Gransnet forums

Dieting & exercise

Alternatives to butter

(95 Posts)
MadeInYorkshire Mon 05-Feb-24 17:24:20

Ugh, none of them, all vile (Flora worst of the lot!)

Apparently I used to try and eat Lurpak off the block when I was a small child - I can't imagine why but it has since given me a huge phobia about the stuff, and I don't use anything other than mayo/pickle to moisten the bread. I cannot remember EVER earing it at all! I do remember that once my dad picked up the wrong sandwiches and I bit into what I thought were mine and knew instantly it had Flora on it. I was supposed to be going to work (Saturday job in a pub) but was so so sick, I just couldn't manage it! Even the thought of it makes me shudder!

pascal30 Mon 05-Feb-24 17:14:32

olive oil on bread is delicious.. as you find in Spanish bars..

Baggs Mon 05-Feb-24 14:49:26

What Primrose said 😂. Fully agree.

Butter is Real Food. The other stuff generally isn't.

fancythat Mon 05-Feb-24 14:34:25

Ironic. I have just gone the other way.

I read recently, rightly or wrongly, that all sorts of oils are not good for us[not counting olive oil or coconut oil]. And they are added to all sorts of things.

Rapeseed oil, Canola, soya, vegetable oils etc.

Notagranny44 Mon 05-Feb-24 14:25:17

I make my own spreadable butter by adding either rapeseed or olive olive oil to softened butter and beating it. If you read the ingredients on the commercial ones, they are about 50/50 butter to oil. I make mine a little firmer - about 65/35 by weight. It is spreadable at room temperature at this time of year. In the summer, I just use butter.

petra Mon 05-Feb-24 14:05:29

Primrose53

Only the real thing for us now. Some of those horrible spreads are just one molecule away from plastic. 🤮🤮

Quite right. Awful stuff.

NanKate Mon 05-Feb-24 13:58:01

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions 👍

FannyD Mon 05-Feb-24 13:29:12

Another vote here for Flora Buttery - and Witzend, this one doesn’t contain palm oil, I’ve just been to the fridge to double check!

Primrose53 Mon 05-Feb-24 12:51:49

Only the real thing for us now. Some of those horrible spreads are just one molecule away from plastic. 🤮🤮

Jaxjacky Mon 05-Feb-24 12:39:38

I use ProActive as it allegedly helps reduce cholesterol.

Georgesgran Mon 05-Feb-24 12:35:34

I don’t use much butter, so another who uses the real thing.
Anchor spreadable, as it’s British.

Jane43 Mon 05-Feb-24 11:54:12

I should have mentioned ProActiv doesn’t contain palm oil, Benecol contains responsibly sourced palm oil.

Jane43 Mon 05-Feb-24 11:51:43

We use cholesterol lowering spreads - Benecol or ProActive, they contain plant sterols and you can get both with a buttery taste.

Witzend Mon 05-Feb-24 11:45:39

Must admit I no longer use any substitutes - they all contain palm oil. Or at least, I have yet to find one that doesn’t.

I usually use a spreadable butter (British only, no Lurpak) that’s just butter with rapeseed oil plus a little salt and water.

Wheniwasyourage Mon 05-Feb-24 11:35:04

We've gone back to butter because we like it and at least you know what's in it. However we have a family member with serious food allergies, including dairy, and we use Vitalite for baking when he's visiting and it seems to work well. He uses it as a spread too.

nanna8 Mon 05-Feb-24 11:29:44

I’ve used olive oil marg for years now. I cook with olive oil,too. I still use butter now and then for cooking, crumbles, icing etc.

Squiffy Mon 05-Feb-24 11:25:51

Vitalite is very good for spreading and cooking/baking. It has a pleasant, subtle flavour.

Sarnia Mon 05-Feb-24 11:16:48

If you want it for cooking then olive oil can be a substitute or to use for sandwiches and crackers I can only think of margarine. Perhaps you could explain more. Is it for your health?

Pammie1 Mon 05-Feb-24 11:13:36

Any of the Flora Proactive range. I like the Flora Buttery too - the only thing is, use sparingly on toast because too much makes the bread go soggy.

NanKate Mon 05-Feb-24 11:10:12

What do you recommend please ?