Abstract: Extended polyvinyl alcohol fatty acid esters comprise a new class of edible fat mimetic compounds. These esters, which are, structurally, polyvinyl alcohols having methylene groups between the carbon-carbon backbone and pendant hydroxyl groups that have been partially or fully acylated with fatty acids, are low molecular weight polymers having the following general formula ##STR1## where N=5 to 100,m=1 to 8, independently,and X is H or R(CO),R being an aliphatic group having 1 to 29 carbons. Methods of using the new fat mimetics and food compositions incorporating them are disclosed.