Cheaper alternative to Hellman's mayo?!

Escapees · 22-07-2020 10:49pm #1

We get through a lot of mayo in our household, even adding it to some dinner sauces for more flavour. Hellman's is great tasting, but it's crazy expensive compared to shop own brands (even when it's on special). So, just wondering if anyone has come across a budget brand that tastes similar?!

We've found the Dunnes and Tesco stuff tastes like a cross between mayo and salad cream, and the Aldi mayo tastes really odd because it uses lime instead of lemon juice. Surely there's a good, cheap take-off of Hellman's out there?! Have zero interest in making homemade stuff btw!!

Rows Grower · 22-07-2020 10:54pm

Escapees wrote: »

We get through a lot of mayo in our household, even adding it to some dinner sauces for more flavour. Hellman's is great tasting, but it's crazy expensive compared to shop own brands (even when it's on special). So, just wondering if anyone has come across a budget brand that tastes similar?!

We've found the Dunnes and Tesco stuff tastes like a cross between mayo and salad cream, and the Aldi mayo tastes really odd because it uses lime instead of lemon juice. Surely there's a good, cheap take-off of Hellman's out there?! Have zero interest in making homemade stuff btw!!

Nope, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there is nothing else in this world that tastes even remotely like Hellman's mayonnaise.

You just gotta keep buying that brand and dam the expense.

jellybear · 22-07-2020 11:10pm

Supervalu own brand is surprisingly nice!! I don't think anything will beat Hellmans but it gives it a run for its money

Nutser · 22-07-2020 11:31pm

Lidl own brand is not bad either but I tend to stick to hellmans.

Tree · 23-07-2020 12:04am

I think there's lemon juice or something in hellmans as the souring agent compared to more vinegar on other ones, maybe try adulterating own brand?

I can't stand hellmans, so i'm on heinz since they launched. (and we buy the giant bottles when they're on offer every other week...)

The Nal · 28-07-2020 11:05am

Rows Grower wrote: »

Nope, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there is nothing else in this world that tastes even remotely like Hellman's mayonnaise.

I stopped buying it years ago. Bramwells from Aldi is excellent, as is Tescos own brand, Supervalues too. All about 80c vs 4 quid for Hellmans.

I doubt you'd be able to tell the difference in a blind taste (most people can't) and Hellmans is 4 times the price. If its going on a sambo or burger you won't see any difference.

If you want something a little different try Kewpie mayo.

Pinch Flat · 28-07-2020 11:09am

Aldi essentials mayo is lovely.

ButtersSuki · 28-07-2020 11:10am

You could just stock up when it's on offer?

neris · 28-07-2020 11:10am

Tesco own brand then Lidls. Not sure of prices but the tubs of mayo from the east european shops are good too

Alex86Eire · 28-07-2020 12:43pm

The Nal wrote: »

I stopped buying it years ago. Bramwells from Aldi is excellent, as is Tescos own brand, Supervalues too. All about 80c vs 4 quid for Hellmans.

I doubt you'd be able to tell the difference in a blind taste (most people can't) and Hellmans is 4 times the price. If its going on a sambo or burger you won't see any difference.

If you want something a little different try Kewpie mayo.

I totally disagree with you there. I've tried Bramwells and Tescos and found them very different to Helmanns. A different texture and taste.

leahyl · 28-07-2020 12:53pm

I think the Bramwells mayo from Aldi is the closest to Hellmans - Lidl and Dunnes brands taste nothing like it.

ClydeTallyBump · 28-07-2020 3:01pm

I like Marks and Spencer's mayo. They have some great flavoured mayos too, especially the peri peri one.

BonnieSituation · 28-07-2020 3:03pm

This is the stuff to get stuck into:

https://www.asiamarket.ie/qp-kewpie-mayonnaise-500g.html

They also have it in Dunnes and Super Valu.

Faith · 28-07-2020 3:06pm

The Nal wrote: »

If you want something a little different try Kewpie mayo.

Kewpie is amazing, but it's Japanese mayo which is a whole different kettle of fish from Hellman's. Worth being aware of that. It's like mayonnaise and salad cream had a baby.

BonnieSituation · 28-07-2020 3:14pm

The Nal wrote: »

I stopped buying it years ago. Bramwells from Aldi is excellent, as is Tescos own brand, Supervalues too. All about 80c vs 4 quid for Hellmans.

I doubt you'd be able to tell the difference in a blind taste (most people can't) and Hellmans is 4 times the price. If its going on a sambo or burger you won't see any difference.

If you want something a little different try Kewpie mayo.

BonnieSituation wrote: »

This is the stuff to get stuck into:

https://www.asiamarket.ie/qp-kewpie-mayonnaise-500g.html

They also have it in Dunnes and Super Valu.

Faith wrote: »

Kewpie is amazing, but it's Japanese mayo which is a whole different kettle of fish from Hellman's. Worth being aware of that. It's like mayonnaise and salad cream had a baby.

Missed The Nal's recommendation before I made mine.

Kewpie is fantastic stuff. We batter through it so quickly in this place and there's only 2 of us here!

The Nal · 28-07-2020 3:20pm

Faith wrote: »

Kewpie is amazing, but it's Japanese mayo which is a whole different kettle of fish from Hellman's. Worth being aware of that. It's like mayonnaise and salad cream had a baby.

You think? A little sweeter alright but I like it. And I hate salad cream.

s1ippy · 28-07-2020 3:26pm

It takes one or two goes to get it right but if you've made your own mayo the stuff from the shop is like eating lard.

2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper as desired
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
250ml sunflower oil
2 tsp lemon juice

1 Season and whisk the egg yolks and mustard
2 When thickened, add a small drop of the oil and whisk that in
3 Gradually add more oil and whisk (not too much oil at a time or it'll come apart)
4 When it's all combined, squeeze in the lemon juice and give a final stir

Absolutely delicious and costs next to nothing. Keeps for three days covered in the fridge. I usually do meringues or scrambled eggs or an omelette with the spare egg whites.

hullaballoo · 28-07-2020 3:33pm

Use a stick blender to make mayonnaise rather than the laborious and inconsistent dribble method: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/two-minute-mayonnaise.html

Also fwiw, don't season until the end because you'll risking curing the egg yolks.

We get the Aldi own brand stuff as a next-best option after seeing a blind taste test on Eat Well for Less where it won the challenge ahead of Hellman's. I still prefer Hellman's ofc but it's only normal to have a preference for what you were raised on.

s1ippy · 28-07-2020 5:45pm

Never tried using the mixer, great shout.

omri · 28-07-2020 7:03pm

Anyone who wants a good mayo should try this one - never went back to any other brand since.

Faith · 29-07-2020 11:01am

The Nal wrote: »

You think? A little sweeter alright but I like it. And I hate salad cream.

Yeah, it's sweeter and tangier. To be fair, I'll substitute it for normal mayo in many areas, but there are definitely a few where it won't work. I wouldn't have Kewpie with chips, I don't think, but it's great in a BLT, or in mashed potatoes, or with rice in a more japanese-style meal.

I've signed up to an Amazon subscription for it so it gets delivered every month

Space Dog · 29-07-2020 12:35pm

Faith wrote: »

Yeah, it's sweeter and tangier. To be fair, I'll substitute it for normal mayo in many areas, but there are definitely a few where it won't work. I wouldn't have Kewpie with chips, I don't think, but it's great in a BLT, or in mashed potatoes, or with rice in a more japanese-style meal.

I've signed up to an Amazon subscription for it so it gets delivered every month

I love kewpie on chips. I find it's more like continental Europe-style mayo than Hellman's.
And egg mayo made with kewpie is great.

Escapees · 01-08-2020 4:57pm

Thanks for all the feedback - will try for the laugh making my own mayo, although I suspect I'll probably prefer the processed type!

The chan chan man · 02-08-2020 8:12am

Hellmans full fat mayo cannot be replicated. It is simply the best!

RunRoryRun · 02-08-2020 8:18am

I was raised on Hellman’s and made the switch to Heinz a few years ago. Much nicer flavour and usually on offer at €2 in one of the supermarkets for the big bottle.

phormium · 02-08-2020 10:37am

I make my own a lot of the time especially if I want to convert some to tartare sauce or seafood sauce. I like home made mayonnaise but it does not taste like Hellmans or any other of the purchased ones in my opinion. I'd always have a jar of something readymade in the fridge for convenience as wouldn't always have a jar of homemade, I don't actually like Hellmans that much so would only pick that up if on offer, normally buy some random cheaper one.

I like the sound of that one recommended though, I used to love Miracle Whip which you can't get anymore and I have tried many of the online copycat recipes but to me they are nothing like it either, it's sweeter than mayonnaise so will try that Kewpie stuff and see

Lady Haywire · 02-08-2020 11:02am

omri wrote: »

Anyone who wants a good mayo should try this one - never went back to any other brand since.

I don't eat mayonnaise often but I use a teeny bit of it as a cat treat (don't ask :pac:)

Cats will not touch this one, so it's a paws down from this house! They can also tell the light Hellmans from the full fat stuff, so I should have known the brand difference could cause issues

the beer revolu · 02-08-2020 11:36am

The chan chan man wrote: »

Hellmans full fat mayo cannot be replicated. It is simply the best!

It's just what you are used to.
No better or worse than most other mass produced mayonnaise.

RasTa · 02-08-2020 12:40pm

What's the thick stuff you get in Holland with your chips?

L1011 · 02-08-2020 2:45pm

RasTa wrote: »

What's the thick stuff you get in Holland with your chips?

Fritesaus. Can't be got in Ireland. I buy it online

It's basically thickened low fat mayo, possibly with capers

Thargor · 02-08-2020 10:16pm

RasTa wrote: »

What's the thick stuff you get in Holland with your chips?

L1011 wrote: »

Fritesaus. Can't be got in Ireland. I buy it online

It's basically thickened low fat mayo, possibly with capers

The French Fry sauce you get in McDonalds in Paris and a couple of other places is unbelievably good, wish I could recreate it or even describe it:

Back here I tend to keep an eye on Dealz, sometimes you can nab a massive Heinz or Helmanns bottle for €1.50 or €2.50. Its good to change brands every now and then or else I find everything gets a bit tasteless after a while.

Smiles35 · 02-08-2020 11:46pm

omri wrote: »

Anyone who wants a good mayo should try this one - never went back to any other brand since.

I think Heinz are on to this. I had a sachet of Heinz and it was closer to this than anything else. Meh. This is a specialty sauce though in my opinion. It's something different and goes well on something strange like noodles. It's not for burgers, rolls/sandwiches .ect

Smiles35 · 02-08-2020 11:59pm

Thargor wrote: »

The French Fry sauce you get in McDonalds in Paris and a couple of other places is unbelievably good, wish I could recreate it or even describe it:

I'm not having that with my chips. I'm with the the Pulp Fiction guy on that. You'l be coming at us with CurryWurst next. You don't go to Paris for Mayo on your chips!

antix80 · 03-08-2020 12:05am

Steer clear of any light or low fat options. Vile.

I agree with previous poster who advised you to stock up when it's on sale.

Making your own is a nice idea but hardly practical and quite a different taste to hellmans. Possibly more expensive too

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 03-08-2020 12:37am

I used to buy Bramwell's when shopping at Aldi because I couldn't be arsed going elsewhere just for Hellmann's and to be fair, the difference was negligible in my mind. Plus it seemed like it was about half the price.

Thargor · 03-08-2020 5:08pm

I think a glass jar makes a big difference aswell compared to the plastic squeezy bottle, strong chance of that being all in my head though.

Lissavane · 10-08-2020 2:18pm

Thargor wrote: »

I think a glass jar makes a big difference aswell compared to the plastic squeezy bottle, strong chance of that being all in my head though.

I agree and it's not your imagination. It's also best not leave it out of the fridge for any longer than absolutely necessary, once open - texture and flavour can be affected fast.

I think I've tried every alternative at one time or other and have always returned to Hellmann's. The only alternative I will accept is Bramwells from Aldi!

One thing I find a bit strange about Hellmann's jars is they don't have that pop up safety button to let you know if the seal has been broken. There's a plastic seal around the lid but that won't tell you if the lid had been loosened at some stage.

Tig98 · 10-08-2020 2:20pm

Maybe look into buying a catering tub of Hellmanns?

Its the kind of thing that has a long shelf life. You could save a decent bit of money by going for bulk

Escapees · 23-10-2020 9:57pm

Faith wrote: »

Kewpie is amazing, but it's Japanese mayo which is a whole different kettle of fish from Hellman's. Worth being aware of that. It's like mayonnaise and salad cream had a baby.

Update: Conclusion for me is that Hellman's can't be beaten. But I tried out the rather expensive Kewpie for what it's worth and found the above quote to be spot on -> I found it awful but I hate salad cream!

Still have to try making homemade mayo...

tscul32 · 23-10-2020 10:12pm

Tesco or Lidl at a push, but I've found that it's regularly on offer so I just bulk buy when it is. Haven't paid full price (usually half) in years.

RasTa · 22-11-2020 9:05pm

Do you store your Kewpie in the fridge or room temp?

Escapees · 22-11-2020 10:52pm

RasTa wrote: »

Do you store your Kewpie in the fridge or room temp?

Fridge, I think it said to on the plastic packaging...

Rickytumtum · 22-11-2020 10:55pm

I actually love the polish brand mayo, discovered it in the polish section in Tesco. It’s amazing and my new number 1, but unfortunately it’s probably more expensive than Hellmans. I def recommend for anyone lurking about this thread.

Space Dog · 22-11-2020 11:40pm

RasTa wrote: »

Do you store your Kewpie in the fridge or room temp?

I'd store any mayo in the fridge once opened...

22-11-2020 11:47pm

Polish mayonnaise is lovely. Once you have it Hellmans just tasted like chemicals.

Anyway, OP, all you have to do is find out what other mayo the Hellmans factory make. All brands make non brand items for supermarkets
Then you get your cheaper mayo

chefy · 26-11-2020 10:09am

omri wrote: »

Anyone who wants a good mayo should try this one - never went back to any other brand since.

I agree. This tastes much closer to professionally mademayonnaise.

Smiles35 · 03-12-2020 8:37pm

chefy wrote: »

I agree. This tastes much closer to professionally mademayonnaise.

That is lovely, and I'd say everyone should try that. It's not everyday food though in my opinion. I had it on noodles of all things. I wouldn't put it on a sandwich though.

Escapees · 03-12-2020 10:37pm

OP here - well, as an update, we finally got round to making our own mayo. I used a hand blender and it all started to do its thing... and then the emulsion broke! And I was left with a curdled mess...

I tried some of it with raw garlic - tasted very buttery oddly enough - before having another go at blending it again. I added a new egg and with a bit more care blending this time, ended up with home-made mayo!

It was very like Hellman's, but much eggier. Not sure I like the egginess oddly enough, but it probably didn't help that an extra one had been added! Will try making it again with just one egg and play around with the seasoning a bit more next time.

Thargor · 20-05-2021 9:28pm

bubblypop wrote: »

Polish mayonnaise is lovely. Once you have it Hellmans just tasted like chemicals.

Anyway, OP, all you have to do is find out what other mayo the Hellmans factory make. All brands make non brand items for supermarkets
Then you get your cheaper mayo

omri wrote: »

Anyone who wants a good mayo should try this one - never went back to any other brand since.

Saw this in Tesco the other day and remembered this thread so took a punt, its fecking lovely! Its so tangy, almost a horseradish/vinegar taste off it, hard to describe but its what mayonnaise used to taste like to me as a kid. Im using it on everything lately, my collection of various sauces for chips is obsolete now, its this stuff from now on:

Must try making tuna with it next. I made a crisp sandwich with it the other night and had to make another one straight afterwards.

Escapees · 20-05-2021 9:56pm

Will this thread ever die I wonder?!

We actually tried that Polish mayonnaise since, and hoped for the best (despite the ingredients listing), but... we both found it to be more like salad cream than mayo! Have ended up just going back to Hellman's... But each to their own!

lenscap · 21-05-2021 12:07pm

Has anyone tried this. The squeezy bottle is cheaper (425ml €0.69) than the jar (450ml €1.34)

For me I think it tastes very much like Hellman's.

Cheaper alternative to Hellman's mayo?!

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