Kelly the Culinarian: My Favorite Foods on Weight Watchers

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

My Favorite Foods on Weight Watchers

I've been following Weight Watchers for five weeks now.  It's been working very well for me.  I've lost about three pounds, but more than that, I'm feeling more in control of what I eat. I've certainly found foods I like and don't like on the program, and I intend to update this post with new favorites as I find them. Here are the foods I've found the most helpful and delicious during my time following the Points Plus Weight Watchers plan:

Salmon burgers. These are 4 points plus and can be purchased in the frozen food section at Costco.
Turkey Polish sausage. It's 1 point plus per ounce. I usually slice it thinly, cook it in a pan and then divide it into two-ounce portions to add to my meals. It's great on salads or with quinoa and veggies. This is from ALDI's Fit & Active line.

Frozen veggies. Most vegetables have zero points in the Weight Watchers program. I'm particularly fond of the vegetable mixes that you can steam in the bag. It makes meal prep really easy. Favorites: Broccoli  snow pea stir fry mix, California vegetable medley. I get these at ALDI, Costco, Wal-Mart and Jewel.
Fruits! Most of these are also zero points on Weight Watchers. I eat at least three pieces of fruit per day. I prefer oranges, apples and bananas because they're highly portable. 
Zucchini. A zero points plus food, I like it either as pasta-sauce topped zucchini boats or sliced using a julienne peeler. Then, it reminds me of spaghetti after I cook it in the microwave for two minutes. It makes a great side dish.  
Spicy mustard. This is a zero-point condiment that I really enjoy on turkey burgers and salads (strange, but true). This particular brand is from ALDI. 
Nonfat Greek yogurt. It's 3 points plus for one cup. Add a bunch of thawed strawberries and a touch of splenda, and it's a great dessert. This particular package is from ALDI (the dog in the background is all mine, not available in stores).
Unsweetened, plain almond milk. I drank almond milk before I started Weight Watchers and prefer it instead of regular milk.  It's 1 to 2 points plus per cup, depending on the brand you purchase.  I use it in my coffee, oatmeal and cereal. This is the ALDI brand. 
Peanut butter, obviously. I love peanut butter so hard. I eat it every day.  All peanut butters are 5 points plus for two Tablespoons, so I've been on a quest for the best.  I'll write a whole post about my favorite peanut butters soon, but this one is from Trader Joe's. Browse my favorite peanut butter recipes (some are healthy, some are not).
Multi-grain FlatOut wraps. This particular variety is 3 points plus per tortilla and can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Jewel, Dominicks, etc. I prefer this variety over the light/low-fat varieties because it crisps up nicely. I usually toast half of one of these under the broiler and top it with two Tablespoons of peanut butter, a sprinkle of chia seeds and a sliced banana for breakfast.
Trader Joe's Extra Dark Chocolate Wedges. These are so super awesome. Each wedge is 1 point plus. It's the perfect evening treat if I have the points left at the end of the day.  Browse my favorite chocolate recipes (some are healthy, some are not).
Thai Red Curry Sauce. This is another Trader Joe's favorite.  It's 2 points plus per 1/4 cup. I usually use two Tablespoons (1 point) on top of a mixture of quinoa, tilapia and veggies for a super tasty meal. This jazzes up veggies and chicken nicely without being too spicy. 
Mision Carb Smart Tortillas. I initially bought these for Tim and ended up eating many of these. They're 1 point plus per tortilla and are great for taco night. They also toast well, so I use these for breakfast often. I got these at Wal-Mart or Jewel. 
Quinoa. This is another food I eat almost daily. It's 3 points plus for a half cup, which I use in place of rice or another starch. I make a large pot at the beginning of the week and add it to meals as needed. You can buy quinoa almost anywhere. I purchased a large container from Costco, which lasts our little family several months. If you're unsure what to do with it, here's how I prepare my quinoa. You can also browse my favorite recipes with quinoa
Spaghetti squash. It's zero points plus on Weight Watchers, easy to prepare and an amazing pasta substitute. Here's how I prepare my spaghetti squash
Oatmeal. How I love thee. Oatmeal is four points plus for 1/4 cup of steel cut oats and 4 points plus for a 1/2 cup of instant oats. I keep both around. If I eat breakfast at home, I like to make Bob's Mill Steel Cut Oats. If I eat breakfast at work, instant oatmeal rocks. I top my oats with sliced bananas and peanut butter, microwave-baked apples and nuts, or defrosted frozen berries. Browse my tried and true oatmeal recipes now
Turkey burger. Yum. These are five points plus per burger. I buy my turkey burgers in the frozen food section at Costco. This is my go-to dinner. 
Eggs. Three egg whites are 1 point plus and 1 egg is 2 points plus. I eat at least three egg whites, scrambled or hard boiled, every day.

Do you have any favorite foods on Weight Watchers that I should try?

You may also want to check out my post about essential kitchen tools for Weight Watchers success.

13 comments:

Jennifer said...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this post! I'm very frustrated right now with my eating. I'm doing WW and I tend to eat the same things over and over. I will definately be trying the foods that you listed.

Alissa said...

Wow, this made me way hungry. Good for you for getting creative with your WW meals - when I was doing it, I found myself eating the same things over and over.

Also - I feel like I need to get to Trader Joe's, stat.

Jen G said...

May I suggest farro. It is a nuttier grain that has protein like quinoa. Delicious with some ground up toasted walnuts and sauteed arugula.

I prefer the natural almond and peanut butters. Goes very well with an apple.

Unknown said...

Loving all the food! I've had my eye on those salmon burgers but always chicken (haha) out of buying them for fear that they won't be good. Everyone keeps praising them though so I may just go for it next time I'm at Costco!

Unknown said...

If you love peanut butter you should try PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter from Bell Plantation. You do have to mix it up each time you want to eat it, but it is 1 point for 2 Tablespoons. You just mix it with water, so you can adjust the consistency and you do have to mix it pretty well to get it smooth but for me it is 110% worth it!!! You might check your local WalMart for it, but I've only ever seen it at one, otherwise here is a link to the Bell Plantation website: http://www.bellplantation.com/

Oh! and they also offer a chocolate variety too!!

Unknown said...

very helpful!

Unknown said...

I was just googling Costco salmon burgers when I came upon your blog...very helpful! thanks!

Unknown said...

very helpful!

Lughnna said...

We are kindred spirits! Found your blog while researching steel cut oats and we eat all the same things! I have been with the WW points plus now for a little over a year now and just received my Lifetime status. My eating habits have definitely evolved over that time, but now having lost 140 lbs and looking back, I can see how all of these choices have added up to a monumental life change. Thanks for sharing your culinary adventures!

Unknown said...

What is a serving size & how many points for Farro? I calculated points using the nutrition on the bag - 4 points for 1/4 cup. Is that 1/4 C cooked or uncooked?

BizzieLizzie said...

Fantastic post! I am a huge Aldi fan and love your same choices, especially that Greek yogurt! I am not a fan of regular oatmeal, but have fallen head over heals for the steel cut oats! I fix them ahead of time and then bake them in the oven to heat back up! Delish, fast and easy!

Ellen Allard said...

Great helpful post. For the oats, are the points measured before or after cooking?

KellytheCulinarian said...

It's counted for the raw oats before cooking. Hope that helps!