I am on a quest to lose weight. (And yet, as I type this, I am drinking hot chocolate...) As a result of this quest, I have been trying various fat free versions of the food we eat on a regular basis. I have had some great variations, and I have had some that are less than stellar. The ones that bombed really, really bombed, and I thought I'd start compiling a list of those foods so I'd remember to never, ever buy them again. I also figured I'd might as well warn all our readers out there (all 2 of you), and ask for your contributions to the list as well. Here's my short beginnings of said list:
1. Ranch Dressing--This one is definitely debateable. My mom and sister love fat-free ranch, but I despise so. So on the list it goes!
2. Syrup
3. Oreos
4. Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese--This is the worst one to date. I used it on a casserole, and instead of being melty, cheesy, yumminess, it created a hard, almost inpenetrable shell. I literally had to use a steak knife to cut through it when I ate it the next day as leftovers!
And sadly, that's all I can think of right now. Contributions needed!
6 years ago
Ritz crackers if I remember right. :) I'll keep thinking...
ReplyDeleteCool Whip - my husband hates it. (Though scarfed down the fat free chocolate ice cream) I'm not fond of the Ranch dressing either - low fat, ok, fat free, not so much.
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ReplyDeleteOoo, this is a toughy. I don't really like substitutions for anything, personally. I'd rather find something that is naturally better for you than something that is trying to be something it's not (like trying to be more healthy when it's not). For instance, opting for gummy bears or swedish fish instead of candy bars. As far as ranch goes, I would try making a homemade buttermilk ranch like this one: http://rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1198 . Buttermilk is fat free and you can easily use fat free sour cream, which you probably won't notice as long as you've got good spices. Rachael does a great job adding lots of flavor through spices so I bet it would taste fantastic. Anyway, in a nutshell, I'd suggest finding new foods that taste just as good but are more healthy, or making your own low fat or fat free versions of the things you just can't live without. Then, you don't have to rely on food scientists tweaking things in foods that probably shouldn't be messed with. Just my opinion, of course. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Your wintery background is very cute.
I hate fat free...lowfat sour cream...i guess if you mixed it in with something it might be okay...but if you like sour cream on top of stuff, i'd rather go with out than use fat free. I'm terrible at the eating healthy...which is bad cause I need to, cause my doctor said it'd help with acid reflux...but i haven't been doing well. I guess i just don't know how to eat healthy and fast..cause i'm usually in a hurry. If you find any simple healthy recipes or ideas let me know!
ReplyDeleteI am a food scientist, and I can honestly say that there are lots of substitutions for things that you may use every day.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing that I can say to stay healthy is to start from scratch. Stop buying things from the grocery store pre-made. Most of those items have a lot of saturated or trans fats in them to keep them shelf stable for longer.
As for cheeses, the whiter the cheese the better it is for you. So, if you can substitute cottage cheese into things, I would suggest that.
If you are going to do a recipe that is baking and asks for a lot of oil, use mostly applesauce instead. In zucchini bread or other quick breads, you can cut out the fat by eliminating some of the eggs and using bananas instead.
Also, some of the fat can be eliminated by just the way that the food is prepared. In other words, I would suggest baking or grilling instead of frying.
As for foods that I have found that need more fat, I would agree that salad dressing and miracle whip is nasty without the fat.
Also, if you are looking at low fat and non fat items, be sure to check the label. Usually if they say that it is low-fat, it is packed with sugar or some other kind of unhealthy additive. Most of the time, the low-fat things can be even more unhealthy than the fat full.
Anyway, that is my random spiel because this topic interests me.
Good luck!
Christina
Ok, so I know this post is from months ago, but I tried the Kraft fat-free shredded cheese recently, and let me tell you - don't. It doesn't get goey and stringy when melted - it turns to cardboard. Not a good topping for pizza. Bleh. Just had to share. :)
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