New and Improved

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Have you ever loved a product only to have the manufacturers change it up on you?  That just happened to me with Pam buttery spray.

PAM Butter PAM Butter is a great way to add butter flavor without adding the fat of real butter or margarine. Use it when you're baking your favorite treats, or try spraying it on finished pancakes or popcorn for delicious butter flavor.

It was reformulated and I don’t like what they did to it.

I thought they just changed the packaging but they changed the actual product, too.

I don’t think  it’s “70% better”

It’s not “New & Improved” for me.

I thought it was perfect just the way it was.

I use buttery spray in most all of my baking.

Pans of cookies and bars From the No-Bake Chocolate Special K Bars to Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

to White Chocolate Vanilla Marshmallow Cake Bars

White Chocolate Vanilla Marshmallow Cake Bars

to Samoas Bars

Samoas Bars with chocolate chips

I always use cooking spray.  Nothing worse that all the work of baking only to have the precious final product stick to the pan.  I even spray my aluminum foil.  No risking stickage here.

I also like the way buttery spray coats popcorn in a uniform way which doesn’t always happen when drizzling real butter over the top.  The cooking spray down method prevents the drenched on some pieces but dry on others problem.

Popcorn with cinnamon on themI like buttery spray rather than just regular or plain cooking spray because I like the buttery flavor.  Buttah makes things better.

But the new formulation has an “off” smell and and off taste to me.  I’ve actually gone to a half dozen grocery stores in the area and to Target to try to scoop up any remaining old formulation cans of Pam, but no such luck.  The “new and improved” is on the shelves in all the stores it appears.

And yes, there is Coconut Oil Spray but I don’t always want that. Coconut spray oil in can

Sometimes I just want Buttery Spray.  I guess I could just melt butter but it’s not the same as a quick blast of the ole’ spray.

Not a huge problem in life, clearly, but ya know.

It would be a big problem though if the Deep Dish Double Chocolate Golden Grahams Smores Bars (Vegan & GF options) stuck to the pan.  Must.use.spray.

Deep Dish Double Chocolate Golden Grahams Smores Bars

Questions:

1. Do you have a favorite cooking spray?  Have you used a Misto?

There’s neutral/no-taste sprays, i.e. plain, original, and “baking” tend to be pretty flavorless.

There’s also the more noticeably flavored sprays like coconut oil spray, olive oil spray, buttery spray, grilling-flavored spray, and others.

If you have any sprays you love, I’m all ears.

I’ve never tried a Misto, either.  Maybe I should try that.  Are they messy or a pain to use?

2. Are there any products that have been reformulated or become “new and improved” but you wish they had been left the way they were?

Hair products, shampoo, conditioner, makeup, lotion, lipstick and lipgloss, toothpaste; I find health and beauty products in general notorious for this.

Sometimes the texture of the paper in toilet paper, paper towels, or tissues changes, too.  Did the cotton fields start making different cotton one day?

Condiments like salad dressing or mustard get reformulated, too.  There was a Catalina French salad dressing that Scott loved that just became “new and improved” but now he doesn’t like it anymore.

P.S. Last chance to enter to win a $25 Gift Card!

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Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Comments

  1. I thought maybe it was just my can of pam butter spray that stunk! I have been using it for years and love it for baking and omelettes, but the second I sprayed this stuff I actually recoiled. It smells awful! I washed it right out of the pan and used real butter… 50 calories heavier, but at least it’s not fetid smelling! I sent ConAgra a complaint about it, and I suggest you do too so they “improve” it back or fix the stink.

    1. it’s so random you saw this post b/c it’s old…but I’m glad you did and confirmed what I thought. I actually had another woman write in and tell me the same thing..that the new spray ruined a batch of cookies for her. So frustrating and I am glad you’re writing to them; I will do the same. The issue isnt even calories for me…sometimes it’s the texture of just the spray I need and a big glob of butter is lovely but not the ‘application’ I want at that moment type thing…wish they wouldnt have reformulated something that was good as is!

  2. I love my Misto! As long as you don’t fill it over half full you shouldn’t have a problem with it leaking! They have 2 packs of them in funky colors at Costco right now!!

  3. THANK YOU FOR THIS POST!! I just used it and burned my cookies. I will own up to user error but I have never burned cookies in under the baking time!! ick!

    1. so sorry to hear about your cookies!! but also relieved that it’s not just me who is NOT impressed with the new and improved. LMK if you find something else you love.

      btw just went to your site and was reading your resume..girl…amazing. From the President to half of Hollywood. You clearly know what you’re doing…congrats on your success!

  4. I only use baking spray with flour. It is the only kind that I have found that is sure to keep food from sticking.

    I empathize with your disappointment of a “new and improved” product. I hate it when companies do that and mess up something I like! : S

  5. I have a Misto! I love it. I can get away from the chemicals in the storebought variety and still get the misty spray.

    I hate it when products I love change. Whether it’s adding ingredients I can’t eat or especially reformulating the whole taste. It usually ends up being disastrous. They always seem to change exactly what it was that I loved about the product in the first place. So annoying!

    1. You love yours, huh? Ok there have been lots of people who love, lots of people who don’t. Thanks for the info :)

  6. Ugh, I hate when they change a good thing to not good! I never use cooking spray, I always use coconut oil or olive oil for everything! But I do agree butta sometimes has the best taste ever!!

    xxoo

  7. A misto seems like such a great idea, but haven’t tried it yet. Maybe I should host a giveaway?
    I hear you; new and “improved” stuff bites. Period.
    Will I have the honor of seeing you at Foodbuzz?

  8. 1. I love the Misto concept, but I’ve never tried it. Maybe I should host a giveaway?
    2. I’m with you. New and Improved products bite. Ugh.
    Will I have the honor of seeing you at Foodbuzz this weekend?

  9. I had a Misto and I didn’t like it. I filled it with olive oil. Whenever you want to use it, you pump it a certain number of times and then spray. But I found that the pressure that builds inside (from the pumping I assume?) made the oil leak from the sprayer and always made a mess. I threw it away. Olive oil messes are no fun to clean up :)

  10. I have never seen either of those cooking sprays in our grocery stores here, but I will be on the lookout. Your desserts look so good Averie – I really need to make some of them ASAP.

  11. yes I love the misto! i acutally got mine at Marshalls of all places in the cooking section..you can load it up with whtaever oil you want and it sprays the perfect amount. No fillers and its light and all natural! I would highly reccomend it! I never tried PAM butter spray but wow I cant believe it changed that much! you’d think it would be for the better, right?!

    1. you love your misto? ok good to know and I know you’re a Marshall’s girl. I love TJ Maxx and Marshalls for housewares and bloggie dishes.

      And thanks again for linking me in your Abs post yesterday :)

      xo

  12. Shoot…I hate it when they try to “improve” a great product and only end up making it worse!! Boo to that!