Snack Ideas Please!

[Pippa5]

Hi everyone what are your go to low cal snacks? I'm thinking to prepare snacks in advance and bake and freeze some snacks once a week so that they are handy for the munchies. Also some low prep things would be great for grab n go. All ideas would be appreciated. It's too easy to get bored with my usual foods! My hardest time of day is late afternoon when dinner is still a ways off. A few healthy snack to keep me going could be just the thing. Thanks in advance!

[2stoneup]

I like the fibre one snacks. There's a brownie, a lemon drizzle and a salted caramel. 89 Cals each I think. If I feel I need a sweet snack and fruit just won't cut it, I'll have one of these.

[Pippa5 in reply to 2stoneup]

yumm! They sound good. Is fibre one a brand?

[2stoneup in reply to Pippa5]

Yeah it's the only one I can see. They tend to be around cereal bars and biscuits in the supermarket. They're really nice.

[Ceals]

A really good post Pippa.

I love this one - drain and dry a tin of chickpeas. spray a baking tray with fry light, shake spices (Chinese 5 spice, Jerk seasoning) over the chickpeas and shake to cover. Then bake in an oven. Up to you how long for. You can leave them soft but you can also bake longer and they crisp up and will keep longer in a container.

I freeze grapes. If you did it in 50g bags you would know how many calories. They are like little sorbets and you don't eat as many.

I will be really interested in the responses as snack ideas are always welcome.

[Pippa5 in reply to Ceals]

I have a tin of chickpeas in the cupboard. I'm going to try that one! Frozen grapes sound really good. Better than an icecream fix! It'll also hide them from my hungry children who browse the fridge! Grapes don't last long in our house!! Thank you

[lucigret in reply to Ceals]

Ceals what oven temperature do you cook the chickpeas at? They sound good.

[Ceals in reply to lucigret]

I am useless at oven temperatures and timings - my girls laugh when I say I can smell something is done. I probably put then in at about 180-200 Centigrade. I don't think it is critical really but do keep an eye on them or they will crisp so much you will break your teeth!

You can do the same with broad beans ( I grow loads as have an allotment). If you leave off the spices they can end up a bit like popcorn, indeed no reason why they can't have spices too. I suspect you could do this with any tinned beans too.

Enjoy!

[lucigret in reply to Ceals]

I've had dried broad beans, I quite like them. I know what you mean about smelling when it's cooked, I do the same. Funnily enough know my daughter runs her own home she says the same

[Ceals in reply to lucigret]

My two daughters, both married for several years, still phone home and ask if something is cooked! Like I can smell it down the phone. Fortunately they both chose well and the son-in-laws are great cooks. Indeed when I was very ill at Christmas they produced the Christmas food for 14, not me of course as I couldn't eat!

[lucigret in reply to Ceals]

Seems to me boys are better cooks than girls now a days. My son is certainly in charge of their kitchen and cooks some lovely meals. My daughter used to phone me frequently when she first moved out 5 years ago, in fact she used to FaceTime me so I could see if her meat was cooked ok lol, she's ok now, makes a very good roast and lasagne.

[Ceals in reply to lucigret]

Love it!

[lucigret]

I like Kallo chilli corn cakes, 35 cals each, I'm finding that a savoury snack seems to satisfy me more. I also mix 20g almonds (120 cals) with 20g sultanas (54), I can nibble at these during the day. I have also tried Graze, the nuts are lovely but the small boxes are 245 cals, they also do a veggie one which is just as nice, I think they were under 140 cals. Sweet and salt popcorn mixed 78 cals a bag.

[Ceals in reply to lucigret]

I have a hot air popcorn machine (Lakeland) and it is great for making popcorn with no oil used. I think you can get microwave one too.

[Hidden]

Hello, my go-to snacks are: nothing!

I try really hard to avoid snacks, and eat all my food in 3 meals a day - plus milk for drinks.

I think the best snacks are the fairly obvious (and slightly worthy) fresh fruit, a handful of nuts, a yoghurt, but I expect you have those now. I personally think a plainish biscuit, like a digestive, is OK (just one, mind you), although some people will have the vapours at the mere thought of it. Or you could have a little cube of strong-flavoured cheese.

But I wonder if you would be better adjusting your lunch so that you aren't so hungry late afternoon, and can hold out for your evening meal? I used to snack quite a lot, but find I do feel better when I stick to 3 meals a day. Admittedly I am good and ready for each meal as it comes, but I think that's actually quite healthy.