Best Salad Dressings For Weight Watchers

7 Shares

Finding the best salad dressing for Weight Watchers can be rough when you are starting. A good salad dressing takes your healthy Weight Watchers salad to the next level in terms of flavor. But navigating the supermarket aisle and figuring out which store-bought dressings make sense for the Weight Watchers program can be tricky. The good news is that many great options will satisfy your taste buds without blowing your daily Points budget.

Picture with store bought salad dressing with no labels

(I have included affiliate links to products I love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) In addition, this post contains affiliate links that will make me a small commission when used to order online.

As much as I love to try to make new recipes like homemade salad dressings, sometimes store-bought is just easier. Trying new salad dressings to dress up fresh green salads or as a marinade keeps dinners different and tasty. Knowing the best bottled salad dressing for Weight Watchers before heading to the store helps.

Kitchen Food Scales Measuring Cups and Spoons

WHAT IS Weight Watchers?

When starting a new weight loss program or diet change, consult a doctor or physician about personal health concerns. It is a good idea to have blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and hormones checked at a physical before and during being on the WW program.

New to Weight Watchers?? Also known as WW, a weight loss program uses points assigned to food to track and lose weight. When you sign up, you take an assessment that will assign you a point value to eat daily and a weekly allowance. You can carry over 4 points from the day into your weekly budget, which is handy when you need more points.

I have been on Weight Watchers since 2011. They have had Points Plus Value, WW Smartpoints, Blue Plan, Green Plan, Purple Plan, WW Personal Points, and now Weight Watchers Points. The new Weight Watchers Simplified plan is the new program launched in November 2022, similar to previous plans like WW Smartpoints, with some color plans. ( You can see the Weight Watchers Zero Point Foods 2023 -> here)

No matter the WW plan, they work to help you learn healthy eating habits. I have hit lifetime goal weight several times but stopped operating the plan and tracking, so the weight does creep back on.

Right now, you can head on over -> here and sign up for WW for $10 a month for your first six months.

Ultimate Guide for Choosing Store-Bought Dressings on Weight Watchers

Are you heading to the grocery store dressing aisle? Opting for low-fat or fat-free salad dressing is an effortless way to keep calories and points in check. Most full-fat dressings pack 8-10+ Points per serving, while low-fat/fat-free options are usually 3-5 Points. However, you’ll find low-fat and fat-free varieties from most major brands.

Pay Attention to Serving Sizes

The bottle’s nutrition info and Point values are usually based on a 2-tablespoon serving size. But let’s be honest – most people use WAY more than two tablespoons each time they dress their salad. To track accurately, consider measuring your dressings until you can eyeball a 2-tablespoon portion.

Choose Dressings with a Short Ingredient List

The fewer ingredients a dressing has, the more natural it is. Watch out for added sugars, preservatives, thickeners, and stabilizers that ramp up the Points. Vinegar, certain oils, herbs, and spices are go-to healthy ingredients.

What Are the best bottled salad dressing for weight watchers?

After lots of salad munching and dressing testing, these are my top picks for delicious, Weight Watchers-friendly dressings you can buy in stores. But be sure to have your Weight Watchers App with the points calculated ready to go.

WALDEN FARMS CALORIE-FREE DRESSINGS

Yes, you read that right, Walden Farms Calorie Free Dressings. Since calories are used to calculate WW points, it makes sense that ones without calories will be zero or low Weight Watchers points. That makes them one of the best salad dressing on weight watchers plan. But they are also delicious!

If you want to dress your salad for zero Points, Walden Farms is the way to go.
The zero-calorie dressings come in flavors like Sesame Ginger, Chipotle Ranch, Thousand Island, Bacon Ranch, and Zesty Italian, to name a few!
Walden Farms is excellent for marinades, sauces, and syrups as well.

Walden Farms Ranch Dressing Walden Farms Zesty Italian Dressing

Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressings

Bolthouse Farms dressings are found in the produce department most of the time. Personally, their Creamy Cesear is my go-to.

With around 1-2 Points per 2-tablespoon serving, the Bolthouse Farms yogurt-based dressings are winners.
Your best choices are flavors like Cucumber Ranch, Cesear, Lemon Basil, Chunky Blue Cheese, Green Goddess, and Raspberry Balsamic.
Beware of Sweet Poppy Seed or Coleslaw Yogurt. It’s higher at 4 points for 2 Tablespoon.

Skinnygirl Dressings

Skinny Girl Dressings are one of the most well-known healthy salad dressings. Most of the dressings are made with a base of vinegar and olive oil, keeping calories and fat low.

The Skinnygirl dressings only have 1 Point per 2-tablespoon serving.
Flavors like Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette, Honey Dijon, and Red Wine Vinaigrette have a fantastic taste.
The Skinny Girl Asian Sesame dressing is an excellent choice for an Asian-style salad.

Skinny Girls Honey Dijion Dressing Skinny Girls Dressings Skinny Girls Poppy Seed Dressing

Newman’s Own Light Dressings

Newman’s Own Light Dressings are perfect for everyday salads or dipping vegetables. Most of the light dressings are low points with unique flavors.

Many flavor combinations are possible with 2-3 points for most dressings. Try a Roasted Garlic Balsamic or Sundried Tomato Italian for a fresh, herby salad or go for Asian influence with Sesame Ginger at 2 points for a 2 Tablespoon serving.
Pouches are available for dressings on the go, but beware, there are multiple servings per pouch, which can lead to higher points.

Newman’s Own Balsamic Salad Dressing (Pack of 3) 16 oz Bottles Newman’s Own Italian dressing

Wishbone Fat-Free and Light Dressings

A household favorite is Wishbone! Did you know they make Wishbone Fat-Free and Light Dressings? They are delicious and end up being low points as well.

Wishbone makes a top-notch Chunky Blue Cheese with a tasty tang for only 1 point for a 2 Tablespoon serving! Mix in a Tablespoon of zero-point buffalo wing sauce for a spicy dip for your grilled chicken.

Wishbone Fat Free Ranch Wishbone Light Italian

Weight Watchers salad dressing recipes

If you prefer to make your dressing use the Weight Watchers recipe builder to verify your points. Here are some recipes from my blogging friends to try!

Cilantro Lime Dressing
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Chick Fil Apple Cider Vinaigrette Copycat
Thousand Island Dressing

Salad Dressing Hacks for Weight Watchers

Here are some of my favorite tricks for making store-bought dressings work on the Weight Watchers program:

Dilute It– If a dressing you love is high in Points, mix it with some vinegar or lemon juice to dilute. You’ll get the flavor you crave with less oil for fewer Points.

Drizzle Sparingly-Limit a heavier dressing to a thin drizzle over your salad. Mix it up with forkfuls of undressed greens for a lighter touch.

Use as a Dip- Instead of pouring dressing all over your salad, use it as a veggie dip on the side. You’ll likely end up consuming less when dipping your fork into it.

Spritz Salads– Use an olive oil mister (I love Misto) to lightly spritz salads with fat-free dressings. You’ll evenly coat greens with great flavor but less quantity.

Dress Ingredients Individually-Drizzle dressings directly over add-ins like chicken, cheese, and avocado. Mix with underdressed greens for maximum coverage with less salad dressing overall.

Frequently Asked Questions about

What are some good low-fat substitutes for heavy cream or sour cream in dressings?

Greek yogurt and buttermilk are excellent lower-fat ingredients that can replicate heavy or sour cream’s creamy texture in dressings. Low-fat milk mixed with a touch of cornstarch can also do the trick.

Do all fat-free and 0% Greek yogurt dressings have 0 Points?

Not necessarily. While fat-free yogurt is 0 Points, many flavored yogurts contain added sugars and other ingredients that add Points. It’s best to check the nutrition label and calculate Points. Plain fat-free Greek yogurt is an excellent base for homemade 0-Point dressings.

What oil is best for making healthy salad dressings at home?

Thanks to their heart-healthy fats and delicious flavor, Olive oil and avocado oil are fantastic choices for homemade dressings. Measure olive oil carefully, as even though it’s a healthy fat, it’s still high in calories and Points.

What are the best salad dressing flavors for spinach and kale salads?

Bright, acidic dressings with citrus, vinegar, mustard, and herbs are fantastic on sturdy greens like spinach and kale. Think lemon vinaigrette, French, cranberry vinaigrette, herbed balsamic, etc. Creamy dressings can weigh down those hearty greens.

Can you use salad dressing as a veggie dip?

Using dressing as a dip is a fantastic way to add lots of flavor without excessive oil and calories. Measure a Points-friendly portion into a small dish for dipping raw veggies, baked potatoes, chicken tenders, or anything else you want to boost your flavor.

What is your go-to Salad dressing?

Weight Watcher Collections To Checkout

Are you looking for Zero Point food ideas? Check out this list -> here of all the Zero Weight Watchers points food.

These are easy Weight Watchers recipes made in my kitchen; most are kid-approved. Click on the name to be taken to them.

Yum

Pin7