Grabbing snacks / ice cream mars bars (UK)

[Hydrema]

Need ideas for low carb things to just grab without spending ages to prep and cook , things to have as a snack when short on time - like cheese strings and nuts - any suggestions ?


Ice cream mars bars - labelling suggest 15g carbs per bar - this can’t be right can it ? Taste too good/sweet to only have that in it


*massively reduced hba1c by eating less and walking (no meds) even tho eating mostly the same food as before but now fancy low carb effort to get under 48 hba1c

 

[KennyA]

Hi and welcome. well done so far!

No personal experience, way too sweet. I think the mars bars ice cream is advertised as 31g carb per 100ml (why give this in volume and not gram weight? bit suspicious.) If the bars weigh 50g then you'd indeed be looking at 15g carb per single bar, if all those assumptions are correct. Wouldn't be my preferred notion of a snack.

However, I normally don't snack, but if travelling and not able to rely on getting fed properly, I'll take a selection of stuff with me. This starts with salamis and similar stuff, cheese - real cheese, (definitely NOT processed plastic cheese strings), olives, and nuts, usually a combination of almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts. I use good sealable containers. If I can find them I would also have a couple of bags of chicharrones or pork scratchings.

Some ham and cream cheese, bit of mustard or chilli sauce, rolled up in a low carb wrap is also fairly easy to make and carry about. None of that takes more than five minutes to put together.

Best of luck!

 

[In Response]

As you can see from the answer from @KennyA it depends on your personal taste - some of use luuuurve cheese strings whereas others look down on them. But it is you who are eating them and that is what matters.
If you have a sweet tooth, the options seem to be
- train yourself to like less sweet food. This may mean going cold turkey or may mean weaning yourself off the sugar. It depends upon your personality what you think will be best for you.
- eat foods with artificial sweeteners. If you do go down this route, you need to consider all carbs (including flour) not just the sugar. Some members of the forum bake their own cakes using almond flour and artificial sweeteners. There are recipes available from the sugarfreelondoners website. These can be made in advance and thrown in the freezer "muffin sized" so when you fancy something, they just need a minute in the microwave. I have a "pot luck" bag of cupcakes in my freezer which I top up every now and then.
- find out what your body can tolerate - we are all different. Try something you fancy and see how much your BG rises over 2 hours. If it rises more than 2mmol/l, sadly this not be the food for you.
- eat lower carb food which @KennyA lists or eclairs or, if you have started to retrain your tastebuds, some high cocoa dark chocolate.

The important thing to remember is that forum members can make suggestions but it is your life and your body so you need to find what suits you, including whether you need to snack between meals (I do) or whether you are doing it out of habit/boredom.
But, if you enjoy food, especially if you enjoy experimenting, here's your chance to try out some new things.

Oops, I nearly forgot - HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on your "massively reduced HBa1c.

 

[Hydrema]

Thanks mate will try some of those , most not food I’d normally go for, will have plenty of nuts (KP peanuts)

I won’t be into baking substitute food like bread and cakes , will be mainly tuna mayo salad / chicken / steak /eggs ,for meals and grab some peanuts / cheese strings for a snack while counting calorie and carb intake , maybe a square of the very dark chocolate

Figure if keep under 50g carbs and keep calories in check blood work improves

Would love to add in the odd ice cream mars at 15g but do not trust that packaging - too good to be true

Anyway thanks both

 

[lovinglife]

Good decision just be careful with the “plenty of nuts” as you say KP I’m assuming you mean peanuts - which aren’t actually nuts but legumes and are the nuts that are highest in carbs so not saying don’t have them (I eat them) but watch your portion size, the lowest carb nuts, which are also the most expensive (and the most delicious imho) are macadamias

 

[MrsA2]

If you like the salty hit, try pork scratchings or the lighter pork crunch. I also buy chicken skin scratchings, or make my own by air frying the skin from thighs or drumsticks.
Also olives
Or cheeses crisps made by buying slices if cheeses (gouda , edam or emmental are better than cheddar for this) cutting into smaller squares or triangles putting on greaseproof paperbtgen 90 seconds in microwave or 15 minutes in oven. May need longer to get fully crispy. Keeps well for a few days

 

[Hydrema]

Ice cream mars nutrition info yet it’s consists of chocolate/ caramel / ice cream

The label has got to be completely wrong

 

[Katvanderwath]

Need ideas for low carb things to just grab without spending ages to prep and cook , things to have as a snack when short on time - like cheese strings and nuts - any suggestions ?


Ice cream mars bars - labelling suggest 15g carbs per bar - this can’t be right can it ? Taste too good/sweet to only have that in it


*massively reduced hba1c by eating less and walking (no meds) even tho eating mostly the same food as before but now fancy low carb effort to get under 48 hba1c

Note that the nutrition above is for a 49ml bar

 

[Chris24Main]

Fun fact - one of the "M"s in M&M is the same Mars...

I find it useful to look at the first 4 ingredients - legally ingredients have to be listed in order by quantity (not sure as I write whether that's mass or volume) - but you can usually tell what you need to know - so for these; you have skimmed milk, glucose syrup, sugar and cream.

Now, the cream I would eat.

I've been experimenting with home-made jerky recently, that would really work as a quick grab snack, though to be fair, there is bit of work needed before you can grab it....