Who Invented Cool Whip?
Cool Whip is a popular frozen topping used as a quick substitute for whipped cream. It has been a staple in pies, cakes, tarts, cobblers, banana splits, and Jello salads since its 1966 introduction. Cool Whip is currently manufactured by Kraft Foods and is commonly sold in frozen tubs however, the company also produces a refrigerated aerosol variety. Other creative and delicious ways to use Cool Whip in food and beverages include using it as a garnish on top of hot chocolate or eggnog, as cake frosting, as a top layer on mousse, pies, and parfaits. This whipped cream look-alike is made out of corn syrup, water, hydrogenated coconut, palm oils, and high fructose syrup.
So who invented Cool Whip? Cool Whip was invented in 1967 by a General Foods Corp food chemist named William Mitchell. The product was then introduced to the market by the Birds Eye department of the company and was an instant success. Several years later, the department consolidated with Kraft Foods. They later acquired the rights to manufacture the product.
Popularity of Cool Whip
One of the characteristic features of the product that consumers were attracted to was the fact that the product was sold in a frozen state in supermarkets. The product soon became available in different Canadian regions and across the United States. The whipped topping was also available in 226-gram packages and also in big plastic tubs.
Marketing
To market the product and to have wider market share, the company produced several variations of the whipped topping. Some of the product variants include:
- Original
- Lite
- French Vanilla
- Extra Creamy
- Reduced Fat
- Sugar Free (with Splenda)
- Chocolate
- Strawberry
- Ultra Low
- Fat Free
To compete with other products on the market, Kraft Foods Corp began to manufacture Cool Whip that is packaged in aerosol cans in 2008. One downside, however, is that aerosol cans are more expensive than plastic tubs.
Cool Whip Recipes
Cool Whip is a common household item because of it convenience. Any dessert or beverage becomes instantly upgraded. For example, to make Lemon Jello Mousse with Cool Whip:
- You will need: 3-3oz packages of regular or sugar free lemon-flavored Jello, 4 cups boiling water, 1-9oz tub of fat free, sugar free, or original Cool Whip, 1-12oz container of regular or sugar free lemonade.
- Place Jello in a large mixing bowl. Pour in boiling water to dissolve Jello. Add the lemonade and blend well. Allow to cool in the refrigerator until slightly firm but not completely set (2-3 hours). Next, remove the cooled Jello from the refrigerator and beat in Cool Whip, just little scoops at a time, hand-mixed or by using a mixer on medium speed. After all the Cool Whip is blended in, pour the mixture into a glass bowl and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
Other Uses of Cool Whip
Now that you know who invented Cool Whip, you may wonder just what to do with it. Aside from using it to make easy-to-do, yummy desserts, there have surfaced some other strange uses for Cool Whip. For example, cool whip can be used:
- To shine shoes. A tablespoon of Cool Whip can shine leather shoes.
- For hair conditioner. Apply half a cup of Cool Whip on dry hair once a week as a deep conditioner.
- As a burn remedy. Cool Whip can help soothe the burn on the roof of your mouth after eating something hot. Allow the whipped topping to coat the lesion.
- As a moisturizer. Use Cool Whip to give you a soothing facial. Cool Whip is said to help moisten dry skin when used as a face mask. Leave it on the face for 20 minutes then rinse off with warm water followed by cold water to close pores.
- As a silver cleaner. Mix one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with two cups of Cool Whip. Soak silver in the mixture overnight then rinse off and dry thoroughly.