cheap/ healthy snacks

Badgergal
Badgergal Posts: 531 Forumite
edited 5 September 2023 at 2:34PM in Old style MoneySaving
Hello all,

I've been being good and bringing my lunches to work dutifully. However I am a serial snacker, I sit at my desk and nibble chocolate or dried fruit like dates and the like. I am trying to cut down on such high sugar foods because I am trying to drop a few pounds (as well as save some moneywise) and foods like dates are packed with sugar and quite a few calories so they're not helping.

Can anyone suggest any cheap snacks I can make or buy that I can nibble on during that day that won't make me pile on the pounds? I have to have something or I will end up eating the overpriced muffins from the canteen.

Many thanks!

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Comments

  • Loadsabob
    Loadsabob Posts: 662 Forumite
    I bring rice cakes in, sometimes for lunch, sometimes for snacking - less than a pound a pack. I keep a spreadable butter in the fridge at work (which we're lucky to have in the office), and for a sweet topping, perhaps some jam or fruit spread? Or even chocolate spread if you like it. Rice cakes keep me ticking over! Not entirely calorie free of course, but not TOO bad!...
  • hermit-crab
    hermit-crab Posts: 150 Forumite
    What about fruit. I try to keep myself healthy and find when I fancy a little something between meals it is too easy to have a cup of tea and some biscuits. I no longer work so perhaps this would not be helpful to you but I keep a small tuperware container filled with an asortment of fresh fruit eg melon apple grapes orange segments etc.
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
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    If you're not into healthy things like raw carrot slices you could try variations on the recipe for oatmeal biscuits ---> Click Here

    Alternatively, use the "Collections" in my signature but this time follow through "Recipe Collections" to "Old Style Recipe Collection" to "Snacks and Nibbles" Just don't read the fattening ones :)

    Also in that Old Style collection are pointers to hundreds of ideas for packed lunches.
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  • Ticklemouse
    Ticklemouse Posts: 5,030
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    If you like liquorice, then try those liquorice roots. OK, you look like you're chewing a stick (because you are :D) but they last for ages and are fairly cheap. Also, I suspect, very few calories. I used to chew them as a child and I did try them when I was expecting DS2, but didn't acquire the taste back - I needed really sweet things when pregnant and thaty didn't fit the bill at that time.

    Holland and Barrett sell them Also, if you're in there, you could mooch around the shelves and see if any of the seeds/nuts etc take your fancy.
  • Badgergal
    Badgergal Posts: 531 Forumite
    Thanks for all the replies so far!

    Rice cakes with a sweet topping are a good idea, might try that. Also fruit is good, I do like buying cherries and the like in this season.

    Squeaky - there are some fab recipes in there but all the ones I liked didn't look like they'd help the waistline much :( Trust me to like the non low fat ones obviously!

    Ticklemouse - I used to chew those as a child and they're good, something to think about (though yes you look mad chewing on a twig). As for nuts and seeds - I think the yoghurt covered and chocolate stuff e.g. choccy brazil nuts etc are my downfall!! Lol. I am too familiar with H&B choc covered stuff hehe!
  • Nile
    Nile Posts: 14,930
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    For a guilt free nibble.........try brazil nuts (no chocolate coating) as they are a good source of calcium, magnesium, zinc and most importantly selenium.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the 'I wanna' and 'In my home' and Health & Beauty'' boards.If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing [email protected] views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.10 Dec 2007 - Led Zeppelin - I was there. :j :cool2: I wear my 50 (gold/red/white) blood donations pin badge with pride. Give blood, save a life.
  • VickyA_2
    VickyA_2 Posts: 4,533
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    Carrot sticks, as someone previously mentioned. It's also nearly the UK celery season for celery sticks. Plenty of yummy fruit - I could eat a whole large punnet of strawberries if they were put in front of me now.
    Sealed Pot Challenge #021 #8 975.71 #9 £881.44 #10 £961.13 #11 £782.13 #12 £741.83 #13 £2135.22 #14 £895.53 #15 £1240.40 #16 £1805.87 declared
  • SnowyOwl_2
    SnowyOwl_2 Posts: 5,257
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    It might be helpful to have a glass of water two or three times during the day - this might help reduce the desire for nibbles. It's v.good for the skin and for the waistline too. I read somewhere recently that if you're not used to drinking lots of water then it takes the body a few weeks to get used to the sudden deluge, then your trips to the loo should lessen.

    All that lovely fruit you're going to be having...mmmm!!! You could possibly try some crudites as well - carrots and peppers are quite sweet despite being veggies. Perhaps a look through Squeaky's index might result in finding some sweetish dips to help you get the cauliflower and cucumber down. You could spread the dip onto rice cakes or Ryvita (or the Lidl alternative at 27p for the same amount) for a bit of a change.

    Holland & Barrett also do some nice seeds - sunflower seeds are extremely good for you, and especially for the skin (I had a patch of scaly skin which had been spreading for about 10 -15 years and almost covered most of my face, no cream helped, however I've been eating a handful of sunflower seeds every day for about a year and the scaliness has disappeared). If you eat them one at a time it takes a while to get through a handful - good if you are "grazer" type person so you don't end up consuming vast quantities.
  • Galtizz
    Galtizz Posts: 1,016 Forumite
    Badgergal wrote:
    Lol. I am too familiar with H&B choc covered stuff hehe!
    VickyA wrote:
    Carrot sticks, as someone previously mentioned. It's also nearly the UK celery season for celery sticks. Plenty of yummy fruit - I could eat a whole large punnet of strawberries if they were put in front of me now.

    FONDUE SET :rotfl:
    When life hands you a lemon, make sure you ask for tequilla and salt ;)
  • VickyA_2
    VickyA_2 Posts: 4,533
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    Galtizz wrote:
    FONDUE SET :rotfl:

    Or just the choc.
    Sealed Pot Challenge #021 #8 975.71 #9 £881.44 #10 £961.13 #11 £782.13 #12 £741.83 #13 £2135.22 #14 £895.53 #15 £1240.40 #16 £1805.87 declared
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