What You Need To Know Before Buying Hellmann's Mayonnaise Again

The story of Hellman's mayonnaise begins in France with its predecessor, Sauce à la Mayonnaise. The emulsion created when egg yolks are coaxed together with vegetable oil and lemon juice has a fabled history as one of the great culinary sauces of classic French cuisine (via Just Fun Facts). It is thought that it was developed by the chef of the French Duke Richelieu as part of the victory feast he served after the French won control of the Spanish Port of Mahon on the island of Minorca on June 28, 1756. This would explain its etymology, as "mahonnaise" would indicate the location of its birth. However, according to HuffPost, the Spanish beg to differ, insisting that Salsa Mahonesa was a Spanish invention that was stolen by the French after the conflict at Port Mahon.

Regardless of who can claim to have done it first, the French are the ones who elevated the humble mayonnaise and popularized it. It began with the first celebrity chef, Marie-Antoine Carême, who started the process of establishing a systematic French haute cuisine in the 19th century, naming the initial four "mother sauces" that are the bases of all entrées — Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, and tomato sauce (via Salon). This standardization of French cuisine continued under Auguste Escoffier, who expanded the list of "mother sauces" to include Hollandaise. Each of these "mother sauces" focuses on a distinct fundamental sauce-making technique, with the Hollandaise being the umbrella under which emulsions like mayonnaise live.

Dating back to the late 1800s, state fairs have long been considered the place to showcase the biggest and best of all things. Winners entering their prized produce or livestock were given the coveted blue ribbon to signify their achievements (via Blue Ribbon Group). It is surmised that this may have been the inspiration for Hellmann's distinct blue ribbon labeling.

Indeed, according to Hellmann's, when Richard Hellmann began selling his wife's mayonnaise, there were actually two versions. To differentiate between them, he wrapped the one he preferred in a shiny blue ribbon. As time went on, customers quickly sided with Hellmann, affirming that the blue ribbon version was indeed superior. This prompted him to trademark the name "Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise" in 1917, forever cementing the association of the label with the Hellmann's brand. The fact that Best Foods finally adopted the blue ribbon labeling in the late 1960s is evidence that consumer recognition of the quality inferred by this label is powerful.

If you are among the 78% of consumers for whom sustainability is a consideration when deciding what brands to purchase, you'll be happy to know that Unilever, the parent corporation of Hellmann's mayonnaise, is committed to saving the environment (via Unilever). Its approach is multi-pronged and holistic. Beginning in 2017, Hellmann's mayonnaise was the only brand in the U.S. produced using only cage-free eggs, per Hellmann's. Additionally, Hellmann's mayonnaise sources its oil from responsible soybean farmers focused on land use, conservation, soil carbon, irrigation water use, water quality, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Its commitment doesn't end there. In 2020, Hellmann's transitioned to utilizing only 100% recycled and recyclable plastic jars throughout North America (via Unilever). It also has its sights on ensuring that 100% of its packaging is reusable, recyclable, and compostable by 2025. However, it notes that this goal is more complicated than it sounds, particularly because of the lack of technology available to consistently process recyclables. Thus, part of its agenda is to invest in infrastructure and research to make recycling more efficient and widely available. As its Global Brand VP states, the company stands by the motto "Real Taste and Less Waste."

As part of Unilever's collaboration with the UN's initiative to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030, Hellmann's has launched two successful programs to promote the "Make Taste. Not Waste" campaign (via Unilever). The first is its Fridge Night App, which is a free downloadable app and e-book scientifically proven to reduce food waste by 46%. The four-week program encourages users to commit to eating leftovers one night per week. It includes recipes, reminders, and incentives, like coupons and food donations, all intended to increase awareness of the ways in which each of us can play a part in mitigating food waste.

The second program involved the creation of its very own island in the popular Nintendo video game Animal Crossing: New Horizon (via Famous Campaigns). For every spoiled turnip donated by a player to Hellmann's Island, Hellmann's committed to donating the equivalent of funding for two meals to the U.K. charity FareShare. The campaign was intended to educate while being fun. So far both programs have successfully inspired over 200 million people throughout the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., representing a 33% reduction in food waste.

Hellmann's is nothing if not market-driven. It continuously evaluates the needs and desires of consumers and utilizes this feedback to assess its next move. This is the factor that led to the development of both its vegan and organic offerings, per a company press release via PR Newswire. Introduced in 2016, both options had a singular goal in mind, to produce the finest quality product befitting the legacy of the blue ribbon symbol.

Its organic options utilize organic cage-free eggs and organic expeller-pressed oil, and the products are free of preservatives and artificial flavorings. It comes in four delectable flavors, including Original, Roasted Garlic, Spicy Chipotle, and Mild Curry (via Hellmann's).

The vegan option, which is called a dressing in accordance with FDA standards regarding the use of the term "mayonnaise," is certified Vegan by Vegan Action. It is made with non-GMO ingredients, including canola oil, sugar, vinegar, modified corn and potato starches, concentrated lemon juice, and spices, and is cholesterol-free. Unilever notes that the vegan option has been so popular that some have even stated they like it better than the original. High praise indeed.

If you've ever fallen asleep in the sun or forgotten to reapply sunscreen, you may have had to deal with the excruciating discomfort of a sunburn. While many of us don't have aloe vera plants laying around to extract aloe gel to apply to our burnt skin, most of us do have a jar of mayonnaise on hand. According to Reader's Digest, applying some Hellmann's mayonnaise to a minor sunburn will not only alleviate some of the pain by cooling the area, but it will also help moisturize your skin. It will not heal the sunburn, however, and should only be utilized for temporary relief.

That being said, prevention is key, and repeated sunburns can lead to a host of complications including skin damage, premature aging, precancerous skin lesions, and ultimately skin cancer (via Mayo Clinic). Additionally, if you develop blisters, swelling, confusion, diminished eyesight, a fever, nausea, infection, dizziness, or fainting, skip the mayo and seek the help of a professional immediately.

The household applications of mayonnaise appear to be endless. According to Facts Legend, if you apply it to plant leaves or piano keys, it will give them a luxurious sheen. Should your children make your walls their canvas with crayons, a dab of mayonnaise will remove the waxy crayon without affecting the color on the walls. And mayonnaise can be used to remove gum from the floors or furniture.

Reader's Digest adds that mayonnaise can be used to remove stickers from jars and bumper stickers from cars. Once the majority of the sticker is peeled off, spread a thick layer of mayonnaise on top of the adhesive and allow it to sit for a few minutes. The fat in the mayonnaise will dissolve the adhesive, lifting it right off. And if you happen to have a squeaky door or cabinet hinge, mayonnaise can be used as a less messy alternative to WD-40 to help lubricate the joints.

Is your hair dry, dull, and listless? Fear not, mayonnaise will come to your rescue. The key to its conditioning prowess — egg yolks. Egg yolks are replete with fats and proteins that can bring the sheen right back to those split ends, per Reader's Digest. The key is to tolerate the greasy mess on your head for a full 20 minutes. Once you have allowed your hair follicles to marinate in the mayonnaise, rinse it off, and wash your hair with a mild shampoo.

Mayonnaise won't just hydrate your hair, it can act as a nourishing and exfoliating cleanser for your face, per Facts Legend. Start by heating the mayonnaise in a bowl in the microwave. Once it cools, carefully rub it all over your face, massaging it into your pores in a circular fashion. When you are done, rinse the mayonnaise facial off your skin and you'll have noticeably brighter and softer skin.

The basic components of a cake are generally flour, sugar, eggs, and oil, therefore, the notion of substituting mayonnaise for the eggs and oil in a cake recipe isn't all that far-fetched. In fact, the precedent for this may have everything to do with hard times (via NPR). During times of scarcity, such as throughout the Great Depression, eggs and oil were often unavailable or too pricey for most households to obtain. Mayonnaise, however, was both available and affordable. Enter the mayonnaise cake, which not only became popular, it became such a sensation that the recipe was actually included on jars of mayonnaise. Experts agree that the cake is moist, if not just a touch too salty.

To jazz up the recipe and combat the added saltiness, we recommend supplementing the recipe with some spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Just that hint of extra flavor can create a level of complexity that'll take this cake to the next level of awesomeness.

If you love to grill out but are looking for ways in which to amp up your grilling prowess, look no further than a jar of Hellmann's mayonnaise. That's right, incorporating mayonnaise into your grilling recipes will completely revolutionize the process. There are a couple of key factors at play. First, since mayonnaise is made up of at least 65% fat, it is a powerful non-stick agent, particularly with foods that tend to be delicate, like fish or vegetables. There's also the notion that "fat equals flavor," therefore basting your meat with mayonnaise while grilling will not only lock in moisture, the egg yolks in the mayonnaise will help brown the meat to a perfect crispy finish.

The other reason to start using mayonnaise as your grilling superpower has to do with it being a great adhesive for dry rubs. Often applying seasonings to meat without any kind of glue ends up in the seasonings pulling right off when you place your meat on the grill. All that yumminess ends up sticking to your grill, making a huge mess, rather than infusing your meat with flavor. Brushing your meat with a thin layer of mayonnaise before applying your dry rub will help it stay on your meat and keep your grill from becoming a caked-on greasy mess.

With the introduction of mandatory allergen labeling of foods regulated by the FDA, it has become easier to identify potential allergens in foods prior to consumption. It has also become advantageous for food manufacturers to be mindful of what additives they put in their products. Being allergen-free means increased sales, so it's not just about safety — it's about dollars and cents. That being said, Hellmann's has always prided itself on its quality and the sourcing of sustainable ingredients. This has translated to products that are often free of many allergens, making them a great option for many populations.

According to Allergen Inside, Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise is free of 10 of the top 14 allergens. It is gluten-free, vegetarian, Kosher, contains no MSG, and has no artificial colors or preservatives. They do note that many of their products are manufactured in facilities that are exposed to five of the top 14 allergens and therefore there may be a slight risk of cross-contamination.