I never use a pollen substitute, not to say they don't have their place, I have just never felt the need. Some people swear by it, everyone's different what works for one will not work for another, my approach to beekeeping is the same as my approach for my kids, each child is different (hive), even though they share the same genetics (maybe a split hive) they may view things differently. It's up to us as parents (beekeepers) to yield with the little nuances that make each child (hive) unique. Let them be kids (bees), but provide a gentle direction change when needed. That being said, I do occasionally feed a brood builder when the queen is working overtime, I make it with 1 part organic soy flour, 1 part crisco and 1 part organic powdered sugar minus corn starch, but I don't think its a real big deal if it has corn starch, throw a bit on the top bars and call it good. Hope this helps as well.