Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
marketingcharts.com/topics/behavioral-marketing
According to a 2008 Simmons National Consumer Study, 23.6% of Americans are dieting and say mayo is their favorite "treat," right after ice cream and sorbet. Whoa—is mayo really a guilty pleasure food to so many? More than cookies? Granted, I loathe the white globs of blech, but always figured it was "just" a condiment to liven up tuna or BLTs, not something to sneak out of bed for secret midnight spoonfuls. [via Goodies First]
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27 Comments:
"Granted, I loathe the white globs of blech"
Whaaaat?! Have you ever had fresh-made mayonnaise?
Buckethead at 1:31PM on 01/22/09
Oh man thats so wrong.
mhurst826 at 1:40PM on 01/22/09
Even the idea of mayo makes my stomach turn - I have always hated it! It's a punishment, not a treat!
KarynMC at 1:41PM on 01/22/09
They obviously did not include me in that poll. Mayo is a condiment to be used sparingly, not a "treat". Gimme ice cream any day, baby!
juliebugsmama at 1:57PM on 01/22/09
No Way, I've never craved mayo.
dmcavanagh at 1:58PM on 01/22/09
I don't care what you think, I like Miracle Whip.
eatorama at 1:59PM on 01/22/09
Homemade mayo is heaven. Hellman's is just a habitual staple. I have no problem giving it up b/c there are some decent fat-free versions out there but I can sympathize with those who consider it a treat. Doesn't Wylie Dufresne have a fried version? Obviously he wouldn't bother if there were no mayonnaise fans out there.
sugarstack at 2:18PM on 01/22/09
My mom brought over some regular full fat Hellmans the other day to use while making crab cakes and a remoulade sauce. I've been using the light Hellmans only for years and was absolutely floored by how rich the regular stuff was in comparison, so, for the mayo inclined, I could see how they might consider it a treat. Homemade mayo would probably make my head explode at this point, if not my heart.
Amandarama at 2:41PM on 01/22/09
When I'm dieting, mayo is definitely an easy thing to cut out to reduce fat content, but I get tired of mustard and I don't think "light" or fat-free mayo tastes anywhere close to the real thing. (Miracle Whip is gross and not even an option.) I'm not sure I would call mayonnaise a "treat", but I do miss it on my sandwiches more than I miss sweets or snacks.
What's sad is that margarine is #3! Not real butter? I never have anything to do with margarine, diet or not. Trans fats, people!
Jeana at 2:42PM on 01/22/09
Wow, that's just wrong on so many levels...
Steen at 3:17PM on 01/22/09
I've never understood you mayo haters. Now, I don't eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon, but c'mon! It's good!
sailordave at 3:42PM on 01/22/09
... Maybe they forgot to mention the artichoke the mayo goes with?
(That's one of my favorite treats -- steamed artichoke, the edible ends of the leaf lightly dipped in mayo: Mm, mm. That's how I grew up having it.)
bansidhe at 4:12PM on 01/22/09
Margarine, really? Gimme butter.
Duc_m750 at 4:12PM on 01/22/09
Mayo is one of those things that, if you use on sandwiches, you really really miss when you're dieting. Sandwiches taste like shit when they're dry, and it's just a constant reminder of the fact that you're dieting. And lowfat or nonfat mayo taste like Miracle Whip to me, which is about as good as sprinkling splenda on a roast beef sandwich.
And I have to also echo the weirdness that is margarine being third? Margarine? Who the hell still eats that?
BangieB at 4:24PM on 01/22/09
I will defend one and only one kind of margarine - I genuinely like the taste of Earth Balance buttery sticks, especially in baking. At least it's not hydrogenated.
KarynMC at 4:27PM on 01/22/09
I too hate mayo -- oil and eggs beaten together is not my idea of a good time. Give me mustard instead of mayo on a sandwich and I'm a happy camper.
And there are plenty of margarines out there without transfats -- like I can't believe it's not butter. I keep real butter around for cooking, but always-soft nature of I can't believe it's not butter means it's perfect for spreading straight out of the fridge.
JGordon at 6:15PM on 01/22/09
Well, the first thing I thought about was a comment by youraudacity in reponse to the thead PerkyMac posted about eating after 10pm.
"it usually comes at 1... i'll totter downstairs barefoot and pretend i'm gonna be nice with a couple of leftover brussel sprouts and asparagus but then the next thing you know i'm head first into a jar of hellman's mayonnaise trying to wedge a piece of french bread down far enough to get a good goop and then tabasco is flying and 15 minutes later i have my tail between my legs for what i've just done."
That thread is: http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/01/its-10-pm-and-youre-starving.html
I identify and couldn't say it better. And hey, don't they dip fries in mayo in Amsterdam?
dhorst at 6:46PM on 01/22/09
Mmmm fries in mayo. That's the way I swing.
Cassaendra at 7:37PM on 01/22/09
Margarine? Pathetic.
peekpoke at 8:10PM on 01/22/09
noo this is not right!! cookies should be in # 2!
MariannaF at 8:07AM on 01/23/09
I don't eat mayo plain, and I don't think that is what this survey is implying. When I am dieting, I choose to have mayo on my turkey/tortilla rolls instead of having cheese and/or dessert. (I have low-fat Duke's mayo at home, which is not as good as regular mayo, but nowhere close to the grossness of Miracle Whip.) Sometimes I will just use Laughing Cow cheese on sandwiches instead of mayo or regular cheese. It helps the sandwich from being dry and gives the flavor of swiss, for fewer fat grams and calories than just a slice of cheese.
brittj8585 at 8:09AM on 01/23/09
Lol, no wonder everyone's fat. Just the thought of mayo is enough to clog my arteries.
usinda at 9:04AM on 01/23/09
If I don't have mayo on my sandwiches I feel like I'm in prison! Bring on that mayo!
Martini Me at 10:28AM on 01/23/09
I will NEVER understand why people like mayo so much. It's disgusting--the way it tastes and the way it feels in your mouth are both repulsive. Ranch dressing grosses me out, too.
beatle9 at 2:11PM on 01/23/09
@JGordon:
Try this...have some always soft spreadable BUTTER around by keeping some in a little covered croc outside of the fridge. It won't kill you because it's at room temp, I promise.
I was really surprised by margarine at number three. I really thought that we had started to make some headway in the learning process as far as nutrition was concerned.
The oils in margarine are so processed and then combined with emulsifiers, food coloring, etc. And while I am sure that lower end butter has it's own over-processing cross to bear, at least there are excellent quality alternatives where the ingredients (CREAM, SALT) come from reputable sources. I'm not so sure that they make a margarine with the same guidelines. Maybe Healthy Balance.
Just use butter! In moderation! It's better for you.
Soigne at 9:28AM on 01/24/09
My guilty pleasure for 50 years: Mayonnaise sandwich. Just Hellman's slathered on a good bread or roll - if the bread is crunchy (toasted enflish muffin works for this, there's a nice contrast to the lovely unctuous mouth feel of the mayo. In the summer, I'll give in and add a slice or two of garden fresh tomato.
fpatrick at 9:37AM on 02/07/09
Diets and diet aids do not help anyone. The only way to successfully lose weight and get the body that you deserve is by using the right information. This information is in the book Lose Weight Using Four Easy Steps which can be ordered through the website www.bbotw.com Everyone who has gotten a copy of this book has lost weight.
Todd29 at 12:45PM on 05/29/09