Australian Word Map

peanut paste

noun a smooth paste made from finely ground roasted peanuts, used as a spread, etc. Compare peanut butter.
Contributor's comments: It is my (unconfirmed) understanding that W.A. Gov't legislation prohibited the use of the word "butter" for products which were not really butter, i.e., made from cow juice. Hence, "peanut butter" was disallowed on the labels of peanut paste jars. (This comment applies to the W.A. of my childhood and youth (fifties, sixties).


Contributor's comments: In Brisbane, my friends and I all said peanut paste until we were about 15 (late 80s) but started saying peanut butter after that. Now when I occasionally slip up and say peanut paste people wonder what I mean.

Contributor's comments: In South Australia the prohibition of the use of the term peanut butter was the result of an injunction granted to the Dairy Farmers association in the late 50s or early 60s.

Contributor's comments: I did not realise that this term was regional, but until what I thought was the U.S. influence it was always called paste.

Contributor's comments: In either the 1920's or 30's the Queensland Labor Government did legislate against the term 'butter' for the same reasons as also attributed to WA. It drove the ETA's of the world crazy having to produce different labels for the same product.

Contributor's comments: As a kid in Townsville North QLD, I grew up with 'Peanut Paste'. I was actually surprised when I first heard an Australian say 'Peanut Butter' because I didn't think it was a name in wide use - more an Americanism .

Contributor's comments: [Melbourne informant] Similarly to the experience of the WA contributor, my mother told me that Qld law prohibited it being called peanut butter as it was not actually butter. I'm trying to educate Victorians about the term, and steadfastly refuse to use "peanut butter".

Contributor's comments: In Adelaide, & apparently in most of Australia according to other contributors, this product used to be called peanut paste, but now is called Peanut butter by the manufacturers (or marketers). It would be interesting to survey which term the buyers prefer.

Contributor's comments: Peanut spread: "I love peanut paste on toast." I lived in WA for over 50 years and it has always been known as 'paste'.

Contributor's comments: When I moved to Perth in the early 80s peanut paste was going strong, and people were very defensive about it too. Now my WAussie kids and all their friends use peanut butter almost exclusively, and even the old WAussies are giving up on peanut paste.

Contributor's comments: ETA Foods marketed the product in Q'land as peanut paste and as peanut butter in the southern states up to the late 50's when they announced that the cost of duel ladling was uneconomical and from then on adopted peanut butter nationally. I still only use peanut paste.

Contributor's comments: Growing up, "paste" was always used in Adelaide at least till I left in 1977.

Contributor's comments: Born and raised in South Oz I said peanut paste but since I moved to Vic everyone corrects me to peanut butter.

Contributor's comments: I have always called it peanut paste but my American-born husband calls it Peanut butter. Now my younger brothers, all reared on Sesame Street and other American programmes, use peanut paste. I tried to get Dick Smith to call his product peanut butter, to no avail.

Contributor's comments: I didn't realise I only ever used the term peanut paste until I sent my husband shopping with peanut paste on the list - he had no idea what I meant and neither did the young shop assistant who thought I must mean satay sauce. I then thought maybe it was a WA word I had carried over to NSW.

Contributor's comments: [Brisbane informant] I've prefer to call the spread Peanut Paste. To me peanut butter is an Americanism. As so so much Americanism is creeping into our everyday language I try and minimise my use of any Americanism as much as possible.

Contributor's comments: Ex - patriate from SA who only knew it as peanut paste until moving to NSW in the 1980's.

Contributor's comments: I grew up with 'peanut paste' in Perth, but have buckled under to calling it peanut butter since moving east in the early seventies. I cannot recall hearing it called peanut paste outside of WA.

Contributor's comments: [Brisbane informant] As far back as I remember it has always been called paste and never butter as butter is made from cow's cream and not peanuts.

Contributor's comments: I was raised in Qld and the term 'Peanut paste' was always used. I had never heard of 'Peanut Butter' until we visited friends in Sydney. Now all products are labelled 'Peanut Butter' which has no relationship to butter.

Contributor's comments: I was brought up in South Australia in the fifties and sixties, and peanut paste was the only term used for this product. I remember travelling by train past the ETA factory in Adelaide and seeing peanut paste on all the advertising signs. As far as I am concerned 'butter' is an unwelcome Americanism that ought to be rejected.

Contributor's comments: ALWAYS called peanut paste - my wife and children insist it is peanut butter. Almost certainly changed because of advertising!