Diabetic friendly snack foods

Hi to all,
I operate a snack food company which primarily sells through vending machines. Occasionally I have customers in some locations ask me for items that their diabetic clients can consume as snacks, and such items are extremely difficult for me to source in such a way that they would be affordable to the consumer. I am not diabetic, so not having to live with this challenge daily leaves me largely uninformed.

I would like to try to meet this need, so suggestions of vending machine types of items available that would make the experience more pleasant to the diabetic consumer would be most appreciated.

Thank you all.

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For me, I would like items that use real food ingredients, like nuts, and few, if any, artificial ingredients. I generally won’t eat a snack if it contains > 10 net grams of carbohydrates. Most are over 20 grams. I despise nutritional labels on vending machine snacks that contain more than one serving. A snack labeled as 2.5 servings but contains 10 grams of net carbs per serving is really a 25 grams of carbs snack. I don’t like being mislead like that.

I would buy one ounce of almonds - it only has 2.3 grams of net carbs. Carbohydrates are the main driver of glucose in the blood. Many of us help control our diabetes using carb limits.

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Nuts are always my go to. Almonds are generally the most satisfying to me personally. Although cashews and a mixed nut blend without peanuts is also good.

We have a chilled vending machine at work which has a Sabra hummus cup with pretzels in it. While it has more carbs than I like to eat for a snack, it’s a good substitute for a fast lunch when I am not super hungry but need to eat.

Popcorn that isn’t caramel or kettle style is also good or a mini bag of popcorn that you can toss in the microwave.

I also like Cello Whisps cheese crisps. Moon Cheese is also similar.

As Terry4 wisely points out, most snacks sold in vending machines have more than one serving.

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I really enjoy these. Its my version of a candy bar.

https://www.naturevalley.com/product/gluten-free-protein-bars-peanut-butter-dark-chocolate/

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories 190
Total Fat 12g
Saturated Fat 3.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 180mg 7%
Carbohydrate 14g
Dietary Fiber 5g
Sugars 6g
Protein 10g
Daily Value of Protein 17%
Calcium 2%

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They generally teach you that a snack is around 15 carbs or less. That would be at diabetic classes etc. Nuts usually fit the bill as a lower carb snack. Some do crackers and nut butters. Cost prohibitive maybe, but Kay’s Naturals makes little bags of snack items, pretzels, crackers etc that are 15 grams carbs per bag about 5-10 grams of protein too, the sweetened items are sweetened with stevia. They make them especially for diabetics. You can order them directly from the company wholesale for the cheapest pricing route. They also have some nice deals off and on. I used to sale them in my store.

I will never find what I need I need in a snack machine😹 but it would be great. So I bring my own. I would like grain and gluten free snacks which are also low carb and not sweetened with sugar. Things like Simple Mills crackers and cookies, Keto Cups, nuts without rasins etc. I would also like vegan gluten and grain free and low carb such as co yo yogurts etc. - unsweetened coconut yougurts and almond or coconut milks etc. Siete grain and gluten free taco chips and wraps are fantastic too. As is Elizabeth grain and guten free granola, only 8g per 1/3 cup.

more varieties of diet soda or drinks not just diet Coke and Pepsi.
Cheese crackers, almond. Snack that are clearly one thing so the carbs can be evaluated.

Beef jerky, cheese,nuts, pork rinds.

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I don’t know if they’re practical for your vending machines but the Kind Bar - Mocha and Almond variety has 9 grams of net carbs and is very easy on the blood sugar.

Thank all of you very much for your help !

Question on Co Yo yogurt.

If you know. At least on their sited they list a mixed berry 5 oz cup to have 10 carbs and 12 Sugars. Might it be the yorgurt has 10 carbs and they berry mix is 12 sugars for a total of 22 Carbs. Just interested in the product, I will check if I find it in the store,

@T2Tom definitely looks like a typo! Backing into the carbs assuming that the protein and fat grams and calorie count are correct there’s likely 15-16g carbs.

Fat=9 calories per gram
Protein=4 calories per gram
Carbs=4 calories per gram

The total carbs is 9-10g as far as I know, as listed there. that is what I bolus for it. I didn’t notice about the sugars, odd. I will have to check the label again. There is a lot of fat but this yogurt doesn’t seem to spike me like milk based yogurt although the fat makes it harder to digest for me.

I like the triple cream Siggi’s for that reason. It definitely satisfies that fat-sweet craving without a spike. I am going to try freezing one.

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Siggis is made from cow milk though and spikes me.

10 or less carbs. But truly, as someone else said, unless the machine is cold enough for fruit and veggies it’s hard to get anything good out of a vending machine.
Ideally nuts, vegetables, cheese, etc from whole/natural sources.

Anything where the total sugars are less than 10 is pretty good for most diabetics. The total carbs between maybe 15- 20. My daughter likes the Kind Bars, which make ones that are specifically low sugar. Cheese and crackers or crackers are sold as well which are pretty good I guess. Light popcorn, nuts definitely. Rice cakes too but plain I suppose. Just taking a guess for vending machine stuff.

Costco sells bars under their “Kirkland signature” brand that are only 7 grams of carb… And actually still taste good with some chocolate drizzle. I think they’re called something generic like “nut bars”.

Pork rinds and those combo packs with both a meat and cheese stick (shelf stable) are also good options.