Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

[ariesdragon]

Hi all - I'm at day 3 induction here (Have 18 LBS to lose total) and I need to find some other good snacks besides cheese. I'm going to risk pecans or almonds (1 oz only) and see how I go. I do eggs in the morning a hundred different ways, maybe a big tuna salad and 6-8oz of steamed cauliflower drizzled with olive oil for lunch and perhaps chicken and more veges or 2 cups salad and mayo for dinner. I note that firm tofu only has about 3g of carbs per serve so may experiment with that. I've never tried low carb bread - will have to investigate my local supermarket here in Boston or see what's available online. I was so used to eating my protein pancakes (fat free ricotta, egg whites, oats, vanilla, splenda) on my previous eating program and I miss them! maybe I can whip something up without the oats (use low carb bread crumbs and ground flax perhaps?) I'll report back on their success. Anyone done anything like this?

Anyone have any good snack ideas? I like to eat 2 substantial snacks each day (3pm and 9pm) in addition to my other 3 meals.

Txs!

E

[barbecuer]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

I like using my cheeses as my snacks. Cheese sticks have been an integral part of my induction so far.

[blueberrylady]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

I know what you mean about getting tired of cheese but low carb bread and nuts are not allowed on induction.

Try some pepperoni slices instead, you can even nuke them to make them 'crisp'. Or how about some olivies or if you want something sweet, try a cup of tea with sweetner and cream. There are lots of other legal snacks too, so look around the board for ideas before you stall your weight loss with something you shouldn't be eating yet.

[barbecuer]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

I like using my cheeses as my snacks. Cheese sticks have been an integral part of my induction so far.

Sorry, I didn't see that part. Pork rinds are good too. Beef jerky as well.

[ariesdragon]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

The point is this: I'm sick of eating meat. I want something different for my between meal snacks. I already eat eggs and meat three times a day and am looking for something different for the other between meals. Hence my request re. If anyone's made anything with flax seeds and ricotta.

Munching on pork fat does not turn me on.

[Georgiana]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Ricotta is not allowed in induction, it is a fresh cheese that you can introduce only in OWL Rung 2.

Flax crackers are nice. Muffins and pancakes (induction-legal, of course) are also nice. You could also mix some cream cheese with a little splenda for a dessert. Induction is only two weeks and then you get to introduce other foods, so there is no point in cheating with nuts or ricotta.

P.S. Maybe you can find something you like on Linda's website: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/

[not2late]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Just a note about snacking....

You should eat only because you are hungry. You shouldn't be eating for the sake of eating or because you are bored. Dr. Atkins said that we do not have to count calories, but calories do matter and if we eat in excess we will gain or not lose weight.

When you are in ketosis/lipolysis, you will find that your appetite will decrease. So snacks might not be necessary at all.

And be careful about eating "high protein". Atkins is a high fat diet, not a high protein one. Dr. Atkins wrote that excess dietary protein is converted to glucose which is eventually stored as glycogen and fat. Furthermore, it's the fat that will keep your appetite satiated between meals.

[cindybf]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Try mixing it up. Half an avocado with grilled shrimp and a squeeze of lemon, add a cup of vegies and this is a great lunch.

I also do celery with cream cheese because its crunchy, takes the edge off when I really want crackers or bread.

Also, you can try stuffing a pepper with a cheese, a bit of tomato and salt mix, dip it in egg white (you must mix it first, like a batter but only egg whites) then fry it in olive oil. These are delicious.

I also do eggs and chorizo for breakfast, this is also good and its not just like eating eggs alone.

I think if you find ways to mix up the food you wont get bored. You kind of defeat the purpose of induction if you are eating nuts and bread.

Good luck.

[ariesdragon]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Thanks! Some good ideas.

Btw - I decided against the nuts even though I do believe the key reason is the portion control problem for most people.

I also think that Atkins bans soft cheeses during induction because most brands are thickened with carbs. For example, most ricotta cheeses have at least 5g carbs/serve. I found an organic all natural brand that had 1g/2oz! I also found a coconut milk that had less than 1g carbs per 1/3 cup. THEN I discovered an amazing tasting 'dessert': Mix 4oz ricotta with a couple tablespoons coconut milk (I used lite) and a sprinkle of splenda - this would satisfy anyone who loves coconut. Perhaps the carb count is a tad too high (about 3g carb/serve dependng on how much you make) for induction but it would be great for OWL or if your were really craving something sweet and luscious during induction.

Yes - I stocked up on some high quality goodies yesterday - good cheeses, organic meats, avocados, mayo etc and am all set to enjoy induction.

E

[ariesdragon]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Btw - I am watching my calories too while upping the fats so my snacks are not "too big" as someone cautioned. I also understand the concept of raising fats to get into ketosis. I've read the science.

I like to eat every 3-4 hours and prefer to spread my food throughout the day. My snacks are smaller than my main-meals but still consist predominantly of fat and protein.

Fresh cheeses are fine on induction PROVIDED they don't contain carbs as thickening agents (which most do)- check the labels. I found a brand of all-natural ricotta that is on par to cream cheese ie 1g carbs/serve.

E

[VancouverAtkinsDude]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

A couple of suggestions for snacking are:

I eat herbed cream cheese on celery like someone above mentioned. Albeit it is.... MORE....cheese, I find that it is something I look forward to as a "treat"

I found these Pepperoni / Cheese packs in the grocery store, they only have 1 carb per pack and it is like a 6 inch pepperoni stick standing beside a 6 inch piece of cheddar cheese and ya kind eat'em both together. If you get the spicy pepperoni it kinda takes a bit of the boredom out of the accepatable foods we are allowed to eat.

Chicken Ceasar Salad with Parmesan is prolly the meal I eat most often and through doing this diet in the past, I know every single restaurant in Vancouver that serves Casesar Salad and am a total pro on who makes incredible/decent/crappy CS's.

You might wanna make this a game and go to a differernt restaurant every day for lucnh and have their Chicken Caesar Salad. Soon you'll know who's the best in your town.

[imagood1]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Here is what I use for snacks when I need one -- any of the following:

flax cookies
celery with cream cheese
1 cup alfalfa sprouts (.4 carb)
1/2 c. sliced jimica fried with butter and cinnamon tastes a lot like fried apples
7 medium radishes (1 carb)
broccoli/cauliflower with/or without something to dip them in
deviled eggs
1/2 c sliced cucumber

[Elizellen]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Fresh cheeses are fine on induction PROVIDED they don't contain carbs as thickening agents (which most do)- check the labels. I found a brand of all-natural ricotta that is on par to cream cheese ie 1g carbs/serve.

E

I know you are analysing the reason for fresh cheeses being an OWL rung 2 addition rather than an induction allowed food and have formed your own opinion on whether they can be utilised by you on induction, but it still says in DANDR 2002 which is the book we follow here on ADBB that fresh cheeses are not allowed on induction - only aged cheeses (hard and soft), tofu (Dr Atkins knew it as being called soy cheese) and cream cheese.

As far as I know the reason for not having ricotta and other fresh cheeses on induction is the way they are made, rather than any added ingredients.

You could substitute cream cheese for most ricotta-included recipes I would have thought. (Never tried it myself as I don't like the taste of ricotta or cottage cheese)

[Elizellen]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Oh - some snacks I like which do not include cheese are:
a sweet red pepper stuffed with paté
celery sticks filled with paté
flax crackers (made from equal volume of ground flax/linseed and water) spread with paté

[C P]

Re: Need ideas for between meal snacks and mid-meals

Oh - some snacks I like which do not include cheese are:
a sweet red pepper stuffed with paté
celery sticks filled with paté
flax crackers (made from equal volume of ground flax/linseed and water) spread with paté

Hi Elizellen,

Is the paté you use home-made? If so, do you have a link to the recipe? I used to have a good paté recipe, but can't find it. If it is a shop bought one, what type and where do you get it? The ones I've checked in the shops so far all have something 'illegal' in them. I mean, sugar in meat paté? Talk about not necessary!

CP