Sw is about using speed foods to satisfy your appetite first. So 1/3 of your plate should be speed foods.
If you are hungry and want a plate of pasta that is fine. With the proviso that 1/3 of that plate has speed on it. So the snack shot and a big side salad would be absolutely fine. As long as you are genuinely hungry and eat until you are satisfied, but not beyond your own satisfaction level.
What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? Are you chosing lots of speed food then? With a portion of protein?
So for instance and jacket potato and beans is free. But there is no speed on there so it's not really a true slimming world meal. If you were to add a big salad to your plate then it would be sw friendly.
Free food is free. Something processed like ham or a mug shot should be treated the same way as potatoes or plain pasta. Eat them and enjoy them. As long as 1/3 of the serving is speed.
And 1/3 speed should ideally replace food not be in addition to it. So think about your plate. Put 1/3 of speed on first. Then the rest of your food. So with something like pasta the idea is that the speed replaces some of the pasta.
It's not always possible to do that. Like with a jacket potato. I am going to put the full potato on regardless. But if I eat the speed first I might feel full after 1/2 the potato. Or I might eat it all but then not eat as much at teatime because I am still full from lunch. Therefore reducing my calories whilst remaining satisfied.
I sometimes use MFP to check my calories and am always surprised by how few I am eating, despite usually thinking I have eaten too much that day. Which is when I usually check.