Molly McButter facts for kids

Molly McButter is a popular American brand that makes a special kind of butter substitute. It's created by the company B&G Foods. This product was developed by food scientists to offer a way to enjoy a buttery flavor with fewer calories than regular butter.

What's Inside Molly McButter?

Molly McButter Natural Butter Flavor Sprinkles are made with ingredients like natural butter flavor, real butter, and buttermilk. It also contains a small amount of partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Because of this, Molly McButter has a type of fat called trans fat.

How Does Molly McButter Taste?

In 1989, a group of experts and taste-testers from Consumer Reports tried Molly McButter. They said it had a "butterlike flavor" and "very slight real dairy notes." However, they also noticed a "chemical flavor" and found it "somewhat salty."

The experts also pointed out that Molly McButter was quite a bit more expensive than regular butter. They found it had a lot of sodium (salt) in each serving, almost three times as much as some other similar products.

Flavors and Nutrition Facts

By 1990, Molly McButter was available in different flavors, including butter, cheese, and sour cream.

A small serving, about half a teaspoon, has only four calories. The company says this is like using three tablespoons of regular butter! However, that same half-teaspoon serving also contains 90 milligrams of sodium. For comparison, a half-teaspoon of regular butter has almost 20 calories.

How Can You Use Molly McButter?

You can sprinkle Molly McButter over many cooked foods, like rice or vegetables, to add a buttery taste. It can also be used in recipes as a replacement for butter, cheese, or sour cream.

Molly McButter Contests and Partnerships

In 1993, a magazine called The Ladies' Home Journal held a fun contest. Readers sent in their own recipes that used Molly McButter. The person who created the winning recipe received a new kitchen appliance and a cash prize.

Later, around 2009, Molly McButter and another brand called Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blends (which is also owned by B&G) teamed up with the Idaho Potato Commission. This group helps promote potatoes from the state of Idaho. Together, they sponsored a contest for stores called the Idaho Potato Retail Display Contest. This contest happened during Potato Lovers Month and stores competed for prizes, including money.