Healthy snack related

[MaureenMitten]

DS1 is 22 and very sporty. He takes lots of sandwiches to work for his lunch and a big tupperware box full of wholewheat pasta which is his snack that he eats throughout the day in the same way I'd eat a packet of biscuits

But he's now bored with the pasta and has asked me what he can take as an alternative. Being quite rubbish at healthy eating myself, would IBU to delegate the decision to MNetters who I'm sure know more about this sort of thing than his clueless mother.

I make huge greek salads (lettuce, peppers, feta cheese, onions, olives)

Humus with pepper slices and bread sticks.

Though seriously, he snacks on wholewheat pasta? Like... By itself?

He's 22!!! At his age I had graduated from university, had a responsible job and was living with my boyfriend.

Let him sort his own diet out. Google is his friend.

Rice salad or pitta bread if he's after carbs (pitta looks wrong, sp?).

Oatcakes - loads of different kinds and all delicious.

And what Garcia said. I'm the same age as him.

rice and cous cous would bung up the computer keyboard.

try different herbs and spices on the pasta?

wholemeal pitta/tortilla?

Sir - yes, just with some olive oil on yak

Thnaks for the suggestions.

I know he's grown up, but he asked me for suggestions, so I'd just like to be able to be helpful.

Seriously? Buy the boy a snickers!!!

Salad with various things; prawns, goats cheese, grapes, chedder, bacon... Not all together, obviously.

How about something like Graze, where they do different snack pots in each box?

I agree with garcia, I wouldn't have thought twice at asking my mum at 22! You should leave him to figure it out for himself as a maturity activity.

really? after 18 no-one here ever asked their mum for advice or had conversational chats about their lives, and in the process said 'what do you think?'

OP's son isn't asking her to make his snack or wailing that he'll have nothing to eat if she doesn't think of something for him. He just asked his mum if she had any ideas for healthy eating.

I'm 42 and I ask my mum for suggestions on things from time to time. She likes it, it makes her feel part of my life i think

Certainly hope my DC will chat to me about trivial stuff like this sometimes when they're older!

No at 22 I didn't, not about what food I could take to work. There is the Internet and a plethora of freely available info plus a trip to a supermarket would throw up a few ideas no?

At 18 I could probably understand them not having a clue but at 22?

He's carb loading, so he must do some pretty serious sport. He'd have more luck looking on forums for runners/rowers/whatever he does.

What kind of sport does he do? Weigtlifting? Long distance running? He might be better off (and feel full for longer) if he eats more protein. Snacks like cooked lean meat, nuts and seeds might keep him satisfied.

He needs to think of it as fuel, not food!

When you say he's sporty, what do you mean? Unless he's burning some serious calories through intense exercise on a regular basis, he's consuming a horrific amount of carbohydrate, and he will not only be making his blood sugar levels spike and drop, he risks putting on a lot of weight!

You shouldn't need to snack like this through the day - and if he is, then it's indicative of a blood sugar problem.

He would be much better off snacking on things like nuts and seeds, or veg like celery, cucumber, peppers.

My bro used to be a long distance runner (needed about 5000 cal a day based on exercise) and he found that the Australian institute of sport website had a section for eating well, loads of low fat, high goodness recipes (sorry, it was after I left home, I dunno!!). But I made their tandoori chicken last weekend for a BBQ and it was so easy and so tasty.

When my DH has been going to the gym he really ups his proteins and carbs. Often I will make a much bigger portion of dinner the night before and he takes a big meal for lunch with him. Then it's different everyday. His favourites are spag bol, fajitas (amazingly good cold!), chicken pasta, chilli con carne, etc.. I make them all with plenty of extra veg and you can always choose wholemeal options. It's easier than making two meals. Then he tops it off with sandwiches, sardines, chicken legs to snack on, yoghurts... The list goes on!

Wholewheat pasta as a snack is lacking in vitamins and minerals for one thing, and I agree with BIWI that unless he's running half marathons regularly he's working up to insulin problems.

Protein is a good idea, lean chicken salad with chunky veg will add vitamins and fibre to his diet. Fruit smoothies are often quite calorific, so if they are low fat / no artificial sweeteners they might be a good addition. Semi-skimmed milk is also good - low fat, good protein, calcium and other nutritional goodness, easy to access and cheap. (Plus hot chocolate in winter / iced in summer.)

He can have a look here as well: www.livestrong.com/snacks/

Why not add some stuff to the pasta to make it interesting? Chopped raw peppers, spring onion, sweeter, tuna, chicken!? Or stir some pesto through? I snack on cooked chicken which is very filling or boiled eggs. If he wants carb he could try swiss bircher - basically porridge oats, add some plain yogurt and milk and soak overnight. Add some raisins, flake almonds and sliced strawberries or whatever fees fruit. Lovely! And i too ask mothers advice re cooking stuff so at 22 i wouldn't worry.

I still ask my mum or MIL for advice on cooking stuff, same as I'd ask my stepdad or FIL for advice on DIY. They're more experienced and know more than me.

I always ask my dad or MIL for advice on cooking or meal recommendations. They're the foody type so always give good suggestions.

Almonds and other nuts are very healthy but need to be eaten in moderation.

DS cycles and weight trains daily.

Wholewheat pasta??

I have very little to say about that.

Is it even a food-stuff?

Wholewheat pasta??

I have very little to say about that.

Is it even a food-stuff?

Sorry.