Skip to main content
LIMITED TIME ONLY: Join for as low as $10/month!

Swap your way to fewer Points®

Similar taste, more nutrition, less to track.

Last updated July 25, 2023
Swap your way to fewer Points®

[{"type":"p","children":[{"text":""},{"type":"br"},{"text":""},{"type":"br"},{"text":""},{"type":"br"},{"text":""}]}]

Just add fiber

How to sneak the nutrient into meals to feel fuller and save Points.

FIBER-FILLED SWAPS

Jelly in a PB&J

Berries or a mashed banana

Mayo on a sandwich

Hummus, avocado, or fat-free refried beans

Chips or pretzels

Air-popped popcorn or baked kale chips

Ice cream

Frozen, puréed banana (a.k.a. “nice” cream)

Cream or milk in soups and sauces

Puréed cauliflower (riced veg gives a smooth finish)

Croutons

Air-fried or roasted chickpeas or edamame

FIBER-ADDING UPGRADES

Burgers

Mix in diced mushrooms or grated carrots.

Grilled cheese

Layer in grated zucchini or finely chopped broccoli.

Pasta

Go 50-50 with spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash.

Pasta sauce

Stir in puréed white beans for creaminess.

Chocolate cake or brownies

Add puréed black beans into the batter (bonus: they make desserts extra moist).

Nachos

Line your dish with chips and bell pepper wedges.

Send eggs undercover

The ZeroPoint® hero makes delicious dupes.

Pancakes: Mix two eggs with a mashed ripe banana to make a 3-Points batter.

Noodles: Cook a stack of superthin omelets then cut into ribbons.

Sliders: Slice hard-boiled eggs in half and stack with turkey, tomato, arugula, and mustard.

Wraps: Blend eggs with baby spinach and cook in a superthin layer for a 0-Points sandwich wrap.

Make all-star trades

Keep your kitchen stocked with these versatile staples.

INSTEAD OF THIS

USE THIS

Dough for pizza, donuts, bagels, pretzels...

Two-ingredient dough (nonfat Greek yogurt + self-rising flour)
Saves up to 2 points per serving

Extra olive or canola oil in salad dressings or when preventing stir-fry veggies from sticking

Low-sodium chicken or veggie stock
Saves up to 4 points per tbsp

Mayo, milk, or cream in salad dressings, dips, soups, smoothies, and desserts

Silken tofu (puréed)
Saves up to 7 points per 2 tbsp

Mayo in salads, sour cream in chili, tacos, or dips

Nonfat Greek yogurt
Saves up to 7 points per 2 tbsp

Ricotta or other cheeses in baked pasta or mac & cheese; mayo in dips and salads (puréed); ice cream.

Nonfat cottage cheese
Saves up to 6 points per serving

Oil or butter for sautéing or searing

Olive oil cooking spray
Saves up to 6 points per tbsp

Regular peanut butter

Powdered peanut butter
Saves up to 6 points per 2 tbsp

Hot take: Air fry (almost) everything

The time-saving, Points-shaving appliance is the ultimate hack for maximizing crispiness without a lot of oil. A few tips:

• Place food in a single layer in the basket or on the rack.

• Spray lightly with cooking spray.

• Flip or shake food in the basket halfway through cooking.

• No air-fry instructions on a package or not sure how to cook something? Set the temp at 375 degrees and check for doneness every five minutes or so.

Hack your grocery list

Add these lower-Points picks to your cart… because every Points value counts!

Cheese: Choose feta, blue, or other strong flavors—or get grated over sliced; a little goes a long way.

Plant-based milk: The most important word on the label: unsweetened.

Rice: Not a fan of cauliflower rice? Try bulgar (3 Points per cup versus rice’s 6), pearl barley (4 Points per cup), or couscous, quinoa, or farro (5 Points each).

Tortillas: Corn versions are lower in Points than flour—as are those labeled “low carb,” “high fiber,” or “high protein.”

Pasta sauce: Check labels for those low in fat and with no added sugar.

Pasta: Whole-wheat, chickpea, and lentil noodles save 1–2 Points per cup.

Pickles: Pick those with no added sugar.

Nuts: Go with almonds or pistachios over peanuts and walnuts to save 1–2 Points. (Bonus: Shelling pistachios slows you down, helping you feel more satisfied eating less, and sliced almonds will go further in a recipe.)

Tuna: Get yours packed in water versus oil; even if you drain excess, you’ll save 3 Points.

Ground turkey or chicken: Only breast or white meat or “99% fat-free” is 0 Points.

Steak: Trade fattier cuts for lean filet, flank, and top sirloin.

Pork: Tenderloin is only 2 Points per 3 oz versus 6 Points for shoulder.

Trust: You need this newsletter.

The field of weight management is evolving–and fast. New research. New treatments. Lots of misinformation. Our clinical newsletter helps sort it all out.