Allergy-Friendly Mayo Substitutes

DISCLOSURE: None of these products are sponsored, and at the present time, none of the links below are affiliate links. Please know that we use these products regularly in our own home and life. Please also see the disclaimer note at the end of this post regarding individual allergens for products we recommend.

If y’all have to be egg-free, like our family, you know one condiment that’s difficult to work around is mayonnaise.  Mayonnaise – traditionally made with egg, oil, and lemon juice – is in all sorts of food items: pasta salads, casseroles, spreads and dips, and of course on sandwiches and burgers.  For a long time, I was really puzzled as to how to substitute for mayo.

Now, I know you can make your own mayo substitutes using ingredients like flaxseed or aquafaba (bean liquid!), as one of my favorite allergy-free authors explains in her book: The Allergy-Free Pantry: Make Your Own Staples, Snacks, and More Without Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy or Nuts.  And I did find a recipe for an avocado mayo once, which sounded great to me, but let’s get real: young kids probably aren’t going to go for a green-tinted tuna fish sandwich!  😉  And the thing is, mayonnaise is one of those items I’m simply NOT going to make from scratch.  It’s a condiment we use once in a while, so taking the time to make it for one sandwich one afternoon does not appeal to me.  I spend my time making other allergy-free goods, like bread, that we need every week.  That’s the reality of life, folks.  🙂

Thankfully, with all the alternative diets floating around out there, and with the increasing prevalence of food allergies, mayonnaise substitutes are popping up all over the place.  Here are three we’ve tried so far (and I’m sure they’ll be more to come):

Just Mayo

A while back I shared a link on social media about a new mayonnaise substitute that I wanted to try: Just Mayo.

The best news for this allergy-mama on a budget: I’ve found this product at our local Walmart, Payless (Kroger), Meijer, and Fresh Thyme store for less than $4 for a 30 oz jar!  Sometimes, it’s even more affordable than name brands of regular mayonnaise.  How incredible is that?

Just Mayo has the benefit that it comes in other flavors, too.  So far we’ve stuck with the original because my girls are not hip to the spice yet.  🙂

What I love about this product is that it smells like mayo and tastes like mayo.  Without tasting it side by side with the real thing, no one notices a difference.  This means other non-food-allergy folks can enjoy this product, too!  And of course, my girls have never had regular mayo, so they wouldn’t be the wiser anyway.  Yay for finding a product we can ALL use and enjoy!  Yay for our grocery budget!  Yay for one less thing the ‘rents have to make from scratch!  🙂

Here are some foods we’ve made with this product so far:

• tuna/chicken salad sandwiches
• lunch meat sandwiches
• tartar sauce (mix w/ pickle relish and there you go!)
• cream-style potato salad (oooooh, I’ve missed this one so much around our house!)
• cold pasta salads
• allergy-free creamy ranch-style dip

One thing: I have not tried it in any baked products yet, like casseroles or hot dips that call for mayonnaise, so I can’t attest to how it would perform there.

However, our family definitely recommends this product for all those cold salads, sandwiches, and dips that we previously avoided.

Hellmann’s Vegan Dressing and Sandwich Spread

Recently there have been some issues with Just Mayo not being stocked at some of our local stores.  They have re-branded a couple of times and as with many allergy-friendly products, sometimes stores run out of the product and then we’re waiting on them to get another shipment in.  (I suppose I should start ordering online from Amazon for this reason.)   Anyway, it’s always good to have another product up your sleeve!  When we realized we were out of Just Mayo and needed a substitute for some coleslaw for a party, we were super-excited to find Hellmann’s Vegan Dressing and Spread at our local Kroger.

It is every bit as good as the Just Mayo product!  This spread’s taste and consistency are equally like real mayonnaise.  And it is just as affordable.  I’m not sure how this product wasn’t on our radar earlier, as there apparently was a lawsuit between the makers of Just Mayo and Hellmann’s regarding misleading product names and advertising (which led to a whole labeling war with the FDA!)…but it all resulted in TWO excellent products being available on the market.  Thank you, market competition, and thank you, Hellmann’s, for pursuing a vegan and allergy-friendly product!

Just a heads up: this mayo substitute is made with soybean oil (rather than the canola oil that Just Mayo uses).  Though we have a child allergic to soy, we are able to use products with soybean oil (as it is not considered an allergen by the FDA and our allergist gave us the go-ahead to try).  If you need more vetted and reliable information on why this is so, read the explanation included about soybean oils and soy lecithin  (and the links to the resources/studies) here.  [And bookmark that site while you’re at it if you haven’t already done so!]

Burman’s Eggless Mayo-Style Spread & Dressing

This is the Aldi knock-off brand of Just Mayo.  🙂  Y’all know how much I love Aldi, right?  I about freaked out when I saw this as a featured item one week.  I had to try it.  We usually love the quality of Aldi products and the prices are the best.

This is a specialty item, so it is not regularly stocked.  Although I have to say, I’m not concerned, because we weren’t impressed with this substitute mayo.  It has a slightly yellowish tint and a runnier texture, so it’s not quite as believable a mayonnaise substitute as the Just Mayo or Hellman’s brand.

Have you tried any of these (or other) mayo substitute products before?  What do you think?  Any recipes to recommend?  Help your fellow multiple-food-allergy friends out!  🙂

*** DISCLAIMER: Please note that some of the items that I review or use may have been produced in a facility that manufactures other products with certain allergens.  The items may also contain ingredients which cannot initially be confirmed as allergy free (such as “natural flavoring”).  Ingredients and manufacturing processes could change at any time. You should always check with the manufacturer to confirm that you or your family members can have the product(s).  The products that I review or list are items that we have used for my two girls (for wheat, soy, milk, egg, peanut, & tree nuts) but the products may not be the same fit for you and your family.***