Substitute This, Too!

Article By: Elizabeth Josefsberg


Necessity is the mother of invention! The need for satisfying, low-POINTS® value foods has long been the catalyst for creative solutions from members. You loved the substitution ideas our Leaders brought to the table, now enjoy your own creations.
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Members and Leaders agree, if you dont learn to seek out substitution ideas that really satisfy, youll have a harder time losing and maintaining your weight. The sign of true success is knowing that you have substitutes that will bust any craving. Developing a repertoire of great stand-ins ensures that you will always have a plan. Leaders gave you their 10 best ideas in the first installment of Substitute This.

Not to be outdone, Community members got into the swap and shared some of their favorites as well. Below you will find 10 more great substitution ideas from meeting rooms around the country and the Community on Weigh****chers.com. You can share your own substitution standbys here.

1. Ice Cream Sandwiches
Simply break a full sheet (2 squares) of a chocolate graham cracker in half. Spread fat-free whipped topping in the middle and freeze. This make-your-own favorite is a perfect 1 POINTS value substitute for the real thing, which can cost you as many as 4 POINTS values.

2. Creamy Soups
The need for a cream-based soup every once in a while has led members to get creative. Many of you reported using fat-free evaporated milk paired with flavorful broths to achieve the look and feel of the heavier version. The most interesting idea turned out to be using instant mashed potato flakes to thicken and cream up any broth-based soup!

3. The Diet Soda Cake
No article about substitution would be complete without mentioning of one of the favorite underground substitutions. Simply add one 12-ounce can of any flavor diet soda to a box of cake mix, bake at the temperature and time recommended on the package and enjoy. This oldie-but-goodie will dramatically drop the POINTS values of a slice of cake, as it eliminates the need for oil, butter or eggs. Use the Recipe Builder and careful portion measuring to determine the POINTS value for your slice of cake.

4. Whipped Cream
If you are a freshly whipped cream purist who doesnt like the canned or frozen versions, your day has come. Members report that using chilled fat-free evaporated milk does the trick. For the best results, the milk must be cold, and you need to whip it vigorously.

5. Ricotta Cheese
Members complaining that they could never find a fat-free version of ricotta cheese in their grocery stores started experimenting. It turns out that simply dropping fat-free cottage cheese in a blender will do the trick. The search is over!

6. Meat in Stews
Make your favorite POINTS value-laden soups and stews lighter. Simply substitute two-thirds of the meat called for in your recipe with triple the amount of vegetables. Give up POINTS values while upping your veggie intake!

7. Beef Burger
Everyone needs a juicy burger every once in a while, but you dont need the 13 (and up) POINTS values associated with eating one! Members and Community users substitute large grilled Portobello mushrooms for the real thing. Their texture and flavor seem to imitate the real thing closely enough to satisfywith a POINTS value of 0.

8. The Great Substitution Secret: Chopping
Take a single high POINTS value ingredient in any recipe, halve the amount and chop it. This works particularly well with the chocolate chips or nuts in baked goods. Dont stop there. Chopping anything bulks up the volume and makes it feel as if you have three times as much of a decadent treat.

9. Oil for Butter
The Weight Watchers-recommended healthy oils (olive, sunflower, safflower, flaxseed, canola) can be substituted for butter in any recipe. This simple switch does not particularly decrease the POINTS values in the recipe, but will eliminate saturated fats and cholesterol.

10. Powdered Peanut Butter
Members say that there are great products on the market that can really satisfy the need for peanut butter. Everyone is raving about Weight Watchers new Peanut Butter Bliss Mini Bars with a POINTS value of 1. Others gush that powdered versions like PB2, found mainly online and in the health food aisles of certain grocery stores, are cravings busters and have a POINTS value of just 1 for 2 tablespoons.