Type 2 What over the counter foods can we eat ?

[Polarice]

I know what types of foods we can eat and what we need to avoid or only eat little of and then only occasionally, but what foods can we eat 'over the counter' in packets or tins ?

Being 'good' and sticking to what I should eat, leaves me hungry most of the time. Eating vegetables or fruit (carrots, blueberries, raspberries) only does so much. There are various recipe books, but that's for set meals.

What snacks can we safely eat ? Having to check every tin or packet makes shopping take forever, so is there a list or website that sets out what we can safely eat ?

For exmple: breakfast cereal - not just 'oats' but which manufacturers brand of 'oats' ? Plus biscuits, fresh fruit, tinned fruit, health bars, yogurts, ice cream, sweets, bread, crackers, tinned vegetables, you get the idea !

With over 150,000 members on this website, some of you must have found things that we could all eat, please would you share your discoveries with the rest of us ?

Thanking you in advance,

But if such a list exists on here, I've managed to miss it so far, so please could you point me to it ?


Kevin

 

[Lamont D]

Greek Full fat yoghurt is fine, plain with a handful of fresh berries of all types is fine.
There are things called fat bombs that low carbers use as snacks.
Because I eat little meals throughout the day and the extra fat in my diet helps me not to have snacks, small pieces of fruit is good for fibre and some healthy nutrients, but concentrated or more than a very small portion is not recommended. Bananas are high in carbs!
Read the low carb forum for ideas.

 

[Daphne917]

I know what types of foods we can eat and what we need to avoid or only eat little of and then only occasionally, but what foods can we eat 'over the counter' in packets or tins ?

Being 'good' and sticking to what I should eat, leaves me hungry most of the time. Eating vegetables or fruit (carrots, blueberries, raspberries) only does so much. There are various recipe books, but that's for set meals.

What snacks can we safely eat ? Having to check every tin or packet makes shopping take forever, so is there a list or website that sets out what we can safely eat ?

For exmple: breakfast cereal - not just 'oats' but which manufacturers brand of 'oats' ? Plus biscuits, fresh fruit, tinned fruit, health bars, yogurts, ice cream, sweets, bread, crackers, tinned vegetables, you get the idea !

With over 150,000 members on this website, some of you must have found things that we could all eat, please would you share your discoveries with the rest of us ?

Thanking you in advance,

But if such a list exists on here, I've managed to miss it so far, so please could you point me to it ?


Kevin

Have you got a meter? Through testing my BS I have found that I am luckier than many on here in that I can eat some cereals such as bran flakes and oat bran, bread such as seeded bread and Lidl's protein rolls, small portions of potatoes, pasta and rice. However the only way that I have managed to determine this is by testing before and after meals. Also remember that we are all individuals and what one of us can eat others may not be able to that's why it's important to test.

 

[Munkki]

I know what you mean, so, so many otc foods are not made for us

Sometimes, though, I find boiled eggs, pieces of cheese, nuts, raw vegs, meaty and dippy things that are low-carb. The good thing about many of these foods is that the carb content is usually written on the package.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Mmmm. Nothing unless its homemade... Nothing processed.. Thats my motto..

Cheese, milk, butter doesn't count as processed.

The only chocolate or sweet product I eat is 2 sq 0f 80+% dark choc nightly.

Nuts except peanuts. I make an exceptionally good pecan bite snack food that lasts two of us 5 days in the fridge.

I'm too lazy to make soup so I buy fresh broccoli n stilton soup and freeze it at total of just 11.5 g carb for 2 servings.

As much veg, salad, eggs, meat or fish as I want.

This time of year courgettes are great spiralised veg to have.

All beans and greens above ground- be careful with peas.

No root vegetables.

As a type 1 I can eat fresh fruit salad each night of mango, orange etc.. But if I was t2 I would have any fruit so long as it said 'berries'. I believe berries are essential for vitamins.

Also I would advise having the 2 portions of oily fish each week at least.

I have to avoid processed foods but firmly believe that this is a healthier eating plan than having processed foods.

 

[poohtiggy]

Have you got a meter? Through testing my BS I have found that I am luckier than many on here in that I can eat some cereals such as bran flakes and oat bran, bread such as seeded bread and Lidl's protein rolls, small portions of potatoes, pasta and rice. However the only way that I have managed to determine this is by testing before and after meals. Also remember that we are all individuals and what one of us can eat others may not be able to that's why it's important to test.

I too consider myself lucky that I can eat things others can't. I have weetabix for breakfast and an apple every day, sometimes strawberries and thick cream. I buy low carb crackers in Aldi and eat full fat cheese with them. I think there are lists on the internet but the best way is to get a meter and 'eat to your meter' To begin with a lot is trial and error as there is no such thing as a 'one diet suits all' you can only be sure you are eating the right foods to keep your BG level if you test each and every food you eat and cancel out the ones that cause a bg rise. I can safely eat reheated pasta without a rise but I never eat white bread rice or potatoes. I can even have a treat with a few peanut m & m's but most people couln't touch them. I bought a note book and listed all the foods that are safe for me, all the foods that raise me and a page of no no's of stuff never to eat. It took a while to complete it but worth the effort. Each of us is different and respond to foods differently but with a meter you will soon find what is & isn't best for you

 

[Jo123]

In terms of snacks, I might have a small bit of cheese, cold meat, nuts, half avocado, half a pepper, celery, spoonful sugar free peanut butter, glass of unsweetened soya milk.

 

[Celeriac]

There have been times when I have been out shopping with my mother in a big supermarket, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of food, felt really hungry and struggled to find anything to eat in the car.

Suggestions starting with higher carb and going to low:
Crispbread or crackers - some will tell you how many carbs per crispbread/cracker - you may be able to find individual butter portions or you can get a small pot of cottage cheese - most supermarkets will sell plastic cutlery, some give it away free.
Small bag peanuts
Small bag cashews
Child size raisin boxes
Banana
Apple
Grapes if you can manage a few
Cherries ditto
Snack pot of carrots with houmous - just over 10g carbs
Small jar pickled gherkins (cornichons) get the lowest carb brine you can and if poss drain it off.
Small jar olives or portion from deli, preferably in olive oil.
Hogbites - additive free pork scratchings
Wild shell-on prawns from the chilled fish section

Some supermarkets will sell you takeaway salads that you make up yourself and rotisserie chicken. You can get meats from the deli even just one or two slices of several - if you are dubious about possible lurking carbs, ask - or buy a pack of additive free prosciutto and plonk say cottage cheese in the middle and roll them up.

If you are making up snacks at home to take out there are loads more things which are possible.

 

[poohtiggy]

I think raisins bananas grapes & cherries + other fruits need to be approached with caution for Newbies, they are all at the top of the 'high carbs' list. Once under control there is no harm in trying to re introduce them but for a newbie trying to reduce BG levels it would be much harder whilst eating this amount of fruit.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I think raisins bananas grapes & cherries + other fruits need to be approached with caution for Newbies, they are all at the top of the 'high carbs' list. Once under control there is no harm in trying to re introduce them but for a newbie trying to reduce BG levels it would be much harder whilst eating this amount of fruit.

Agree with poohtiggy.. No way would I ever eat tjose raisins, bananas etc.. I'm
T1 and cld bolus for them but no way could I be bothered with the spikes they would cause....peanuts are also a prob for me.

 

[PerfectStorm]

@poohtiggy please can you tell me, what are the Aldi low carb crackers that you mention?

 

[PerfectStorm]

@Polarice Morrisons sell packets of chilli flavoured seeds which are really nice. They are about 6g carbs per 100g packet. I would probably eat half a packet at most as a snack so only 3g carbs

Babybel cheeses are a good snack to take out and about. Waitrose and some other supermarkets sell tubs of mozzarella balls and sunblush tomatoes which I enjoy as a quick snack to grab

 

[poohtiggy]

@poohtiggy please can you tell me, what are the Aldi low carb crackers that you mention?

Savour Bakes Multigrain Crackers they are in a red box 3.8g per cracker I manage 3 with cheese

 

[PerfectStorm]

Thanks @poohtiggy

 

[Celeriac]

Personally I can't handle bananas, crackers or crispbreads but not everyone on the forum low carbs or is a newbie - it's still possible to get stuck for ideas.

 

[lizdeluz]

I do LCHF. And miss OTC crackers. Finn crisp breads are fairly low carb: 3.9g carb per cracker, and so are an ok choice occasionally. You can get them in Sainsbury's and probably in other supermarkets. They always crack when you butter them, which is a pain! It's a standard joke in our house.

 

[PerfectStorm]

I'd forgotten that I'd found a pot of chicken and vegetable broth from Sainsburys. 10.8 grams carbs per half pot (300g.)

I think Yorkshire Provender do a couple of soups which aren't too bad on the carbs.

Aldi's Sri Lankan chicken soup isn't bad on carbs either and tastes decious.

I do like making homemade soups but sometimes I can't be bothered and also it's not to have a bit more variety. I find when I make soup I have enough to last all week and start to get a bit bored with it!

 

[Brunneria]

If your current foods are leaving you hungry all the time, then you are setting yourself up for failure. It is VERY important that your Way of Eating is sustainable and enjoyable, otherwise sooner or later you will fall off it. And unless you have appetising foods to look forward to, it is a real struggle to climb back on.

What foods did you eat and enjoy before diagnosis? What are you missing most?
Are you aiming for lowered carbs, or weight loss? or are you just interested in blood glucose control?

Veg fills you up with bulk, but it isn't really satisfying, is it? So protein and fats have to do that.
Carbs (I'm asuming that you are cutting carbs down, but you don't say how much) are temporarily satisfying, but you get hungry quickly afterwards - unless you add the protein and fat.

My treats/filler uppers tend to have a high fat content but stay relatively low carb.
9 Bars
70% dark choc
coffee with cream
low carb hot chocolate
There are a lot of truly decadent low carb cake/cookie/treat recipes on the forum and the web. Just read through the low carb section of the forum to find an incredible range of options.

If we have something like a stir fry, which is naturally low fat, I have to follow it with a low carb mug cake, or cheese, or berries and cream, to give me that satisfied feeling, because veg and a normal sized portion of protein just doesn't last until morning - and I cannot stand going to bed hungry.

I agree that the less processed food we have, the better, but the day I discovered that I could substitute 9bars and pork scratchings for choc bars and crisps was a very happy day. And ironically, the months that I was eating a bag of pork scratchings every day, with cold meat and salad for lunch was the best sustained period of weight loss I have had in recent years.

 

[carol43]

Brunneria - what 9 Bars do you have. I have looked at them but they seem to be high carb.

 

[Brunneria]

The peanut ones are the lowest carb at approx 16 g per bar - but it is worth checking them out with your body, and your meter.

16 g of carb in white bread would send me to over 12mmol/l
but 16 g of carb from a peanut 9bar is barely a blip. The last time I checked I think I went up about 1mmol/l at 45 mins, and had dropped back by 0.5 at 2 hours.

We've had many other people post with similar reactions, and only a couple who have had a problem with them.

Of course, I have no idea if you will have the same reaction, but it is definitely worth checking. Most of the carbs in them are from the nuts and seeds.

The only variety of 9bar I won't touch are the ones with dried fruit. I'm even OK with the choc ones, which was a delightful discovery!