Ideas For Healthy Gluten Free Snacks?

[Waitingindreams]

I was just diagnosed with bronchitis, that was teetering on the edge of pneumonia. I was prescribed an antibiotic that I need to take four times a day - with food each time. It's easy enough to grab something at home, but what can I keep at my desk at work that is quick and easy to eat? Obviously I could grab little packets of M&Ms or something easy and small, but I'd rather it be a healthy snack that isn't so high in sugar. I don't want anything that would need to be refrigerated...just something quick and low in sugar, and healthy enough. 

 

I have a (supposed) peanut allergy, otherwise I think I might just keep a can of peanuts in my desk. Any suggestions? I'm trying to cut back on sugar because of a candida issue...it seems like the issues just never stop! 

[shadowicewolf]

I was just diagnosed with bronchitis, that was teetering on the edge of pneumonia. I was prescribed an antibiotic that I need to take four times a day - with food each time. It's easy enough to grab something at home, but what can I keep at my desk at work that is quick and easy to eat? Obviously I could grab little packets of M&Ms or something easy and small, but I'd rather it be a healthy snack that isn't so high in sugar. I don't want anything that would need to be refrigerated...just something quick and low in sugar, and healthy enough. 

 

I have a (supposed) peanut allergy, otherwise I think I might just keep a can of peanuts in my desk. Any suggestions? I'm trying to cut back on sugar because of a candida issue...it seems like the issues just never stop! 

chips?

 

apple sauce?

[LauraTX]

Can you do other nuts like pistachios, etc?  (I love love love pistachios)  Dried Fruit, Baby carrots/ cut up carrots or celery should last through the day.  Grapes, cherry tomatoes, if you freeze a string cheese it will be thawed and still cool later in the day.  Enjoy life foods make a lot of peanut free stuff that still uses like sunflower seeds, etc.  Crackers with sunflower butter.  You can also make your own granola bars, or just cheat and make little balls with gluten-free oats, nut/seed butter, and chocolate chips(you can add just about any small thing like coconut, almonds, other nuts, dried fruit).  just heat the nut/seed butter, add stuff and stir it up and into little balls, should keep for a few days.   That way you can control the sugar that goes into them.  Also, popcorn is one of my favorite snacks.  You can pop it the night before and put it into baggies.   They make applesauce in little packets that you squeeze into your mouth. Rice cakes.  Hmmm I think I have exhausted my brain. 

 

All of this is fresh on my mind at the moment because I just bought a bunch of shelf stable food to take with me on a trip.

[WinterSong]

Fresh fruit. I often bring little bags of snap peas with me on a busy day. There are some good protein bars that don't have nuts in them. Disclaimer - I don't know if there are peanuts in them, but check out Bakery on Main Bars (they do have nuts) and Simply Bars (contains soy protein; very low in sugar). I also carry a little ziplock bag with with plain gluten-free quick oats, cinnamon, and salt (I don't like the sugary oatmeal) - I put it in a mug, add hot water, let it sit for a minute with the lid on, and then I have oatmeal! Also, if you are not sensitive to dairy, you could freeze a yogurt - it should still be cold by lunch time. 

 

Right now, I'm making some brown rice to bring into work later. I also have a ziplock bag with a serving of protein powder that I'll mix into my water so I don't miss out on protein. 

 

Ziplock bags are my best friend, lol

[Waitingindreams]

Definitely some good ideas! I do buy a lot of gluten free chips, but I wanted something healthier. Even the Apple chips have a lot of sugar.

 

LauraTX - Popcorn might be the best bet so far. OOh, I forgot about those squeezable apple juice packets! And they don't need to be refrigerated, so that's a good idea. I do love rice cakes, but can you recommend a good gluten free brand that tastes good? I bought the Quaker Oats gluten free brand and I got a stomach ache every time I ate them. I read (possibly through this forum) that their oats are often contaminated even if it says gluten free. The other brand I've tried is "Lundberg" and while they don't taste awful, they are as hard as a rock, and kind of bland. They would probably taste better if I put something on them. I miss my peanut butter. :\ But maybe I'll try sun nut butter. I tried almond butter and I wasn't a fan. 

 

 

Wintersong - Fresh fruit has a lot of sugar :| It seems like everything has sugar in it. :\ I think maintaining a low sugar diet (while not eating 'sugar free' products with aspartame) is almost harder than eating gluten free! I am lactose intolerant, but I can handle dairy pretty well...especially with my lactaid pills. I don't really like yogurt that much, but if I can find a good brand with a lot of probiotics that's gluten free and low in sugar, I might try that too. I have tried 'SoDelicious' brand coconut milk yogurt and I do like that, but I think it was pretty high in sugar. I'll definitely check out those bars! The peanut allergy (I believe, and hope) was a false positive. I've been eating peanuts/peanut butter for 25 years, then all of a sudden I'm allergic? I am still being cautious and avoiding them, but I don't believe it's a true allergy. That tip for oatmeal is great, too. I really like oatmeal but all of the brands have extra sugar and other additives. I recently found gluten free oatmeal that's decent tasting, but it has flax seeds in it.

 

I do eat a lot of rice! I love rice...mostly brown or brown/wild mixed together. For a meal, I take the rice and add Steamfresh steamed vegetables, then I mix it with Stop & Shop Brand salsa (It's more like pico de gallo, really) it's just vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc) and salt, no sugar or other additives. I definitely recommend trying that. I also sometimes add cottage cheese on top for protein. 

[shadowicewolf]

Definitely some good ideas! I do buy a lot of gluten free chips, but I wanted something healthier. Even the Apple chips have a lot of sugar.

 

LauraTX - Popcorn might be the best bet so far. OOh, I forgot about those squeezable apple juice packets! And they don't need to be refrigerated, so that's a good idea. I do love rice cakes, but can you recommend a good gluten free brand that tastes good? I bought the Quaker Oats gluten free brand and I got a stomach ache every time I ate them. I read (possibly through this forum) that their oats are often contaminated even if it says gluten free. The other brand I've tried is "Lundberg" and while they don't taste awful, they are as hard as a rock, and kind of bland. They would probably taste better if I put something on them. I miss my peanut butter. :\ But maybe I'll try sun nut butter. I tried almond butter and I wasn't a fan. 

 

 

Wintersong - Fresh fruit has a lot of sugar :| It seems like everything has sugar in it. :\ I think maintaining a low sugar diet (while not eating 'sugar free' products with aspartame) is almost harder than eating gluten free! I am lactose intolerant, but I can handle dairy pretty well...especially with my lactaid pills. I don't really like yogurt that much, but if I can find a good brand with a lot of probiotics that's gluten free and low in sugar, I might try that too. I have tried 'SoDelicious' brand coconut milk yogurt and I do like that, but I think it was pretty high in sugar. I'll definitely check out those bars! The peanut allergy (I believe, and hope) was a false positive. I've been eating peanuts/peanut butter for 25 years, then all of a sudden I'm allergic? I am still being cautious and avoiding them, but I don't believe it's a true allergy. That tip for oatmeal is great, too. I really like oatmeal but all of the brands have extra sugar and other additives. I recently found gluten free oatmeal that's decent tasting, but it has flax seeds in it.

 

I do eat a lot of rice! I love rice...mostly brown or brown/wild mixed together. For a meal, I take the rice and add Steamfresh steamed vegetables, then I mix it with Stop & Shop Brand salsa (It's more like pico de gallo, really) it's just vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc) and salt, no sugar or other additives. I definitely recommend trying that. I also sometimes add cottage cheese on top for protein. 

rice cake with honey or even jelly would be good.

[Waitingindreams]

Mm...I DO like honey, but usually I only use it in my tea or oatmeal. I think if I were going to put it on rice cakes I would end up slopping too much on and it'd taste gross.   Whenever I ate rice cakes I used to always put peanut butter and jelly on them, or nutella - mm! Nutella is definitely too much sugar, though - and I am apparently allergic to hazelnuts now anyway. I tried eating just jelly on them - strawberry jam, actually - and I missed the peanut butter too much. Maybe sunbutter and jelly? Hmm. I've also tried pumpkin butter, it's pretty good - but not easy to find. Ooh what about sunbutter and fluff? No...fluff probably has too much sugar, ah! Gluten free is hard enough why must the candida issue persist?  

 

My doctor didn't tell me to cut back on the sugar, this is what I am planning on doing based on my own research. I think it would help maintain the candida issue, since I really don't want to be on antifungals forever.  

[bartfull]

If you like avocados, they would make a great snack. Don't need refrigeration, will fill you up, and they are so good for you.

 

I think if you are trying to go low sugar you should stay away from honey. It's a different kind of sugar, but sugar nonetheless.

[Waitingindreams]

I think you're right about the honey. It's not something I use often anyway - but it does work great in tea (especially when you're sick) 

 

As for the avocados...sigh. My boyfriend is trying to get me to eat them more. I have heard that they're really good for you. I'll try to give them more of a chance. My friend recently made a dip that she brought to a party that had avocado in it...guacamole, rather - and I just didn't really like it. How do you even eat an avocado? Sounds like a silly question but I mean...do you just slice it up and eat it?  I've only ever tried it as guacamole and I wasn't too fond of it. If it were a miracle cure for any of my afflictions I would definitely push myself to like it, though. Lol. 

[bartfull]

They're really good with ranch dressing, but if you're off dairy you can't have that. Maybe drizzle them (sliced) with olive oil and spices? Something like rosemary might be good.

[mommida]

For a first tasting of avocado may I suggest cooked chicken pieces, slices of avocado, cheese (cheddar, or the white Mexican. Colby jack or a mix of all) some hot sauce, on crisped corn tortillas.  If you don't like it hidden in there, I doubt you will like them.

 

There are so many spins on guacamole, that really is not a great way to decide if you like avocados.

[LauraTX]

I buy quaker rice cakes, they don't have oats in them, though. But definitely don't get them again if they made you sick!    Avocado is usually good with something else.  Guacamole can be made BAD.  So chances are your friend used a cruddy recipe or a pre-packaged crap version.  You can just slice it and put it in a turkey sandwich, of course with any mexican food, but I don't eat avocados straight.  Usually as guacamole or in addition to something.

[Waitingindreams]

mommida - Given all of the health benefits of avocado, it is definitely worth trying again. Slicing it up like that sounds pretty good! I can't relly have hot sauce though - I think it would be a trigger for my rosacea..but maybe some  mild salsa/sour cream instead?

 

LauraTx - I know, I was bummed. I really like the Quaker rice cakes but yeah, they started to make me sick. I could just stick with Lundberg and just put something on them like sunbutter. They're good with cream cheese too (though that's not exactly healthy ) Hmm...that's another good suggestion. 

 

Oh I forgot to mention, there's a restaurant called Burton's Grill that has a pretty extensive gluten free menu, and I tried their grilled chicken sandwich (very good! - if they have a restaurant near you I recommend this place) and it had some kind of sauce in it that had avocado in it. It wasn't HORRIBLE, it just wasn't my thing. I spread a little bit on my sandwich (they put it on the side in case I didn't like it) so I think maybe with some playing around I can work it into my diet here and there.