The following is a list of the foods that are not allowed on the McDougall Program, with ideas for possible substitutions.
Don’t Eat: | Possible substitutes: |
| Cow’s Milk (for cereal or cooking) | Lowfat soy milk, rice milk, fruit juice, water, use extra when cooking hot cereal or pour over cold cereal |
| Cow’s Milk (as beverage) | None; drink water, juice, herb tea, or cereal beverages |
| Butter | None |
| Cheese | None; after 12 days you may substitute soy- and nut-based cheeses |
| Cottage cheese | None; after 12 days you may substitute crumbled tofu |
| Yogurt | None |
| Sour cream | None |
| Ice cream | Pure fruit sorbet, frozen juice bars; after 12 days you may substitute Lite Tofutti |
| Eggs (in cooking) | Ener-G Egg Replacer |
| Eggs (for eating) | None |
| Meat, poultry, fish | Starchy vegetables, whole grains, pastas, and beans; after 12 days you may substitute tofu “meat” recipes |
| Mayonnaise | Tofu mayonnaise |
| Vegetable oils (for pans) | None; use non-stick pots and pans |
| Vegetable oils (in recipes) | None; omit oil or replace with water, mashed banana, or applesauce for moisture |
| White rice (refined) | Whole grain (brown) rice or other whole grains |
| White flour (refined) | Whole grain flours |
| Refined and sugar-coated cereals | Any acceptable hot or cold cereal |
| Coconut | None |
| Chocolate | Carob powder |
| Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and black teas | Non-caffeinated herb tea, cereal beverages, hot water with lemon |
| Colas and un-colas | Mineral water or seltzer (flavored or plain) |
