Reddi-wip or Cool Whip: Way or No Way?
You can get Reddi-wip made with real cream and sugar (also has corn syrup) and it's fewer calories than Cool Whip, which is made with hydrogenated vegetable oil - YUM! Sandra Lee prefers the Cool Whip because it would hold up in a tsunami. Reddi-wip also comes in chocolate (tempting me), and fat free (hmmm.....no real cream there).
Reddi-wip has the fun factor of squirting into somebody's mouth or elsewhere.
I'm a DIY real whipped cream person, but in a pinch (like needing it for a dessert in a non-foodie household without even a whisk) I might buy the real cream Reddi-wip. Not in my house though. My father used to love to squirt it in our mouths and give us each a mustache & beard, so it brings back some fun childhood memories. To get Cool Whip past my lips, I'd need to be departed from this world, and they'd need a pry bar to part these lips.
I know we're all "real" food junkies, but would you consider either in a "can't possibly whip cream here" pinch? Or, is it your habit to have it on hand to top a dessert, hot chocolate, Irish coffee or ice cream with no bother at all? Way or No Way?
AND:
What are your favorite add-ins to any whipped cream? I use vanilla and sugar, but a little maple syrup or liqueur would be good. Haven't done chocolate yet - would you melt some and add it?
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57 Comments:
NO WAY on either for me anyway. DH always has his can of extra creamy Reddi-wip in the fridge for his ice cream. I blame his mother.
izatryt at 9:19AM on 01/21/09
Home made whipped cream is best, but I always have a tub a Cool Whip Free in my fridge, a 2 T serving is 0 points, hard to beat, and adds a lot to a coffee or jello or some fat free pudding.
cesnyc at 9:33AM on 01/21/09
I LOVE whipped cream, I put whipped cream on everything (mostly sweet), I put whipped cream on top of whipped cream even. The real kind I add the normal vanilla, sugar, but I have added other extracts (depending what i am making), liquors, chocolate, berries, fruits. But.....laziness can overwhelm me at times and I will get the Redi-wip I like it extra rich. Cool Whip I haven't had that in ages. When I was about 3-4 yrs old (before they used to have saftey seals on Cool Whip) at the grocery store in the Cool Whip aisle I would make sure no one was looking, open the Cool Whip container, with my finger take a single swipe of it (just one) thne put the lid back on and put it back. I also remember Deam Whip, also decades since I have had that as well, that too had a odd taste to it,but i ate it as a kid, I think people used to make those jello parfaits (sp) with Dream Whip that was EVER so popular in the 60's and 70's. Anyone know what else was made with Dream Whip?
pjracz10 at 9:33AM on 01/21/09
@iz ~ Mothers always get blamed. I blame my father. He bought it, not mom. LOL
PerkyMac at 9:34AM on 01/21/09
@pj ~ I forgot about Dream Whip. Never used it - wasn't it in a box? Was it a powder that you added to a liquid? I'm guessing milk?
PerkyMac at 9:40AM on 01/21/09
I prefer reddiwip if I can't have the real deal. I Do use Dream Whip for a specific jello layer dessert and I don't know what I'll do if they ever discontinue it. Cool whip only for very specific recipes or items - for example we went to 2 different Halloween parties and I made tiny pumpkin pies (mini muffin pan sized) that were going to sit out and only cool whip could stand up to that. After we arrived at the 2nd party the hostess told me that cool whip now comes in a can like reddiwhip (she had some of course).
MaresyDotes at 9:44AM on 01/21/09
no, no, no, no, no.
cybercita at 9:55AM on 01/21/09
I've never liked whipped cream of any kind! As a kid, when I used to get black-and-white parfaits at restaurants, I used to 'trade' my whipped cream for maraschino cherries. Guess I wanted to get my serving of fruits and veggies for the day ;)
A few people I know love stirring Cool Whip Fat Free, 25 calories a tablespoon, in cottage cheese or yogurt, for a high-protein 'dessert'--clever, and almost makes me wish I liked it.
And then there were a few guys in college I knew who LOVED Reddi-wip for um, reasons that had nothing to do with taste....
HeartofGlass at 9:58AM on 01/21/09
I'm not a "FOOD SNOB" and as we all know from the thread "CULINARY SLUMMING", everyone's eating some kind of junk, so I admit, that at times both Cool Whip and Reddi-Whip take up residence in my fridge. No one every seems to find fault with Reddi-Whip. Cool Whips another story.
dmcavanagh at 10:06AM on 01/21/09
@Perky- I think Dream Whip was with milk, it had this "different" taste to it, not nasty (at least when I was a kid), I just remember m mother making it just when she made those jello parfaits. I remember I seemed to like the lime jello and Dream Whip combo the best. I remember she would layer it in wine glasses and she always nagging me to be extra careful and not break the glass. lol.
pjracz10 at 10:12AM on 01/21/09
I'll use the canned whipped cream but not cool whip - I had a bad experience with it in university - my roomie had a Irish coffee party and ran out of real cream at some point during the evening. She dashed to the corner store and grabbed some cool whip. Spooned it into another dish (not sure why - perhaps the Irish whiskey and Irish Mist were having their evil ways with her!). The dish ended up in the back of the fridge, where I found it two weeks later, completely separated - a thick layer of oil with white sludge in the bottom. I can't even look at the containers in the store to this day (20 years plus later!)
Maureen at 10:16AM on 01/21/09
I'd say "no" in almost all instances. My one exception would be Key Lime Pie. I have a truly simple, really tasty recipe that includes Cool Whip. Other than that, I say "No Way!"
1stmakearoux at 10:22AM on 01/21/09
I found a description of Dream Whip on a website aptly named Practically Edible. The box comes with packets (are you listening Shamdra???), that you whip with cold milk and vanilla extract. So, you sub higher fat real cream with who knows what chemicals. Exact same method. Made by Kraft, who also make Cool Whip. In case you were also curious.
I'll add No Way to Dream Whip as well as Cool Whip.
@Heart - the alternative use of Reddi-wip is what I was referring to....;-)
PerkyMac at 10:24AM on 01/21/09
It's got to be the real thing. I have a Magic Bullet. It whips up cream quickly. Real whipped cream is great with a bit of maple syrup mixed in. I once mixed in some maple whiskey that a friend had left behind and it was excellent.
CanadianFoodieGirl at 10:35AM on 01/21/09
No way. Absolutely not. Neither one. Never. Never.
Steen at 10:38AM on 01/21/09
I may be odd, but I do not care for whipped cream. If I order something for dessert and it comes with a dollop of whipped cream, I usually don't eat it. On occasion, I may fancy some berries & whipped cream, but I would make my own whipped cream for that. And it's more in theory anyway, as usually when I have fresh berries, I'd rather have them with cheese. So NO WAY then, for me, but not even because they are not "the real thing", since I don't care for 'the real thing" either:-).
brooke29 at 10:53AM on 01/21/09
both- My MIL when in charge of bring dessert ( big box baked pie usually) she always brings cool whip. I generally make homemade ice cream instead but she is a cool whip fan. I like the aerosol can as it is easier but I wonder about it. I vote both and neither! I seem to be having a multiple personality problem today. :)
love2cook at 10:58AM on 01/21/09
I loved Cool Whip as a kid and I still like it. I like the real-cream Reddi-whip better. That whole "whipped-cream bikini" thing doesn't really work so well, though--it just kind of melts right off.
buffy at 11:07AM on 01/21/09
I'm a Reddi-Whip girl.
bessfour at 11:15AM on 01/21/09
You'll have to put me down as a "no way" for whipped cream. I just become instantly disgusted with myself whenever I eat it.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 11:19AM on 01/21/09
@PerkyMac--ha! Actually, I wasn't referring to the 'fun' use of whipped cream--the guys I knew in college assured me they could get high from inhaling the fumes from the spray can, although I never asked them to 'demonstrate.'
@brooke, Hillary, and others--I always thought I was odd for not liking whipped cream, as well--I know people with far less of a taste for sweets than myself who adore it and can eat it straight...different strokes as they say...
HeartofGlass at 11:28AM on 01/21/09
My husband adores pumpkin pie but only with cool whip. I once saw him waste an entire pie because we didn't have cool whip. We had some whipping cream so I offered to make him some real whipped cream but he turned it down. He said it wasn't the same. I could hardly believe it.
LizSherman at 11:43AM on 01/21/09
@Heart - I wouldn't think that not liking whipped cream may be odd were it not for the fact that whenever I mention that, people tend to make it very clear that they don't believe I actually don't care for it, but think that I refuse it because of some kind of a "diet". But I honestly don't care for the taste. Like I said - I'd rather have cheese with my berries, and I doubt there are fewer calories in cheese. And we all know how much I love ice cream, but whipped cream on ice cream? To me, it's a ridiculous combination (I'd rather have extra ice cream:-)). When I first saw it, I could not believe my eyes! Different strokes indeed...
brooke29 at 11:50AM on 01/21/09
Mostly no way. I always make my own whipped cream. Can't stand Reddi-whip. That said, I have a weakness for jello topped w/cool whip. Clearly this is a taste formed in childhood. I've tried Jello w/real whipped cream and it doesn't work. I've had Cool Whip on other stuff. It doesn't work. I guess those two particular cup-o-chem foods interact really well together.
Hmmm. Now I want stupid Cool Whip and Jello. Damn you @Perky!
chisai at 12:04PM on 01/21/09
Definite no way to cool-whip, I can't stand the stuff!
But way to the real stuff and reddi-whip, the real stuff is plain good no matter what you add to it, and reddi-whip is fun, for all sorts of reasons already mentioned, and I'm going to leave it at that as to not incriminate myself!
bobcatsteph3 at 12:12PM on 01/21/09
My mom always used Dream Whip in her chocolate cake frosting - it was instant chocolate pudding, Dream Whip, and milk, and it makes a fantastic pudding-like frosting. I used to adore Dream Whip on its own though.
Now, I just buy some heavy whipping cream whenever I need whipped cream. It's the easiest thing in the world to "whip" up, seriously.
lo82070 at 12:28PM on 01/21/09
@Heart ~ oops (laughing)! I didn't know about inhaling, just the fun use. Speaking of which.....
@buffy ~ how do you know the whipped cream bikini meltd down? 'cuse me - a better question would be which works better, Reddi-wip or homemade? *wink*wink*
For those who like none, I'm amazed. I can't even imagine. It's like not liking chocolate. Oh wait, we have some of those, too. I'll respect your opinions. I don't like chicken lips.
Does anyone like whipped cream/topping on anything unusual, like pickles or something else highly unlikely, other than the "other" use we've hinted at? another *wink*wink*
PerkyMac at 12:45PM on 01/21/09
I'm a real whipped cream person, I even bought a resteraunt style whipper so i can just charge the container and shake a little. it also makes it work great for "other uses" lol
huneybumper at 12:57PM on 01/21/09
Its been a very long time since I've had either.......Way if I can remeber but which one, now I'm truely confused I need to go to the store.
Markbb at 1:04PM on 01/21/09
I really, really dislike Cool Whip. Something about the taste drives me nuts. Ugh. But Reddi-Wip is an okay stand-in when I don't have the time or the inclination to make whipped cream.
nightowl at 1:05PM on 01/21/09
I LIKE IT ALLL!!! Cool whip just has all those yummy childhood memories. There are a ridiculous number of concoctions that my mother made for parties involving some combination of Cool Whip, jello or pudding, canned fruit and mini marshmallows. Ahhh the 70s. I prefer real whipped cream but the Reddi Whip is more fun with the kids. We like to get aluminum pie plates and fill them with Reddi Whip and then have pie fights outside. It's a great summer family activity.
@Perk~And yes, there are other activities that make even more family. ; )
@HeartofGlass~A guy friend of mine brought cans of Reddi Whip as a party favor once. He warned never to buy a can with the seal broken because he and his friends used to go to the store and get high and then put the can back. I was too chicken to try it.
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 1:53PM on 01/21/09
I prefer to whip my own cream, with just a touch of sugar and dash of vanilla...HOWEVER, for those quickie mugs of hot cocoa or coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream, I am fine to use the canned Redi-whip....as long as it is made with real cream and isn't "fat free" or "lite". I do not like, and have never liked, the taste or texture of Cool Whip. It's too plastic-y.
juliebugsmama at 3:08PM on 01/21/09
i have a taste aversion to any type of whipped cream, i did a pie throwing contest in the middle of july and it soured within a short amount of time... that smell is still stuck in my nose... so NO WAY to reddi whip... but since cool whip is pretty much fake i can still eat that :)
hungrygrl7 at 3:19PM on 01/21/09
I freely admit that I like Reddi-Whip fine - sure, I can taste the difference between from-a-can and homemade whipped cream, but I don't dislike the taste, so the convenience wins out (plus, I can't sneak a shot straight into the mouth if I have to whip it up first!). As for Cool Whip - I LOVE IT. I don't know why, I can't explain it, but if you sit me down with a tub of Cool Whip and a spoon, that sucker will be gone within ten minutes.
omglawdork at 3:24PM on 01/21/09
Way. I have used Reddi whip on hot drinks and wasn't TOO ashamed of myself in the morning. Liked it better than marshmallows really. I have to say I really love whipped cream way better than any stand in. But I have a cake topping I make that is made with milk, pudding mix and Cool Whip. I know, I know. EGADS, right? But everytime I make it, I am begged for the recipe. This cake has started fights! Maybe it's the relatively unsophisticated crowd I cook/bake for, but I like it, too. Go figure!
coffeefrappe at 3:25PM on 01/21/09
I love whipped cream. If ordering dessert when out to dinner, I try to guage which item will come with the most whipped goodness. Or, if I'm really lucky, the rest of the table will order what they want and I will eat all the whipped cream garnishes. The real stuff (even without sugar) is superior to the cans, but the extra creamy reddi whip is ok and convienent, and cool whip straight out of the freezer and eaten with a spoon helps with the craving when I have to pay $4.65 for a pint of heavy cream at the grocer. I'm going to give it a strong "way".
cranberrycheese at 4:04PM on 01/21/09
I'm into the real deal, but reddi-whip is fine in a pinch. I do always use Cool Whip in Super Cake, a kind of lowbrow chocolate trifle, its density is the only thing that stands up to the loads of cake/pudding/candy in the dish. For add-ins to real whipped cream, nothing beats a blob of softened Nutella folded in at the end.
Embackus at 4:16PM on 01/21/09
I forgot something that I used to do many years ago, so I guess even coolwhip is a way in controled circumstances. Frozen cool whip, not completely hard frozen, but starting to soften a little, omg its cheap crack. so bad for you but once you open that tub its all over.
huneybumper at 5:29PM on 01/21/09
I'd rather have real whipped cream, but Reddi-whip is ok too. Cool Whip is unacceptable; it tastes like chemicals.
Amandarama at 5:34PM on 01/21/09
The real thing for me, please--IF I have the time to mess with it. It is truly the best on desserts. I also have a fondness for creme fraiche. However, if I'm lazy or out of creme fraiche, I do keep a can of Reddi-whip in the fridge. NO WAY to Cool Whip--to me it just tastes really chemical-ish. That was what we always had when I was growing up, but I didn't come away with the fond memories . . . in fact I usually scraped it off if I could!
gourmetgal at 5:36PM on 01/21/09
way on both, but homemade is best. and it has to be sweet. i did the high thing with the can. before you shake it you suck in the gas and it makes you dizzy. almost passed out at the table. i'd rather inhale a ballon and talk like minnie mouse.
dearrie at 6:40PM on 01/21/09
@Perky--whipped cream on pickles?! Tsk, tsk.
@huneybumper--cheap crack! ROFL!!! That's how I am with Cool Whip too, in that semi-frozen state. *hangs head in shame*
buffy at 9:21PM on 01/21/09
No way to both. Buy some heavy cream and make it yourself - it takes minutes and tastes so much better!
-Dawn
Wicked Good Dinner
WickedGoodDinner at 9:48PM on 01/21/09
I love whipped cream, and I used to be fine with Cool Whip, but the more I eliminate processed foods from my life, the more aversion I have to them. It's more of a mental thing than taste, though, because the aversion starts at the idea of eating the stuff.
That said, I just used a gift cert to buy one of those snazzy compressed air cream whippers and I filled it with heavy cream flavored with Frangelico. OMG is that good!
DH had to leave town kinda suddenly, so it's just me, 3/4 of a chocolate layer cake, and the cream whipper for the next few days. The cake is looking rather frightened. It may not last long.
dbcurrie at 10:39PM on 01/21/09
D. All of the above. I absolutely agree that nothing is like real whipped cream - not in taste or texture. But I actually don't think Reddi-Whip is that far off in either, and you can't fault it's convenience. As for Cool Whip, it does taste different, and I can completely understand why people don't like it. That said, I'm one of those people that can eat it with a spoon straight out of the container. The other thing that I like about both Reddi-Whip and Cool Whip is that they are significantly lower in fat and calories - which matters to me because I'm generally a very healthy eater. So for guests, or for dessert for a special occasion, I'd definitely go with the real stuff. But just for myself, especially if I'm watching what I eat...I won't be that picky.
kimberlymac at 11:31AM on 01/22/09
WAY to ... Soyatoo. I eventually became lactose intolerant to the point where I couldn't eat real whipped cream, but Soyatoo isn't any grosser than Reddiwhip or CoolWhip, and I like having a bit of white fluff on ice cream and pie.
KarynMC at 4:29PM on 01/22/09
ohhh I used to love Cool Whip until I learned how bad it was for you (all those hydrogenated oils!) So I haven't had it in years, but there's nothing like Jello with Cool Whip. I've now switched to Reddi Whip and there is always a can in my fridge--in fact right now there are two cans, one regular, and one chocolate--the chocolate is great on chocolate pudding or ice cream. Of course, the real deal is best but, its not something I'd feel guilt-free about eating on a regular basis. Reddi Whip is mostly air with a little bit of cream and we know air isn't fattening :)
jinx35 at 4:46PM on 01/22/09
NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY! The real stuff is sooooo much better and so easy to make. Even if I didn't hate the taste, we use Cool Whip on photo shoots, and I've watched it sit out on the set for hours and not move an inch -- gross!
CookiePie at 9:37AM on 01/23/09
Feh to Cool Whip; it's got a terrible aftertaste from all the artificial ingredients and nary a drop of real cream. I prefer the real thing. It doesn't take much effort to whip up heavy cream with a bit of sugar and vanilla. In a pinch I'll use a can of Reddi Whip, at least it contains real cream. To hold whipped cream from separating, I sometimes add a small amount of plain geletan or corn starch, and when whipping the cream, add a small amount of non-fat dry milk powder. It helps to stableize the cream. Otherwise, it separates after a couple of hours.
SavtaShayna at 1:19PM on 01/23/09
@db - LOL! The cake has no chance.
WAY to all 3, for different reasons/uses:
Real thing - for topping real chocolate mousse, really fresh berries, etc.
Reddi-Whip - for topping instant coffee (I'm the only one who drinks coffee at our house, so I don't brew it, but Reddi-Whip is the only thing that can salvage the taste of instant coffee).
Reddi-Whip 2 - my toddler son calls it "i-keem" (ice cream) and begs for it to be put in a custard cup so he can eat it with a baby spoon. It's so adorable I can't resist.
Cool Whip - my dad is diabetic and the light version is the only "whipped cream" he can have. Strawberries dipped in it are pretty good.
Cool Whip 2 - I have a lot of quick pie filling/cake layer filling recipes that use cream cheese, Cool Whip and a package of instant pudding mix. Perfect fluffy-but-sliceable results. Aren't chemical reactions interesting?
akk328 at 1:39PM on 01/23/09
I like all natural tru-whip instead of cool whip since it is all natural. In terms of what I put into my whipped cream -- I sometimes add cocoa powder. :)
amandalovesfood at 2:02AM on 01/25/09
I like them all.
Cassaendra at 2:17AM on 01/25/09
@PerkyMac: Oh, I remember Dream Whip; I absolutely loved it in my pre-foodie young adult period, when I craved whipped cream and felt I couldn't afford it. Yes, it was a sweetened powder that you whipped into milk. I wouldn't touch it now.
If I had no way to whip my own cream, I'd substitute sour cream and sugar - or do without! Or buy a damn whisk!
Truthfully, I had no idea that there was a Real Cream version of Reddi Whip. And, you know, sometimes you want cream for a dish that's not dessert. Try making Alfredo sauce with Reddi Whip!
gentlyferal at 4:04PM on 02/02/09
I grew up with Reddi-Whip and never Cool Whip because my father was extremely allergic to it (as in, ate it once unintentionally and was hospitalized). It might be psychsomatic but I think it gives me a headache so I still avoid it.
I prefer whipped cream from an Isi creme whipper; just as easy as ReddiWhip but so much better.
rheogs at 3:45PM on 08/03/09
Yeah, tub of Cool Whip + spoon = Happy Girl
If I'm making the real stuff, I absolutely prefer that, but as far as ready made topping? Yeah, definitely Cool Whip.
Metallichyk82 at 9:20AM on 08/04/09
I loved both as a kid, but as I've grown up, something about Cool Whip has really started to freak me out. Of course I prefer homemade whipped cream, but in a pinch, Reddi-Whip is surprisingly good. And yeah, it can liven up a party pretty handily. Although...Cool Whip has a spray-topped can now too, doesn't it?
toad3000 at 9:29AM on 08/04/09
@toad. It sure does. As a matter of fact it's sitting in my fridge right now...
Metallichyk82 at 9:31AM on 08/04/09