BristolUK

I never liked it. Horrible stuff.
The Canadian family never liked it either.

A week ago my MIL was making one of her chicken salad mixes and discovered we were out of mayo, so stepson was sent off to Shoppers to get some. I think they usually have Kraft or PC which are both fine.

But all they had was Hellman's. I noticed the jar did not say Real. It did say olive oil Mayo (and something about free run eggs). It went into the mix and I had a little taste. It seemed different. Not horrible.

Today, for lunch, I just had a few chips (made in the actifry of course ) and a dollop of Hellmann's mayo. It was very nice - just like other mayos.

I've googled and all I can find are complaints that the recipe has changed and it's runnier than it used to be with this being denied by the manufacturer. The stuff in this jar just seems no different to other mayos but it's certainly different to Hellmann's so called Real Mayo.

So now I can happily buy Hellmann's but not the awful real one.

Anyone have any thoughts or secret knowledge?

Jerseygirl

I haven't tried the olive oil mayo...but I loved Helman's Balsamic Mayo...which they have now discontinued.

Pulaski

If you Google <Hellmann's mayonaise recipe change> there are numerous pages and articles going back at least 14 years, but the last change that Hellmanns admitted was in 2006, and in 2015 they insisted that there had been no change to the recipe/ingredients.

That said, they can change things and still argue that the recipe "hasn't changed" such as using a different vegetable oil, or processing the ingredients at a different temperature or blending them in a different order.

BristolUK

Yep, I came across that. I'm just not sure if the olive oil version is what makes the difference (with another brand both versions were equally nice) or if a previous change (I think I saw 2003 and 2006) turned it into something edible.

But those admitted changes seemed too minor.

Pulaski

Well the olive oil would certainly make a huge difference. I have tried an olive oil spread, though not recently, and both its taste and colour were markedly different from the "regular" equivalent.

BristolUK

Yes, with a spread. I've had a particular brand of Mayo with and without. Both were equally good as opposed to edible and poisonous which would be the case with Hellmann's if indeed this was the reason.

Howefamily

I love it, what did you not like?

scrubbedexpat091

Can't say I ever noticed anything different about Hellmans vs other brands, always tasted the same as any other brand to me...

Oink

I like it myself. Especially for dipping Dortitos in (only nacho cheese flavour, I'm not a barbarian).

BristolUK

Hard to say. I always liked Salad Cream whether it was Heinz or another brand. I just liked a salad cream sandwich

As a child a friend of mine, half Dutch, would sometimes have a plate of chips at home for tea and a big dollop of mayo.

I was quite put off as I viewed it as thick salad cream and I didn't think salad cream of any consistency would go with chips.

I went to The Netherlands with him and everywhere we ate I turned it down until one time in the restaurant at Rotterdam station, in my best Dutch I asked for hamburger met frites alstublieft and unlike all the other times when trying and being answered in English the guy responded in Dutch and I had no idea what he said.

Apparently he asked if I wanted mayo and he must have thought I nodded or something because I got it on the plate.

So I tried it and loved it.

But it wasn't common in England. I remember Crosse and Blackwell did it but then it disappeared. Hellmann's was the only other and it just didn't seem the same as all the others I liked.

Everytime I was in Europe thereafter and I had mayo it was nothing like Hellman's.

So maybe my discovery was that mayo went fantastically well with chips but it had to be continental European.

This is a very long winded way of saying I didn't like it because it's different.

So if you like Hellman's (not the olive oil version) do you think it's the same as, say, Kraft or PC?

For me, even the cheap store brands from Walmart and Giant Tiger are good. Hellman's is (or at least was) just not the same. Is it possible Hellman's is fine with a salad or in a sandwich and that it's only different with chips?

Stinkypup

And you have the gall to slag me off for liking marmite...


I bet you liked Heinz sandwich spread as well didnt you?

BristolUK

You must have me confused with someone else. I love marmite
It was okay but much prefer Branston pickle.

Stinkypup

Ok .... not you, but 50% of the people otherwise

I love Branston - Ideally the small chunk version

BristolUK

Have you tried marmite on sprouts?

Stinkypup

My mum used to make marmite and grated carrot sandwiches for school... I thought she liked me but clearly not