A sandwich with organic peanut butter. Team smooth or team crunchy? We took a look at TerraSana in Leimuiden where 21 types of nut spreads roll off the conveyor belt every day. Smooth peanut butter, crunchy, cashew, hazelnut, amdandel... But the most surprising thing? How simple it actually is. Because what's in their peanut butter? Just 100% peanuts. Nothing more! And that's special, because that's so not the case with all peanut butters!
Organic food with TerraSana
In collaboration with TerraSana
You may know TerraSana products from the shelves of eco-supermarkets. This family-run organic company - with B corp certification - has been around for 35 years and is known for its nut spreads, but its range is much wider. From Japanese soy sauce to coconut products, from noodles to vegan snacks and Mediterranean spreads, TerraSana has more than 400 products. What they all have in common? They are 100% organic, almost entirely plant-based - except for two or three products - and contain no unnecessary additives. No thickeners, no artificial ingredients. Just pure ingredients, in other words. And you can taste that. Especially in the nut spreads. Whether you go for the classic peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) or for a surprising mix with almond, hazelnut, sesame or even chai - really! - at TerraSana, you can be sure there's nothing in it that shouldn't be there. And that makes this a shopping tip that definitely belongs on your greener list.
It can be that simple: making organic peanut butter at TerraSana
At TerraSana, making peanut butter is no secret. The organic peanuts - after roasting at another location - are delivered in big bags of up to a thousand kilos. Then things happen pretty quickly: the nuts go through the grinder and are finely ground into a creamy paste. Do you opt for crunchy? Then freshly chopped nut pieces are added. They simply make these themselves, by chopping nuts in a separate machine and adding them just before filling. This does require some extra handwork and attention, but you can taste that love back. This keeps the nuts in the peanut butter nice and crunchy. The glass jars are then ready. A robot places them neatly on the conveyor belt, after which they are filled, sealed, checked and labelled. Everything is checked: is the jar food-safe, is the lid tight, is the label straight? Only when everything is right, the six of them are allowed in a box. Ready for shipment to eco-supermarkets like Ekoplaza, Odin or Crisp - or abroad, where they also love ‘our’ spreads. This happens some 4,400 times an hour, accounting for over three million jars a year. And that with really only one ingredient!
Visiting TerraSana's peanut butter factory. Leimuiden is where their organic peanut butter, as well as the 20 other types of nut spreads, are made.
This is what you need to know about organic peanut butter
If you open a jar of organic peanut butter, you will often find it has a layer of oil on top. For those used to the lumpy supermarket variety, this might take some getting used to, but it's actually a good sign. This is because TerraSana doesn't use palm oil or binders to hold everything together. That oil? That just comes from the peanuts themselves. Many other brands add a thickener - even if the label promises ‘100%’. But at TerraSana, 100% really is 100%. Just stir and you're done. Want to slow down that layer of oil? Then put the jar in the fridge after opening.
Want to know more? Then check out all 21 nut spreads and discover your favourite! Tip: these nut spreads are also delicious in cottage cheese, baked goods or on a smoothie bowl! Enjoy!
Introducing: TerraSana
Have you heard of TerraSana? This Dutch family-run company has been making honest, organic products since 1989. They now have more than four hundred of them, and counting. From peanut butter to Japanese noodles, almost everything is 100% plant-based and sans unnecessary additives. Nice detail: their nut butters are made with power from their own 252 solar panels. In 2024, they received the B Corp seal of approval, a big kudos for their sustainable approach. Their secret? Working for years with small farmers and family farms all over the world. In short: a delicious and responsible choice on the shelf!
Never again look for healthy sandwich fillings that fit the five-slice diet with these 21 types of organic nut spreads from TerraSana.
More food tips
- Also see: Why not all bread is vegan?
- Also see: cooking with leftovers, that's how you do it!
- Also see: No Waste Army: saving food from being wasted!
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
