frustrated with the syns calculator

[BritMumInCanada]

As most of you know I live in Canada.

We can't get some of the free foods here, like pasta n sauces, and the savoury rices etc. So I was interested in what the nutrional information was to see if I can find substitues for them.

Anyway found the nutrional information online and out of interest entered it into the syns calculator and guess what, it is telling me that it has syns. When on their syns guide it says they are free (and yes I am selecting free foods, and so on)

So out of more interest I decided to enter the nutrional information for a plain old chicken thigh, no skin with bone removed and guess what. Yep is telling me that has syns too. When we all know it is a free food.

So now of course I am doubting everything I am eating and highly frustrated, as how the heck do I find substitutes for some things, if their syns calculator is inconsistant. Their formula or whatever it is they use clearly doesnt work.

I thought if I could find some substitutes for some things it would be really handy, but of course I now just feel annoyed lol.

I have emailed slimming world, so I hope they have an answer for me.

Has anyone else come across this with the syns calculator. I just feel right now that the calculator is pretty pointless if it doesnt work correctly.

Sorry for the rant.

 

[StaceyUK]

Hmmm....that's an interesting one! Must be that nutritionally some things are healthier and so they're free food regardless of what their cals are but the calculator doesn't know this so doesn't recognise it? No idea, but I'm looking forward to hear what SW say about it!

Also, I'm more than happy to send you over a 'care' package if you want to Paypal me I can pick up some pasta & sauces, rices, Alpen Lights, etc and ship them to you - no problem! (I'd offer to do it for free but can't afford it at the moment!)

 

[BritMumInCanada]

thanks Stacey for your offer.

My dad is in the UK (scotland to be prescise) so think I am going to get him to put a package together for me.

This was all discovered because I wanted to do the quiche that uses Pasta N Sauce, so wanted to try and find a substitute for it here, so was shocked to see that Pasta N Sauce had syns according to the calculator.

One thing that would be helpful though, is if you could list the free foods like pasta N sauces that are nice so I know what to ask my dad to send, as well as HEb like Alpen bars etc, which other bars etc can you use?

thanks.

 

[Vixxster]

Hey Britmum, I know the calculator can be confusing. I think they must have decided on a free food list THEN anything that doesn't make the list has a syn value.

If it helps, I really like the carbonara wholegrain pasta n sauces and they are 1 and a 1/2 syns per pack. I like the fudge flavour Alpen lights and they are on offerin Asda at the moment for 1.18. Ditto pasta n sauces for 4 for 2 pounds (sorry my pound sign isn't working on my computer)

The mild cheese and broccoli is also nice and used to be free, but is now half a syn and the chicken and mushroom are free, and quite tasty but can get a bit sickly. If you fancy spending the syns, the mac and cheese ones are lovely for 2 of your precious syns.

I don't like tomato based ones at all, unfortunately it is the tomato ones that tend to be free. not a huge fan of tomato so never buy them.

 

[Scarlet Daisy]

As most of you know I live in Canada.

We can't get some of the free foods here, like pasta n sauces, and the savoury rices etc. So I was interested in what the nutrional information was to see if I can find substitues for them.

If you find very similar products to ours (such as pasta with powder "sauce"), they are likely to be just as filling and satisfying as the UK equivalents aren't they? So if they also have a similar nutritional value....I'd count them as free.

Then if it all went horribly wrong, I'd stop. But seriously, the packaging isn't important, if the products are the same.

 

[StaceyUK]

The mild cheese and broccoli is also nice and used to be free, but is now half a syn

I had no idea! I really wish they'd quit changing free foods & syn values all the time!