Suggestions for healthier car sweets

sillygoose

Hi,

I drive a lot as part my job and I like something to chew on so always have sweets in the car. I do realise this is doing me no good at all and try to stick to smaller harder ones that last longer each one to slow my consumption rate down, like Maynards Midget Gems. Its still a lot of sugar for someone who needs to lose some baggage.

I tend to avoid hard or boiled type sweets as they can really crack your teeth if you cant resist crunching.

The sugar free stuff all gives you dire windy pops, not keen on chewing gum, when the flavours gone its not nice to me.

Any ideas? nuts? stuff like raisins or sultanas would be living hell to me, tried sunflower seeds but they are dry and get dull quick.

Just lucky no one has invented tiny bite sized pork pies!

Thanks

indiepanda

I think the best thing might be to try to train yourself out of the habit of having something to chew on. I used to get travel sick as a child and my mum used to buy me barley sugars to suck in the hope it would help. As an adult I then got into the habit of buying sweets to eat on long journeys. However what with weekends away hiking, day trips with the boyfriend and going to visit him and family who both live a fair drive away, it all adds up and as I am far from skinny I've had to train myself out of it.

These days, if the journey is likely to be long enough to get hungry I might pack something like a bounce ball (can buy in some Holland and Barrett stores) - they're chewy and have quite a bit of protein in so fill you up, variety of flavours - cacao and mint or coconut and macadamia are my favorites.

I guess an option you could explore, thinking of protein, is something like biltong (the dried meat South Africans eat). Not tried it myself so can't say how it tastes.

sillygoose

indiepanda wrote: »

I think the best thing might be to try to train yourself out of the habit of having something to chew on. I used to get travel sick as a child and my mum used to buy me barley sugars to suck in the hope it would help. As an adult I then got into the habit of buying sweets to eat on long journeys. However what with weekends away hiking, day trips with the boyfriend and going to visit him and family who both live a fair drive away, it all adds up and as I am far from skinny I've had to train myself out of it.

These days, if the journey is likely to be long enough to get hungry I might pack something like a bounce ball (can buy in some Holland and Barrett stores) - they're chewy and have quite a bit of protein in so fill you up, variety of flavours - cacao and mint or coconut and macadamia are my favorites.

I guess an option you could explore, thinking of protein, is something like biltong (the dried meat South Africans eat). Not tried it myself so can't say how it tastes.

Hi, thanks for the advice. Its not really hunger so much. I am on medication which can leave me a bit dry mouthed (and hte air con in the vehicle) and chewing on something helps, especially sweets with some citric acid but anything is better than nothing.

The bounce balls look interesting as protein is better than pure sugar but they have quite a lot of calories I see.

What's that stuff they eat in the USA, beef jerky?

indiepanda

sillygoose wrote: »

Hi, thanks for the advice. Its not really hunger so much. I am on medication which can leave me a bit dry mouthed (and hte air con in the vehicle) and chewing on something helps, especially sweets with some citric acid but anything is better than nothing.

The bounce balls look interesting as protein is better than pure sugar but they have quite a lot of calories I see.

What's that stuff they eat in the USA, beef jerky?

I think jerky and biltong are pretty similar.

Yes, bounce balls aren't low cal - if it's to keep your mouth wet that probably isn't the best choice - but then the meat products might be a bit salty and dehydrate you.

It's probably a daft question - but does sipping water help with the dry mouth?

sillygoose

indiepanda wrote: »

I think jerky and biltong are pretty similar.

Yes, bounce balls aren't low cal - if it's to keep your mouth wet that probably isn't the best choice - but then the meat products might be a bit salty and dehydrate you.

It's probably a daft question - but does sipping water help with the dry mouth?

Not a daft question and yes I have water to hand always, but I have to meter it due to other conditions to avoid too many loo stops! And despite all cars having many cup holders these days you can be prosecuted if caught with a drink in your hand the same as using a phone and I can't risk it or keep stopping to drink.

Curiously, looking around on Holland and Barrat, even sugar free sweets have 2/3rd's the calories as the Midget Gems which surprised me.

Maybe just dried pineapple or banana chips would be better.

indiepanda

sillygoose wrote: »

Not a daft question and yes I have water to hand always, but I have to meter it due to other conditions to avoid too many loo stops! And despite all cars having many cup holders these days you can be prosecuted if caught with a drink in your hand the same as using a phone and I can't risk it or keep stopping to drink.

Curiously, looking around on Holland and Barrat, even sugar free sweets have 2/3rd's the calories as the Midget Gems which surprised me.

Maybe just dried pineapple or banana chips would be better.

I know what you mean on the loo stop thing....

Dried fruit is still pretty high on the sugar count unfortunately, especially tropical fruit. I seem to recall dried apricots aren't as bad as some of the others - and google suggests gram for gram they're quite a lot lower than banana chips.

Be careful if you go for dried fruit to find one that is just that - lots have sugar added to them. God knows why - you wouldn't pick up a fresh pinapple and say it isn't sweet enough I must add sugar to it.

It's probably a healthier bet than sweets anyway.

building_with_lego

The problem with dried fruits is that they often require a loo stop similar to the sugar-free sweets... :eek:

Could you time yourself between sweets/ 'healthier' snacks? Increase the time from when you feel the need for a sweet to the time you actually have something?

WeAreGhosts

How about a bag of popcorn?

belfastgirl23

some brands of gum hold their flavour longer than others. I know what you mean, once the flavour goes it's repulsive. I would recommend Airwaves as one where the flavour virtually never runs out.

The other thing to think about in all this is the constant washing of your teeth in sugar which will have longer term repercussions!

Jellybro

What about some sugar free polos or tic tacs??

sillygoose

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

How about a bag of popcorn?

Hmm interesting.. might try that. thanks