A dispenser for butter or other spreadable foodstuffs comprising an elongate vertical housing defining a substantially parallelepiped chamber open at the top and bottom, and a squarefaced piston movably disposed within the chamber for incrementally advancing a stick of butter enclosed therein until a predetermined quantity of the butter protrudes from the top of the chamber. A spatula having a blade with width dimensions corresponding approximately to the width dimensions of an area enclosed by a generally U-shaped, walled enclosure formed part way around the top of the housing is demountably attached to the housing to facilitate removal of the butter as it protrudes from the chamber into the walled enclosure. While in the chamber, the butter stick is protected from contamination at its lower end by the face of the piston and at its upper end by a cap member removably fitted over the top of the housing. In one embodiment, the piston is vertically self-supporting and is advanced through the chamber by lowering the housing therearound. In another embodiment, the housing is vertically self-supporting and the piston is advanced therethrough by a lever-operated pawl mounted on the housing and positionable to engage and upwardly advance a multi-toothed ratchet strip formed along one side of the piston.