Snack recipes for someone with no teeth, needing low/lower carb sweetish things

[soupfiend]

So my dad cant eat nuts (easily) or crunchy things (easily) but likes a snack and has been told to cut out sugars as much as he can.

He is very elderly, loves cooking and sent me a recipe earlier for something he will try to cook as being lower carb, its bloody banana bread! He sees this as a nice snack in the evening

Thing is, all my lower carb type recipes and snacks consist of nuts or nut type things

I think he would like the cheese and almond crackers that I saw on another thread but thats a savoury thing, any ideas for things not too hard or crunchy, not too high in carbs?

I dont want him eating artificial sweetners or anything

(also, he does have some teeth here and there)

Anyone?

Cook some apple - very finely chopped and cooked down to mush. Then add some 70% dark chocolate. When it's melted put it in the fridge and it makes a rather lovely chocolate mousse.

You could experiment and add some oats flour or almond flour to make it more cake like.

Cheese/olives/chargrilled peppers. Edamame beans are nice with a bit of salt or chilli flakes on.

Sorry just realised you don't want savoury!

What about the high protein snack bars that body builders use? Or protein balls?
Whats the reason you don’t want to use sweeteners?

It's difficult to find recipes for low carb sweet snacks that don't contain artificial sweetener tbh.

Why does he need low carb/no artificial sweetener? Would it make him unwell?

What about tinned mandarin oranges with Greek yogurt or cream?

Artificial sweetners are incredibly bad for gut health and they prepare your body for sugar when none comes, messing up the brain communication to the gut.

If he continues to have diabetes levels of sugars in his bloods this is extremely bad for you

The protein balls I get from lidl, are more carb than protein but they are nice, I dont buy any other pre made protein bars because they are full of artificial sweetners, however he is capable of cooking and making his own

Yes he could add almond flour to that actually

Melt coconut oil and add high quality cocoa powder in weight ratio 5:1 and a small amount of something sweet (sugar, honey, syrup). Pour into ice cube trays to set in the fridge or freezer.

Or don't add sweetening but just dust with icing sugar afterwards

You need to post on the LCHF board.

Coconut flour and almond flour are good for giving soft solidity without raising carbs in baked foods. But you can't just sub for regular flour.

I used to like melting dark chocolate (higher than 75%) with creamed coconut and putting it into small silicone molds. The coconut would stop the chocolate from setting as hard, and give it a milder, creamier mouthfeel, without actually adding any sugar. You can add peanut butter or almond butter in the melt.

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen recipes for banana bread (since this is where you started) that have only banana and maybe some apple sauce as sweetener, and I think I’ve seen them with some version of low carb flours. Racking my brains as to where I saw this however. Would something like that be good, ie more cake-like?

He should be able to eat most things, obviously nuts or hard fruit like apples would be a problem. Just give him what you think he would like and see how he copes.

Nakd brand protein bars are lovely, and all natural ingredients (though I guess a bit sugary from the dates).

The other day I asked Chat GPT for a less sugary alternative to Sesame Snaps and it came up with this

Yes! Here’s a recipe for Sesame Seed Energy Bites that are naturally sweetened with dates and honey, making them lower in added sugars than typical sesame snacks. These bites are easy to make, portable, and full of healthy fats, protein, and calcium from the sesame seeds.

Sesame Seed Energy Bites (No refined sugar)

Ingredients:

•	½ cup sesame seeds (toasted or raw)
•	½ cup rolled oats
•	10-12 Medjool dates (pitted)
•	2 tbsp natural honey or maple syrup (optional, for a bit of extra sweetness)
•	2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
•	1 tbsp chia seeds (optional for extra fiber and omega-3s)
•	½ tsp vanilla extract
•	Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1.	Toast the sesame seeds (optional): In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Let them cool.
2.	Process the dates: In a food processor, blend the pitted dates until they form a sticky paste. If the dates are a bit dry, you can soak them in warm water for 10 minutes before processing.
3.	Mix the ingredients: Add the toasted sesame seeds, oats, tahini, chia seeds (if using), honey (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the food processor with the dates. Pulse until everything is well combined. The mixture should be sticky and hold together when pressed.
4.	Form into bites: Scoop out tablespoon-sized amounts of the mixture and roll them into small balls.
5.	Chill: Place the energy bites on a baking sheet or plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
6.	Store: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for longer storage.

Tips:

•	Add-ins: You can customize these bites by adding ingredients like cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts for extra flavor.
•	Portable: These energy bites travel well, making them a great on-the-go snack that’s both satisfying and nutrient-dense.

These sesame seed energy bites are a delicious and natural way to enjoy the benefits of sesame seeds while keeping sugar in check!

Avocado chocolate mousse

I don't really see how something can be sweet and low carb without artificial sweetners: natural sweeteners are carbohydrates. If I'm wrong someone please tell me as I'd like to know too!

I made date balls yesterday as I'm trying to lose weight myself. Dates are really good for adding that sweet treat to your diet but they actually stabilise your blood sugar levels and don't cause spikes and nobody understands why. Magic!

I blitzed a pack of dates, a tbsp of nut butter, a tbsp cocoa and a splash of maple syrup to bring it together. Then turned them into 1.5cm balls and rolled them in coconut. Absolutely delighted with them tbh and perfect for that sweet almost fudgy hit. You can keep them in a ziplock bag in the freezer and take out 2 at a time and they defrost pretty quickly.

Or you could try a chocolate ganache tart made with an almond flour base. I'd try almond flour/ground almond and butter or coconut oil ? Then just a good quality dark chocolate, double cream to make a ganache and top with some freeze dried raspberry pieces for flavour.

Some pics of my date basis and information about dates

I get what you're saying but if he's pretty elderly I'd be happy for him to eat what he fancies.

My Nan had a terrible diet in the last few years of her life, but she enjoyed every mouthful and lived to 96. I wouldn't have wanted her worrying about her gut health and going without things she enjoyed for the last few years.

I don't know how miserable it would be, but could you make the banana bread without any sugar?

Do you consider stevia or monkfruit to be artificial sweeteners? You're going to struggle to do low carb and sweet. A lot of the recipes shared in this thread are pretty high in carbs--dates, honey, maple syrup...

Dates do not act like typical carbs in low quantities. You can have 2-4 and they do not cause glucose spikes, they tend to stabilise blood sugar levels!

How elderly is elderly here?

Going to extremes of cutting out sugar and/or sweeteners might add 30 minutes to his life. I'd let it go and give him whatever he wants at this stage.

Do ganache pots - chocolate and double cream in equal quantities. Heat the cream, add the chopped chocolate, stir well and leave to set in the fridge.

Use a chocolate that he likes - don't go super dark because it'll be too bitter. You can also roll the mix into balls and cover with coaco power, dessicated coconut or similar to make truffles.

They sound fantastic but I doubt his teeth would be able to get through them