat (I eat quite a lot) but I never worry about eating out for social occasions which happen around once or twice a week. I enjoy food a lot and I put the effort into being as creative as possible.
Why do you love nut butter?
So my other love is peanut butter and I will have it most days, (I have six 1kg jars in my cupboard at work that were sent to me, so I’m currently working my way through them).
Although it’s highly nutritious with good fats and protein, some peanut butter brands are still very calorific – make sure you choose a high quality, low sugar option and avoid the palm oil.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I am very guilty of scooping it out with my chocolate bar on occasion!
One of the things I love about peanut butter is that it can be used sweet or savoury. Having peanut butter with dates or with an apple is insanely delicious if you are craving something sweet or need a little pre-workout boost.
I also use peanut butter in my cooking for curry, on chicken when roasting or in wraps (so good with chicken in sweet potato wraps). Or as already mentioned on top of chocolate if you are treating yourself.
I actually really like experimenting with making ‘healthy desserts’ at home as I’m not keen on consuming much sugar or flour and can’t have dairy so have developed a taste for treats which still taste like real food with real flavours if that makes sense?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtIsuKPhlXN/
I’d much rather make my own treats like melting chocolate and peanut butter together, dipping frozen raspberries in it, then letting set in the fridge (OMG) than eat Mr Kippling or something without any quality nutrition.
The one time I would avoid peanut butter is immediately after a workout as the fats are a little counter productive to add to your shake as it can block your absorption of protein and carbs which is when you need them the most.
Imogen Leaver – the one who’s a nut butter baker
Instagram: @imogenleaver
Followers: 59k
Imogen Leaver is a personal trainer, coach and fitness blogger. Her Instagram is not only for get-fit inspiration but also for some serious fashion goals and ideas, plus this do-it-all social media star is an aspiring actress too.
Your typical diet?
I would say my diet is fairly balanced and healthy. I love my food and never put restraints or limits on myself. I often have a good breakfast such as eggs on sourdough with some avocado to start my day or if I’m shorter on time I’ll make porridge – however I have cut out dairy so use dairy free Mylks.
Lunch I keep light such as a soup or salad, and then a larger meal for dinner. I mainly eat fish so my dinner will often be based around that.
I love to snack… this is where nut butter and peanut butter plays a big part in my diet.
Why do you love nut butter?
I was never that keen on peanut butter growing up as a child, looking back I CANNOT understand why, I am now the biggest fan. I could literally eat an entire jar in one sitting. Of course if I ate the entire jar it would be a little excessive, it is high in fat so I try to at least balance it out just like everything else in my diet.
How do you eat your nut butter?
Some of my favourite ways to enjoy nut butter include:
– Banana or apple slices with peanut butter is the quickest and easiest snack and super tasty. I will often have this as a little after dinner treat. I have also had it with celery sticks in the past to be even healthier.
– Standard PB on sourdough toast, add a little raspberry jam just to make it extra delicious and naughty.
– I use nut butters quite a lot in my baking now, it’s perfect for holding everything together when making snack balls. Heating dates and peanut butter in a pan until soft and melted, add in a cup of ground nuts, a little cacao powder and some desiccated coconut to roll the balls in – easy.
Grace McGovern – the one who eats it everyday
Instagram: @gracemcgovern
Followers: 33.1k
Grace McGovern is not your average London girl, modelling from the age of 14, Grace has modelled for brands such as Nike, Soap and Glory, Equinox, ASOS and many many more.
With a degree under her belt too, Grace now showcases her passion for modelling along with presenting and fitness.
Your typical diet?
To start my day I would normally eat porridge made with coconut milk. Added to that I would have either almond butter or coconut almond butter. I wash that all down with some water and a few probiotics.
Your typical day?
Well, depending on work I would normally start my day by going to the gym in the morning. I would then go on to work or castings.
During the evenings I normally go for dinner with a few friends or just watch rubbish TV with my housemate.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgyjUbJlXdJ/
Why do you love nut butter?
I LOVE peanut butter. I probably have it daily, I just love the nutty taste and the thick consistency. Definitely the more natural the nut butter, the better level of good fats that can be enjoyed in a small proportion.
How do you eat your nut butter?
So, I normally have nut butter in my coconut yoghurt with berries, or on rice cakes before or after the gym. A lot of the time I just eat it straight from the jar with a little spoon which I tend to leave on the side because I always need to go back for more.
Ps: peanut butter with dates (fruit not an actual date) doesn’t go a miss.
Rowan Cheshire – the one who uses nut butter to refuel
Instagram: @rowancheshire
Followers: 29.1k
Rowan Cheshire is an Olympian and Personal Trainer. Team GB freestyle skier Rowan Cheshire burst onto the international scene in 2014, when she became the first British woman to win a Halfpipe Gold medal at the World Cup level at only 18 years old.
Rowan is widely regarded to be the future face of British Winter Sport, as she looks to become the first British skier ever to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.
Your typical diet?
I have a very balanced diet that contains lots of protein and vegetables. Something I always ensure is that I have brekkie, normally something slow releasing such as porridge.
My diet is very performance based and I tend to eat smart, which means eating around my training times so that I can fuel my body appropriately. I tend to eat about two hours before training and always have a recovery bar or a shake afterwards.
I always allow for treats too and I always seem to have a big meal in the evening.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb2A0ZmgC9o/
Your typical day?
My typical day food wise is this: in the morning I will have a black coffee and oats made with oat milk, topped with some banana or berries. Then I will train and have lunch which would involve carbs such as rice or pasta with vegetables such as courgette and of course protein such as salmon or chicken.
Then two hours later I will be in gym – after this I will have a snack such as a protein shake or a protein fueled bar. The big dinner meal would be similar to lunch – salmon, veggies and quinoa for example.
Why do you love nut butter?
I love peanut butter because is is an excellent source of protein and so easy to have as a quick snack. I have to say I do prefer smooth as opposed to crunchy.
How do you eat your nut butter?
I like to have nut butter with other foods such as rice cakes, apple slices or banana and in a smoothie or protein shake. I think peanut butter is just brilliant for a post training refuel.
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