MUSTARDS — CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE®

Information updated December 2023

There are some things that just taste better with mustard! It’s one of our favorite condiments, especially when we’re grilling things like hot dogs + burgers.

The good news is that most mustards have very few if no ingredients Not In Kitchen™ >> these are ingredients which we would not have at home in our kitchens if we were making mustard from scratch.

HOMEMADE MUSTARD INGREDIENTS: The basic ingredients for mustard are simple >> dry mustard or mustard seed, vinegar, water, spices like garlic, turmeric, salt + paprika.

MCCORMICK’S FRENCH’S MUSTARD IS AMERICA’S #1 MUSTARD BRAND. (Source: Statista 2023)

The French’s brand has been around for over a century. In one print ad for French’s mustard it states it has been, “America’s Favorite Mustard Since 1904”.

There was once a French’s spokesperson, Hot Dan the Mustard Man.

In the past decade, the French’s Mustard brand has been marketed behind its health aspects with regard to calories, fat and gluten, plus a reference to the fact that, “Farmers make our mustard zero calories, not scientists.”

2013-02-27-Screenshot20130227at4.49.20PM.png

FRENCH'S YELLOW MUSTARD INGREDIENTS: Let’s take a look at the ingredients in McCormick French’s Classic Yellow Mustard. (Source for ingredients: McCormick French’s Web site 12/23)

French’s Yellow Mustard contains ‘Natural Flavors’ which are Not In Kitchen. According to The Environmental Working Group 12/23, "Added flavoring, both natural and artificial, could contain anywhere from 50 to 100 ingredients. The mixture will often have some solvent and preservatives - and that makes up 80 to 90 percent of the volume (of the flavoring) . . . it still has artificial ingredients."

HEINZ MUSTARD ALSO CONTAINS THE NOT IN KITCHEN INGREDIENT, ‘NATURAL FLAVOR’. (Source: Kraft Heinz Heinz Web site 12/23) Sourced from huge commercial flavor houses, ‘Natural Flavors’ are, "the fourth most common ingredient in processed foods. The only ingredients that come before them? Salt, water and sugar.” (Source: Environmental Working Group 12/23)

"Natural Flavors" are the commercial flavoring used in everything from Jelly Belly Jelly Beans to flavored seltzers to flavored snacks >> virtually any flavor can be replicated.

KRAFT HEINZ’S GREY POUPON MUSTARDS CONTAIN Not In Kitchen INGREDIENTS >> Sweetener, Thickening Agent and Chemical Preservatives >> ingredients we would never use at home to make Mustard. (Source: Kraft Heinz Grey Poupon Web site 12/23) Citric Acid is an FDA-recognized Chemical Preservative. (Source: U.S. FDA 2023)

SHOWN BELOW, MANY OTHER MUSTARDS ALSO CONTAIN ADDED SWEETENER(S): There are a few other mustard products which contain added sweeteners. Among them, Unilever’s Sir Kensington’s Dijon Mustard, Yellow Mustard and Spicy Brown Mustard, Unilever's Colman’s Mustard, Unilever's Maille Whole Grain Mustard, Amazon’s Wickedly Prime Dill Mustard and Windmill Organics' Biona Organic Dijon and Whole Grain Mustards. (Sources for ingredients: Brand Web sites 12/23)

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE YELLOW MUSTARDS: There are a few Yellow Mustard brands which have no added sweeteners and no added flavors and are Closest To Homemade >> these include Woodstock Organic + Non-GMO Project Verified Yellow Mustard; True Made Foods Yellow Mustard; Original Yellow Mustard; Organicville Organic Yellow Mustard; Whole Foods 365 Organic Yellow Mustard; Annie’s Organic + Non-GMO Project Verified Yellow Mustard, and Eden Foods Organic Yellow Mustard made with Apple Cider Vinegar. (Sources for ingredients: Brand Web sites 12/23)

*Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list*

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE BROWN MUSTARDS: Below are some Closest To Homemade Brown Mustards including Thrive Market Organic + Non-GMO Project Verified Stone Ground Mustard; Primal Kitchen Organic + Non-GMO Project Verified Spicy Brown Mustard; Organicville Organic Stone Ground Mustard; Gulden’s; Target Good & Gather Organic Stone Ground Mustard, and Eden Foods Organic Brown Mustard made with Apple Cider Vinegar. (Sources for ingredients: Brand Web sites 12/23)

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE DIJON MUSTARDS: Seen below are some Closest To Homemade Dijon Mustards including Woodstock Organic, Primal Kitchen, Hlthpunk, Organicville, Whole Foods 365, Whole Foods and Annie’s.