What can I offer with coffee rather than cakes and biscuits?

How thoughtful teabagwoman
I'm sure it will be appreciated.

Thank you everyone for responding. I’ve made a file of your suggestions and I’ll be able to provide a variety of options to suit everyone’s needs. Having to limit your diet can be hard especially when socialising so I feel that the least I can do for friends who have supported me is to offer them foods they can happily enjoy.

win no Ritz biscuits, no macaroons or chocolate wafers and no cheese twists,. All high carbohydrate, not suitable for diabetics
Terric s plate is much better. Near perfect I would say.
Diabetic does not mean no sugar. It means low carbohydrate too. I wish people would grasp that.

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Terric

A small charcuterie plate would be nice. It combines some protein items like thinly sliced meats along with cheeses and assorted finger friendly cut up veggies like mini tomatoes, celery and carrot sticks, some olives and pickles. Serve this with some sliced French bread. I always include one type of dip. All this with very little carbs. No need for cakes when you present this. Look on Pinterest for plate assembly ideas.

Brilliant!

Small bits, arranged nicely.

Lindt chocolate wafers, stuffed dates, macaroons, celery & cream cheese, Ritz biscuits with cream cheese and smoked salmon, canapés with various toppings, cheese twists from Greggs or Lidl, delicious not the dried crispy ones, but more like savoury pastry. The list is endless, crudités, fruit nibbles, raw vegetable nibbles. assorted chocolates, cheese board my favourite.

Excellent ideacc

Hummus is apparently good for blood sugar control, perhaps with the crudites mentioned above?

A small charcuterie plate would be nice. It combines some protein items like thinly sliced meats along with cheeses and assorted finger friendly cut up veggies like mini tomatoes, celery and carrot sticks, some olives and pickles. Serve this with some sliced French bread. I always include one type of dip. All this with very little carbs. No need for cakes when you present this. Look on Pinterest for plate assembly ideas.

Blinis with smoked salmon and cream cheese, or salmon pate

Diabetics cannot eat chocolate… or .perhaps a square of over 70% dark chocolate a day.
There have been some quite unintelligent suggestions here and some very thoughtful ones.
It is difficult trying to control one’s blood sugar without having inappropriate ‘treat ‘ offered .

Maybe have a Lovely box of special chocs - Friars, Hotel Choc or a local artisanal make - the quality/size/price mean folk will almost never take more than one. So friends can have something special but it will not be enough to damage?

RosiesMawagain

Would it be heresy to suggest that good coffee and company in pleasant surroundings are enough in themselves?
Nice china, fresh flowers in your sitting room, a warm and relaxed environment are worth more than cakes and biscuits.

I think this is an excellent answer! Failing that, why not ask them to bring their own snacks- that way you'll get good ideas!

Diabetes UK website has quite a few good looking recipes for baking. The apple and cinnamon cake would be a good match with coffee maybe?

You would need to be prepared to invest in some ingredients not normally in the stock cupboard though, for example a sugar replacement.

Be a bit careful with nuts..

I take your point Rosiesmawagain, maybe I’m overthinking this. I think because baking is on of the few things I do well I’ve always enjoyed giving people homemade cake etc.

I rarely offer people biscuits. I offer them a drink, hot or cold - and that is it.

Grapes are one of the most sugar laden fruits…take care with them . Berries are best

Are there no specialist companies that do sugar free, diabetic friendly biscuits and cakes? Maybe try a chemist or health food store.

Would it be heresy to suggest that good coffee and company in pleasant surroundings are enough in themselves?
Nice china, fresh flowers in your sitting room, a warm and relaxed environment are worth more than cakes and biscuits.

J52

Bite size merengues with fruit.

For diabetics???

Iceland sell a rather nice quiche.
I'd offer it with tea and coffee and took some to a coffee morning recently.
Recently I discovered vegetable crisps in Lidl .

Could you offer cake/biscuits and some of the various options people have suggested so people can choose for themselves?

Only mentioned this because I rarely drink coffee as I find it too bitter but with something sweet alongside it's a nice occasional treat. Kaffee und kuchen didn't become a tradition for nothing

Anyway, good luck teabagwoman.

Thank you all for your help. I think smoked salmon on biscuits or cucumber sounds the way to go. Perhaps with some little bowls of cherry tomatoes, grapes etc.

Home made cheese straws sound wonderful, but they are made with pastry…a no no for a diabetic …sadly

Slices of cucumber with peel left on, a little smoked salmon and a tiny dollop of cream cheese. These small mouthfuls look very attractive and taste great.