It's easy....that's all!
When I saw the title of your post....what came to mind was "just say no!" LOL!
Linda c....a confessed food snob!

I almost always prefer real whipped cream, however, I actually like cool whip on some things.

I can't stand cool whip, but I've stooped to using spray whipped cream in a pinch. :o)

My mom loved Cool Whip, and I remember a quiz in grade school where they asked if Cool Whip was a dairy product. I answered yes and got the question wrong. Darn 1960's teachers with nothing better to do than confound students with idiotic tests LOL.

By the way, I love Cool Whip! Great on pumpkin pie! I am not ashamed.

Duane

For me, cool whip was all we ever knew as kids so it's a familiar taste that brings back childhood memories. Most people I know grew up on it and don't think a thing about using it vs. the real stuff.

Tracey

Its not the convenience for me, I like Cool Whip :)

That said, I wouldn't serve it to guests, they get real whipped cream. I reserve it for myself occasionally as a treat and I enjoy it.

I think it's generational, but my family never used it, and my in-laws didn't. I don't know anyone who actually uses it.

I have never liked the taste even as far back as the 60's. I always prefered and served real whipped cream. Just a matter of taste I guess.
Clare

My sister and I were making out the T.Day menu yesterday and we both agreed, real whipped cream with the desserts. Grew up with it and it just seems right for the holidays.
I really like Cool Whip also:)
Kim

I'll eat it but I prefer RediWhip in that can! hahahahah!

Seriously I really prefer the real deal. But I'll eat it.

From the replies it appears that some people who appreciate good food do actually like Cool Whip. That makes me glad to have asked the question, because I really thought it was all about not wanting to take the last step and whip the fresh cream.

In trying to find a base of comparison, I thought of the soy strip I eat with my oatmeal for breakfast each morning. DS refers to it as "fakin' bacon" and always passes on it. I eat it as a good source of protein and I enjoy it for what it is - I never eat it thinking "Yum, just like bacon..."

Maybe that's how most people who like Cool Whip think of it, not as faux whipped cream, but as delicious Cool Whip.

I get that!!....but I still don't want any on my own pie.

We never had real whipped cream when I was growing up, we always had cool whip. So I agree with Tracey that it brings back childhood memories. I do prefer real whipped cream and have taken to bringing it to my parents' place for thanksgiving and christmas. Everyone goes for the real stuff first, but there's just something about that day after thanskgiving slice of pie with coolwhip for breakfast...

Bri

It's been around in our family for years. I like it and like Bri mentioned it's what we use the day after TG for leftover pies. The real deal is usually gone the day off.

I remember a powder mix too....think it was called Dream Whip back in the 60's early 70's.

I remember a roommate making chocolate pie with CW. I think he just melted Hershey bars, folded in CW and poured into a store bought graham cracker crust. Perfect muchie food back in my wild days......of course our main stay for food was pizza, blue box, and cheap beer. LOL

David

Well, I have got to add my story here. I'm apparently quite a bit older than most of you, and I grew up on a dairy farm, in the days before refrigerated milk houses, etc. So we always had an over abundance of dairy products, including cream for whipping. Our Mother served it on everything! ! Nothing was ever allowed to go to waste. It was a daily, sometimes twice daily, addition to our meals, year round. And we HAD to eat what we were served! By the time I graduated school, I was very sick of whipped cream, (and many other things now considered 'treats'). So when I discovered Cool Whip, I was thrilled! ! ! It has only been in the last few years that I have been able to again eat & enjoy whippped cream. But I do still like my Cool Whip, too. Especially on home made pumpkin pie!
Rusty

I guess I'm an extreme food snob when it comes to whipped cream. Not only don't I eat Cool Whip, I want the heavy whipping cream that I buy to whip to have one thing in the carton - cream. My main local grocery stores, Raley's and Bel Aire use to carry Knudsens that had just that. But recently they only carry brands that have various gumming agents added (presumably so they can get by with inferior cream and still have it whip?). I can swear I can taste them making the whip cream having a gummy flavor instead of a nice pure cream hit.

I can get the right stuff at Whole Foods. I still need to check for a cheaper price at Trader Joe's and Smart and Final (but their containers are sometimes more than I want to buy at once).

For wimpy people like me who can't handle dairy products it's not so bad.

I'm pretty sure they still sell Dreamwhip, at least I hope they do because it was served to me on yellow Jello at the inlaws recently. As a side dish.

Coolwhip now, it has its place. Don't try to tell me it's cream or I'll be horrified, but as a white gooey stuff it's not bad at all.

I don't like it, because I always have a funny taste and coating in my mouth after I eat Cool Whip. And Jell-O with Cool Whip - I can't get rid of the taste.

I do use the real cream whipped cream in a can. I always have a can in the fridge when I make whipped cream. I had cream fail to whip once, so I always keep a back-up can. And then, I get to eat it.

When the kids were little, we would squirt whipped cream into their open mouths (like little birds), as a treat. Now I do it with my grandson, he thinks it's so funny. You can't do that with Cool Whip.

I never use it but if someone serves it...well I'll probably still have some! Anyway, I am the recipient of tons of cool whip containers from my mil who must have hundreds.

Oh, that reminds me! I'd better stock up on some for turkey day!

I'll have freshly whipped cream, and freshly whipped maple cream for the pies--for those who want it!...and Cool Whip, for those who want that...

Smiles,
Sooz

Umm, yes you can squirt coolwhip into your mouth. They just came out with it in the spray can. I'm actually surprised it's taken them this long to come out with it.

Tracey

My parents liked cool whip and often had it. This was after I was away from home. I always make real whipped cream, but once in a while will buy cool whip to keep around in case the cream goes bad and want whipped topping. I have found, however, that cream can stay in fridge for an inordinate amount of time without going bad. The new stuff, I think it's called creamy, is much better tasting than the regular old cool whip.

David, it's funny you mention the chocolate pie, because somehow I discovered that you can make a sort of mousse by taking powdered chocolate drink mix and just stir it into the cool whip and it becomes quite thick and tastes pretty darn good. I like to use Ovaltine for it. Melted choc sounds like a better choice. Smiles.

My mother uses Cool Whip in her fruit salad, and I'm okay with that because I don't expect whipped cream in a fruit salad. The flavor seems to be okay with fruit, but I will never use it in anything that I make myself. I'll be making lime pies for Thanksgiving, and they will have real whipped cream - not CW. DM stores CW in the freezer, and she has dozens of leftover containers. When I go to visit, I have to take my own mixer and stick blender, or else borrow from SIL.

Lars

I was one of those infidels that uses Neufchatel....

but I hate Cool Whip. Hate it I tell you! :)

That's what we had growing up and I always thought I hated whipped cream, until I had the real stuff!!

I like light Cool Whip. And it is actually a dairy product. At Thanksgiving, I have whipped cream and light Cool Whip. I confess, I'm really the only one who goes for the light Cool Whip.

From the Kraft web site: Cool Whip created the frozen, non-dairy, whipped topping category in the supermarket and many Americans can't imagine a holiday without it. While pumpkin pie wouldn't be the same without a dollop, Cool Whip is very versatile and consumers use it in desserts, sweet dips and salads.

From Wikipedia: Cool Whip is made of water, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated coconut and palm kernel oil (CPKO), sodium caseinate, vanilla extract, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60 (glycosperse), and beta carotene. In some markets, such as Canada and the United States, Cool Whip is available in an aerosol can using nitrous oxide as a propellant.

The sodium caseinate is a milk-derived protein, so I suppose you could call it a dairy product, but Kraft doesn't

I don't put Neufchatel in the same class as Cool Whip at all. It is a real soft cheese - just made with lower fat than cream cheese. I prefer the taste of the Neufchatel to cream cheese - I like the little bit more tang and cream cheese is a little too rich for me. And I like cheese cake made with it.

I wouldn't want to squirt whipped cream from the aerosol container straight into my mouth let alone a little child's. The propellant is nitrous oxide and I prefer to keep that away from my nose. We have an ISI whip cream maker that you put the cream in and charge with a nitrous oxide cartridge. I guess I'm not worried about eating little puffs of it in my whip cream but keep the extra that blows off on the way out away from faces.

OMG! ! I can't believe I had forgotten about Dream Whip! ! That stuff is good, too! I think my parents switched to that when they sold the farm and retired. I don't know if it is still available in stores or not, but I do know that there is a powdered product for whipped topping that many restaurants use. Also one available in a local sort of health food, natural foods store. They have it in the bulk bins. I've used it a few times, it is really good, too.
Obviously I'm not a 'food snob', at least I hope I'm not ! ! !
Rusty

momj47, I was actually referring to Cool Whip Lite (though I did call it light Cool Whip). Either way, it turns out I'm wrong, according to Kraft's website Cool Whip Lite is not a dairy product. Though, I do feel certain that when Cool Whip Liite first came out (about 20 years ago), it was actually a dairy based product.

Brody, I don't know about Cool Whip Lite, but my test with the question about Cool Whip was circa 1967...so that was 41 years ago! Where did the time go?

Duane

It's been so long since I've eaten Cool Whip, I don't remember what it tastes like, but the post by Momj47 demonstrates exactly why I don't eat Cool Whip.

The Whipped Cream in a can, well it's just plain fun!

I had also forgotten about Dream Whip. I don't remember if my Mom ever used it. I never have. I don't understand how it would be any easier to use than real cream. Is it cheaper? That's the only reason I could think of to use Dream Whip over real cream.

I'm going to have to start checking the labels better. I had no idea they'd started adding extra stuff to cream. And wouldn't you know it, they probably charge more for the cream that doesn't have extra stuff in it.

Sally

sally2, I don't think 'easier' was mentioned in connection with Dream Whip, and it's not. But I, for one, have had cream that just will not whip up like it should, no matter what. Shelf life would be a factor, also.
Rusty

We never had it as a child, always the real stuff, so for me, coolwhip is a dessert in its own right. Not quite whipped cream, but I love a spoonful of partially thawed coolwhip.
Jo

I like the real stuff, we always milked our own cows and had real cream, our own butter and ice cream from our milk and eggs. However, Amanda is lactose intolerant so we always have Cool Whip and no one complains. I've even learned to use the Cool Whip Light to save calories. Usually I forgo the whipped cream altogether but I will eat Cool Whip Light frozen and dipped, like ice cream. LOL I don't really like ice cream, but I'll eat frozen Cool Whip Light. Of course, I don't eat pie crust either, just the filling. LOL I can, because I'm the cook and the oldest and no one dares to tell me I can't!

Hmmm. I guess I'm not a food snob although I'll NEVER eat jello. It just feels icky. (grin)

Annie

I just remembered my Mom use to make Dream Whip. I had forgotten. Another one I hated growning up. I agree with momj47 - "I don't like it, because I always have a funny taste and coating in my mouth after I eat Cool Whip. And Jell-O with Cool Whip." I feel same! Weird after taste and coating of the tongue and mouth. I get that with some ice creams too. And I can't stand Jello with or without Cool Whip, too much when I was growing up.
Clare

Oh, David, I remember Dream Whip, and I think I can still buy it at the local grocery. Now I'm going to check, I wonder what the heck it IS, exactly? Non-dairy? Who knows...(grin)

Annie

Mmmmmm, Dream Whip - better even than Cool Whip! My grandmother used to make a great raspberry dessert, kind of like a pudding and it had Dream Whip in it and then it was topped with a dollop of Dream Whip - gosh it was good.

I just know this is going to lead into a Velveeta thread :)

As for squirting whipped cream from the aerosol container directly into your mouth...I always learned this--don't inhale! Of course, little kids may not have that control...how many times have we swallowed toothpaste & spit when we were learning how to brush our teeth? (well, okay, maybe I mean just me LOL)

I did buy some Dream Whip a few months ago to stabilize some whipped cream frosting...got it at amazon.com.

Velveeta....mmmmmm....love the stuff! I guess I am an anti-snob!

Love it microwaved with a bit of salsa and/or milk and poured over nachos! Great stuff!

Duane

woodie, you're a little instigator aren't ya? lol..

I agree Duane, that's how I like to use Velveeta too. Chip dippin'.

I guess I don't even know how Dream Whip is used, but I do remember commercials for it - not specifically, but just that they were on the T.V..

Velveeta is what I used to use to give my dog a pill. It worked real well for that. lol

Sally

Annie, I'm going to look for it too. Like Woodie mentioned my DM made some kind of dessert with it....asked her today and she said she had no idea...that was 30 years ago. LOL

Funny about the velveeta Woodie. I just bought two blocks of it for the OU - Tech game party I'm hosting for DN, his friends, and company this weekend. One will get the rotel the other the can of chili. The kids love this stuff and I'm right there with them...chips in hand.

David

I for one am very glad we don't have Cool Whip in Australia :-).
I keep UHT cream in the back of the fridge for those "need cream" moments. It lasts for weeks/months and actually whips better than fresh cream and doesn't break down after whipping like fresh cream can. It is also pretty well impossible to overwhip into butter.

Like Annie,I like frozen cool whip but not the defrosted stuff. Give me a can of the real cream please.

Check in the Jello aisle for the Dream Whip. I think they still make it....

Is chocolate cool whip still around?

Velveeta? Dog cheese?/ No no no....that;s Kraft Singles!
I was cooking for yet another funeral lunch at the church today...and "checking" the refrigerator as I put the things I was cooking in...
Removed a carton labeled "Cool whip" which can be about anything given how good for reuse those containers are...
And ther was a skim of whipped stuff in the container, coveredw ith green fur.
So Cool Whip is not totally full of preservatives....unless that container was from the 4th of July Ice cream fest!
Linda C

I typed a nice elaborate response to this thread last night, but I accidentally hit the back button on my browser when I went to hit preview message. Lost it all, so we'll try again with a more succinct version.

I like Cool Whip. When I made an apple pie from scratch (even the crust), I insisted on making real whipped cream just to be authentic. But, I prefer the taste of Cool Whip, and it lasts longer. Of course this comes from someone who bakes bread for other people, but much prefers store bought white!

Linda, that green fur is how I developed using the Cool Whip with chocolate mix. I don't use Cool Whip often, but will usually keep one in freezer around the holidays in case I run out of real whipped cream and still have some kind of pie left that needs it. So when I have some left now I try to use it up before it... grows. I think real cream lasts longer in the fridge than that stuff. I've had cartons of cream for... well.. never mind.. lol.. Like I said though, the new creamy kind doesn't taste as chemically to me.

Yes, they still make the chocolate one too pkramer.

It's the real thing for us or nothing...DD said she bought cool whip BUT when we get there for Thanksgiving I'll be making a trip to the store LOL.....

Linda

I agree - can't spend all that time making homemade crust and pie and then not top it with real whipped cream. BUT - I don't mind Cool Whip. There's apparently an episode of "Family Guy" where Stewie says "You can't have pie without Cool Hwhip." I'm so used to hearing kids saying "Cool Hwhip," I keep hearing that in my head whenever I see the name.

My mom always kept Dream Whip on hand and I sometimes see it in the stores here.

Dream Whip is still available, Kraft makes it... You add milk & vanilla....

I kinda like the Redi-Whip commercial... A gal goes into a restaurant and asks for pie... The waitress asks if she wants apple or cherry.. Then she asks if she wants oil or cream and is holding what looks like a Cool Whip container and Redi-Whip... lol

I don't like the way Cool Whip coats my mouth either... To me, it's like eating cold greasy gravy.

Here's what Wired says about Cool Whip.... LOL
..... "A delicious blend of sugar, wax, and condom lube."

Rita

Here is a link that might be useful: About Cool Whip