# What's your favorite butter or butter substitute? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724 "2016-05-13T22:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MizQuirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@MizQuirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizQuirk)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/1 "2016-05-13T22:46:31Z")
I think butter is just about my favorite food – I like a bit of it with just about every bite I eat, but even though I’d like to put on some weight I worry about the health ramifications. What I’ve been using lately is Smart Balance, but reading about it is as discouraging as reading about all the others. I’d like your opinions – that don’t come from the manufacturers! ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/2 "2016-05-13T23:16:44Z")
There is a butter price scandal going on, abd I havent heard anybody talking about it. Butter wholesale was stable at aro9und 1.50 through 2012-13. Then, it went quickly up to 3.00 in the first few months of 2014, and supermarket prices shot up to around 3.20. Through the rest of '14, it slipped back down to 1.60, but store retail remained the same, around 3.00. By the end of '15, it shot back up to nearly 3.00, and the retail price went up to about 3.60. Since then, the wholesale has dropped back down to today’s 2.00, but store prices remain in the 3.60 neighborhood. You may have to adjust this chart to show previous years: [http://future.aae.wisc.edu/data/weekly\_values/by\_area/1625](http://future.aae.wisc.edu/data/weekly_values/by_area/1625) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/3 "2016-05-13T23:28:50Z")
If you want to cut butter from your diet, I’d suggest using olive oil rather than a processed butter-substitute product. ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/4 "2016-05-13T23:32:10Z")
I like Land O Lakes unsalted butter. I read a taste test years ago that said it was best for baking, and it has been my go to ever since. I usually keep the salted kind around too, for people who like that better. Tillamook is a favorite brand of mine for pretty much all dairy products, or sometimes I get one of the organic brands like Organic Valley. Or sometimes when I’m at Trader Joe’s I’ll pick up Kerrygold, it is very good. I don’t ever buy margarine or other butter substitutes. I am not knowledgable on the subject but suspect that the real thing is better for us. I admit I drink Coke Zero, so I am not consistent on this subject. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/5 "2016-05-13T23:35:15Z")
Land O Lakes unsalted butter for me as well. It’s a lifelong habit (uh, vice? addiction?) ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/6 "2016-05-13T23:59:02Z")
I like Land O’Lakes unsalted and Kerrygold. I don’t use margarine, but I will use Crisco as part of the fat when I make frosting. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/7 "2016-05-14T00:38:58Z")
Land O’Lakes unsalted as well. Butter has more flavor than the fake stuff, so I use less of it. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/8 "2016-05-14T01:32:26Z")
Kerrygold. It’s amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/9 "2016-05-14T01:36:44Z")
I prefer real butter to any butter substitute, but I’m not fussy about brand name in part due to budget reasons. I’ll happily buy the house brand at a store, but it has to be actual butter. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/10 "2016-05-14T01:44:44Z")
I much prefer salted butter, and AFAICT the advice about buying only unsalted butter is a few decades out of date, one of those things that foodies like to do without any current reason. Store brand is fine, but once in awhile Plugra goes on sale enough that I can justify buying it, and man alive is that ever delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/11 "2016-05-14T02:01:23Z")
Thread relocated to Cafe Society from IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/12 "2016-05-14T02:12:00Z")
I really like the Costco bulk “Euro style” cultured butter, even though it comes unsalted. If I had the choice, you bet I’d choose it salted. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/13 "2016-05-14T02:12:16Z")
I can get Land O’Lakes regularly. I prefer unsalted, I can always add salt. They also make an olive oil and sea salt version. I tried Kerrygold, a little better flavor but still has high water content like the Land O’Lakes. Except when I want the butter flavor I stick to olive oil and lard. ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/14 "2016-05-14T02:16:25Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I much prefer salted butter, and AFAICT the advice about buying only unsalted butter is a few decades out of date, one of those things that foodies like to do without any current reason. Store brand is fine, but once in awhile Plugra goes on sale enough that I can justify buying it, and man alive is that ever delicious. The reason why unsalted butter is specified in many baking recipes is to control the amount of salt in getting the desired result. I have also read that unsalted butter has a shorter shelf life, and so is more likely to be fresh - there is nothing to disguise any “off” flavor. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/15 "2016-05-14T02:16:47Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Kerrygold. It’s amazing. Thirded. Kerrygold is the shit and I’m never going back to store brand butter. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/16 "2016-05-14T02:24:43Z")
Another Kerrygold fan. Costco has the best price I’ve seen. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/17 "2016-05-14T02:32:44Z")
Kerrygold tastes like clover and farmland and whole meal bread and bright spring sunshine. Good French butter (unsalted) tastes like baguettes and white table linen and fine silverware. I like that, too, but give me Kerrygold Irish for everyday use. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/18 "2016-05-14T02:34:00Z")
More Butter ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/19 "2016-05-14T02:36:23Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > If you want to cut butter from your diet, I’d suggest using olive oil rather than a processed butter-substitute product. Also agree with this. Fake butter will kill you faster than cheap lard. Put good olive oil in a shallow dish with a dash of salt and dip your bread in it. Yum. Do not use olive oil as a substitute in your favorite brownie recipe, however. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724/20 "2016-05-14T02:39:44Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > If you want to cut butter from your diet, I’d suggest using olive oil rather than a processed butter-substitute product. Thirded. I drizzle it on my English muffins, bagels and toast with a sprinkle of kosher salt and ground pepper. Now I say, “Butter, who?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-butter-or-butter-substitute/754724.md?page=2)