WW Food and Point Issues - 0-2 point snacks that fill you up - what are yours?

We were talking on a different thread about strategies for eating when you enter the 20 point per day zone. I was thinking that it would be really helpful to find some snacks that don't cost much or anything, but fill you up. We are talking BANG for your BUCK here.

For me, boiling a whole artichoke with 1/2 cup of vinegar (I prefer balsamic for this) and chopped garlic really does the trick. It is 0 points. It takes quite awhile to eat. It is as handy as having a bowl of chips out, and it is good for you.

My other staples are

an apple with a glass of water (1)
stir fry veggies with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (2)
stir fry veggies with an ounce of reduced fat feta (1)
1/2 cup of beans stirred into 0 point soup (2)

thank you for starting this post, i'm looking for ideas
i'd really like to try an artichoke.. but i have no clue how to cook it lol

Pick one with a fat stem whose leaves squeek. Boil for about 45 minutes, let cool, eat. When you get to the heart you can't eat the hairlike parts, you cut them out and then eat the rest.

The leaves you just peel off and scrape the bottem meat off with you teeth (I used to have a dog that loved doing this and would bare her teeth to get a good hold).

You can also cook a few, throw them in the fridge to eat cold later, or microwave for 1.5 minutes later to reheat.

2 hardboiled egg whites with a 1 pt. Fiber One muffin (1)
green beans with TJ's roasted pepper sauce and fat-free feta (1)
a large celery stalk stuffed with Laughing Cow Light (1)
coleslaw mix with TJ's tzatsiki sauce and fat-free feta (1)

I've never had an artichoke before! So forgive me if this sounds odd...

Do you just eat the little leaves? Like you would potato chips?? How does it taste?

I'm a big celery person! I could munch on it all day! (Unfortunately I've got a tooth ache and so I can't lately :( )

I also always have zero point soup in the fridge! (Which reminds me that I need to make a new batch!)

We always ate them growing up, and I can't really describe them. But my kids nearly two and 3.5 both love them. I think mostly because they are fun to eat. Of course, I grew up dipping each leaf in Mayonaisse or Garlic Butter - we don't do it that way now.

They are a thistle comprised of 50 or so leaves surrounding an undeveloped flower and "heart". You cannot eat the entire leaf (since the top of it has a thorn). They are quite pokey. My MIL uses kitchen scissors so snip off each and every thorn before cooking, but I am too lazy. After boiling for 45 minutes, you peel the leaves off the flower, put the bottom of the leaf in your mouth, and scrape the meat off with your (either top or bottom) teeth. The outer leaves are kind of tough, and they get better and better towards the center. Once you get most of the leaves off (they get thinner and thinner) you reach the inner part of the (unbloomed flower). You don't eat this part (it resembles fine hairs) - my parents gave us dire warnings, like it would bind up our intestines? who knows? Anyway, you scrape that part out with a spoon and you are left with the heart. The entire heart is edible. I usually peel off (with a knife) the very outside layer of the stem. Then eat the heart.

The heart can also be thrown into a blender for some awesome guacamole-like dip, but without any fat. You can make the dip out of canned artichoke hearts packed in water (kind of spendy, but still good). Most artichoke hearts are packed in oil, and thus not really an option.

Very interesting... I will definately try it :D

I *love* artichokes! Especially when I dip the leaves & the heart in melted butter. (Or, now, just spray with 0-point I can't beleive it's not butter spray!) Only I cook mine in water in the microwave for 16 minutes with a bit of lemon juice.

I've never had an artichoke, and I'm not brave enough yet, but in the way of low point snacks, I really like air popped popcorn w/ I can't believe it's not butter spray...3 cups is 1 point... it fills me up and I really like the taste. Sometimes I'll put some grated parmesan on too.

I usually make a pot of 1-2 point soup and have that if I'm really hungry. Also the Orville Redenbachers 94% fat free popcorn is 7 cups for 2 points.
I also like a carb friendly bagel, just watch the fat and calories, but you can find the 1 point kind and put FF cream cheese for another point, so 2 points. I also have that for breakfast with lite sugar jelly and it's only 3 points for the whole shebang!
Anyway, those are my favorites!

More snack ideas:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55634

Campbells Soup at Hand Vegetable Beef and Chicken and Stars are 1 pt each. I'm not sure about the other varieties - I haven't checked yet.

Cup-a-soup low carb chicken noodle soup is 0pts for one serving and it's just a packet that you add water to, so it travels easily. Sodium might be high so if you're watching that you might need to give it a second look.

I still like the Weight Watcher's chocolate cakes for 1pt when I need a choc. fix.

Quaker multi-grain mini's are 9 for 1pt. They are sweet, crunchy and pretty yummy.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's ideas. Now that I'm down to 20pts a day I need all of the help I can get!

For a low pt. snack on the go I like the Chips Ahoy 100 Calorie Snack Packs and then there are the Right Bites also. Each snack pack is 2 pt.
SF pudding is 1 pt. so that is another good one. SF Jello is 0 pt. So those are my fav. on the go snacks....

I think that the sugarfree-fat free jello pudding is only 1 point alone, if you make it with milk, it increases to 2 points ( at least that's how I figured it out )... I figured it again before typing this post, since pudding is one of my favorite ways to boost my dairy

Wasa sesame cracker ( 1 pt each) with laughing cow cheese lite (1). I just had it for the first time and it was really good.

bev

Thomas Light Multigrain english muffin (1 pt) with laughing cow cheese wedge (1 pt), or with jelly, or ff deli turkey.

Wasa Multigrain crackers (2 for 1 pt) and homemade hummus. I make my own, it's 1 pt per 1 oz. If anyone would like the recipe I'll post it.

1 oz light cheese (2 pts)

tangerines, 2 large ones for 2 pts

Puffin original cereal (dry), 2 oz (1 1/2 cup!) for only 2 pts and it's so yummy!

Sugar-free popsicles!!! I think one is 0 pts, I can't remember now, but it's one of my favorite treats for the summer! :D

I'd definitely like the hummus recipe!!

Thx!

I put garbanzo beans in a blender with some raw garlic, lemon juice, and seseme butter (or tahini).

I like to make salsa and dip celery sticks or carrot sticks. 000 points!

Or, lately I don't want to make salsa so I buy the carrot chips (not sticks) and dip them in Kraft red pepper italian dressing (2 TBS 1pt). Yummy

I like to make salsa and dip celery sticks or carrot sticks. 000 points!


I was thinking about that today! Wondering if that would be any good!! Guess I'll have to try it now!

LOL Morrigan, yeah that's easy enough. I guess I like to complicate myself.

This is how I make mine:

Hummus:

6 tbsp of water
1/4 cup (2 oz) tahini (sesame paste)
10 large roasted garlic cloves (to roast place them in the over at 375 until golden brown, approx 30 minutes)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas rinsed and drained
salt & pepper to taste

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, process until smooth, scraping the sides once or twice.

Total for the recipe is 18 pts. For me it comes to 1 pt per oz.

You can add hot sauce to taste, or roasted peppers. It's very good as a dip or spread.

I have just recently started making the 0 points soup in the WW week 1 book. It's great for inbetween meals or sometimes a 1/2 cup before a meal helps me eat less of a high points meal.

I also love the single serving bags of lowfat popcorn that are 2 points. These are great in the evenings when I normally would want to eat chips while watching TV.

I also like the 100 calorie packets of cookies. While I would not say these are filling, they do help with cravings. I often pair them with a 1/2 cup of skim milk for a 3 points treat. Keebler's just came out with a snack pack for their Shortbread Sandies, which I love.

I tried something new today and it was pretty good. I bought some broccoli slaw (like coleslaw mix but with shredded brocolli, carrot, cabbage, etc. Anyway, I don't like mayo so I mixed it with one tablespoon FF Ranch dressing (1 pt for 2 tblsp, so .5 pt for my slaw). It was a nice change from salad - took a long time to chew - and only .5 pt!

My staples are string cheese, pretzels, and fruit. For craving, I have portioned Junior Mints and those awesome 100 calorie packets.

Kashi Go Lean Cereal (1 cup =110 calories, 2 pts) and 1/2 cup milk (1pt)
This gives me a 3 point snack with most of my protien and fiber and part of my calcium for the day.

Last time I did WW I ate a lot of small potatoes covered in steamed broccoli, slathered in salsa with a dollop of fat free sour cream. I haven't even bought a bag of potatoes in a few years (this coming from idaho girl), but it was a good low point thing.

Also: I would sometimes take a bag of stir fry veggies, cook them in a nonstick skillet, and than put 1-2 oz of fat free feta on top and eat. Again, a giant meal for 1-2 points.

This time around I am trying to be very conscious of not sticking with my lifelong habit of out of control portion sizes. So I try to eat smaller, protien or fiber filled snacks and not just bulk up on free veggies.

This reminds me of a story our WW leader tells of a girl (she calls us all girls as she is 'older than dirt' ~ I know for sure she is older than my grandma by a ways)... anyway a girl who had lost over 100 lbs at a very regular clip but came to a meeting and sat in the back with her head hung low. The leader asked why she was upset, she said because she had gained weight. The leader asked why she thought she gained weight, she said because of the cabbage. She then said, how much cabbage? and the reply was -- 5 heads.

Now I don't think I could eat 5 heads of cabbage, but I can certainly down two bags of frozen veggies, which although being helpful for weight loss, does nothing for learning portion control.

I like to eat Light n' Lively Light N' Fit with fiber (1 pt.), I top it with 1/2 cup strawberries (0 pts.) and 2 tbsp. of Cool Whip Free (0 pts.). It it sooo good.

Bev, I love the wasa crackers too! I have the multi grain kind right now. I usually spread a laughing cow cheese wedge on it with one slice of deli turkey. With some carrots it makes an excellent snack/lunch. :)

Big FAT Dill Pickles are good every now and then for a nice change of pace
and they are ZERO Points as well.


There are so many things on here that I have not tried.

Like Laughing cow cheese ? ? ? Is it pricey ?

And Feta cheese ? what are the points for these.

Thinking of being daring and trying the artichoke how many points ...

Not sure what Hummus is - have heard of it before - but what does it taste like - and can someone please post the No Point soup recipe ... Please

Thank you

0 pt soup

2/3 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves minced
3 cups FF broth
1 1/2 cup diced green cabbage
1/2 cup green beans
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp slat
1/2 cup diced zucchini

Saute carrots, onion, and garlic for 5 mins until soft.

Add all remaining ingrediets except zucchini. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until beans are tender.

Add zucchini and heat 3-4 minutes more.

pmoswife: Hummus is similar in texture to refried beans. It's like a paste, the flavor varies, can be mild, some people put a lot of garlic in it, some put red peppers in it. Have you ever had chickpeas (garbanzo)? If you like them, you'd like hummus.

Laughing Cow cheese is very yummy, texture is similar to cream cheese but it's got its own little flavor, more cheesy. It can be pricey, a pckg that comes with 8 - 3/4 oz wedges is almost $3 at some supermarkets. I get mine at BJ's (wholesale club) and I get 3 pckgs for $7. It's very good on crackers and sandwiches, veggies, or by itself! :D

I read somewhere in here artichokes are 0 pts, my book says artichoke hearts are 1 pt per 1 cup.

I think that the sugarfree-fat free jello pudding is only 1 point alone, if you make it with milk, it increases to 2 points ( at least that's how I figured it out )... I figured it again before typing this post, since pudding is one of my favorite ways to boost my dairy

I was talking about the individual cups (like the snack packs). I usually get Hunt's Sugar Free pudding..and that is 1 pt..though you are probably right about making it..I haven't done that.

I just took a La Tortilla low-carb small tortilla (0 pts.), spread spicy bean dip from Trader Joe's (2 Tbl = 0 pts.) on it, added some grilled veggies, salsa, and FF sour cream (0 pts.) for what would count out to be 0 points if you took each item individually. I counted 1 pt. for the whole thing. The tortilla, bean dip, and veggies had LOTS of fiber, too. Quite filling.

Sheila, that sounds delish!! I will have to refer back to this and try it. Thank you!!!

YUMMY that sounds goood !!!!!!!!!!

Shelia, that's a great idea!

I like those tortillas, too! I spread them with 1 light laughing cow, and throw spinach and tomato on and roll them up. Yummy and only 1pt for the Laughing Cow! Keep in mind, one of those tortillas is 0pts, but two of them is 1pt.

1 cup egg drop soup (very easy to make) - 1 pt
1 cup white seedless grapes and 1 Lite string cheese stick - 2 pts
1 large golden delicious apple and water - 2 pts
7 quaker caramel mini rice cakes and 1/2 cup skim milk- 2 pts

These are great snacks for me. :-)