Lidl, Kaufland and Edeka: sunflower oil is becoming scarce – these alternatives exist

Created: 04/14/2022, 11:55 am

By: Lisa Bender

Because of the Ukraine war, sunflower oil is becoming scarce.

But there are alternatives in the supermarket for baking, roasting or for salad dressing.

Dortmund – A question that keeps many people busy is the search for an alternative to sunflower oil.

Because of the Ukraine war and the associated bottlenecks in the supply of cooking oil *, the question is now more than ever in the focus of many supermarket customers.

What is suitable as an alternative to roasting or for salad dressing?

RUHR24* has a few ideas.

Edeka, Aldi and Lidl no longer have sunflower oil: customers need alternatives

In addition to sunflower oil, rapeseed oil is also slowly running out.

Some discounters and supermarkets* are therefore already starting to limit the number of oil bottles that can be bought per customer.

Rapeseed oil is therefore not an alternative to sunflower oil.

However, both types of oil are extremely popular for use in frying or deep-frying.

Because both rapeseed and sunflower oil can be heated to a great extent - especially if it is refined oil.

But if customers are standing in front of empty supermarket shelves and neither sunflower nor rapeseed oil can be found at Edeka, Kaufland, Lidl and Co., alternatives have to be found.

Sunflower oil is becoming scarce at Edeka, Aldi and Kaufland: this is how it can be replaced

Sunflower oil is not only extremely popular for frying because it can be heated to high temperatures, but is also used for baking or for dressings in the kitchen due to its neutral taste.

With these alternatives, consumers can cook and bake just as well:

• For dressings and dips:

  
  

  Native and cold-pressed olive oil*, but also varieties such as linseed, truffle or walnut oil can be used and give dishes a special taste.

• Sear quickly:

  
  

  clarified butter, sesame oil or peanut oil.

  You should be careful with pure butter.

  Because if it is heated too much, components such as lactose and protein burn, which is considered unhealthy.

  Butter is therefore more suitable for sautéing.

• For roasting up to 180 °C and frying:

  
  

  Here it gets more complicated: If rapeseed oil is sold out, only olive oil remains.

  But here you should definitely make sure to use an olive oil without the indication "native" or "virgin".

• For baking:

  
  

  refined tasteless oils or butter

Butter is only a limited substitute for sunflower oil.

The fat is more suitable for steaming than for frying.

© Winfried Rothermel/Imago

Lidl, Edeka and Kaufland: Replace rapeseed oil with these alternatives from the supermarket

In general, it is important to use an oil for frying that has a high smoke point.

In addition to sunflower and rapeseed oil and the cooking oils already mentioned, germ and safflower oil, special frying oil or ghee are also suitable, i.e. a product similar to the clarified butter used in German cuisine.

Coconut fat or coconut oil can also be used for frying or baking.* However, the fat is relatively expensive.

Some consumers also avoid coconut oil because it has a strong taste of its own.

For this very reason, others use it primarily for Asian dishes.

Replacing Sunflower Oil: Surprising Alternatives to Frying

In addition to these fat alternatives, there is also the option of frying without fat.

Coated pans, for example, are suitable for this - with these, especially with foods with a high fat content, you can do without oil for frying.

This also has a positive effect on the calorie account.

Frying oil can also be replaced with mineral water.

This will certainly surprise some consumers, but it actually works.

Frying without fat: Mineral water is an alternative to sunflower or rapeseed oil

In order to fry with mineral water instead of oil, you should ideally use carbonated water.

Simply add the same amount of it to the pan as you would use oil.

Because if you put too much water in the pan, you will steam the food instead of frying it.

Too much water also prevents the roasted aromas.

However, you may have to give in mineral water again and again.

Even if sunflower oil is sold out in the supermarket, these alternatives show that the kitchen does not have to rest, but can continue to bake, roast and cook cheerfully.