Frozen Grapes: Probably the simplest summer essential in the world. Ever

 

So much so, I can't believe I'm writing this post. I've coerced M into taking photos so I have to write it really. But even so, I'm blushing, futilely hiding behind my rose hoping that you won't abandon me purely for the fact that I'm writing this up on a food blog.

I'm a hardened dieter/ healthy eater and abandoner of both of those pasttimes, usually in the face of something with vast quantities of butter or sugar. Junk food has never been my thing and I eat pretty healthily most of the time, but there's nothing that's quite the same as crispy roast potatoes. So, I have to think about my snacks - make sure that my innate tendency towards fabulously flavoured badness is balanced out by fresh, clean, healthiness.

This tends to mean that Monday - Friday, fruit is my snack of choice - apples, bananas, satsumas, cherry tomatoes, sharon fruit. I get frustrated when I can't get British apples, but aside from that am fairly easily pleased. I tend to avoid berries as they don't travel well when wedged in between a laptop and 16 copies of handouts and tupperware containers add to unecessary bulk when travelling on trains that no longer give you somewhere to put your luggage when you're 5'4" and can't lift something above your head.

So yes, fruit. for years I've heard about freezing grapes as a dieters sweetie. It must come up at least annually as a suggestion in every women's magazine I've ever read - from Just Seventeen up to Easy Living. It's there in every Weight Watchers and Slimming world material I've ever read. And yet, I've never tried it. I've dismissed it, much like 'swap your regular sausages for Quorn - you'll never tell the difference!' Yes. I. Will. Or, 'try Turkey bacon in place of regular bacon for a Sunday morning fry (or grill) up' No, it has a weird texture - it's squeaky. Having tried those recommedations and been forced to dismiss them on account of the fact that they're RUBBISH, I also dismissed frozen grapes. Oh how stupid I was. Frozen grapes are a cross between grape flavoured sweeties and an ice lolly. Having stupidly sensitive teeth I choose to suck them and love when they start to go squishy.

I'm so embarrased by including this, but also so keen to spread the word - for those of you doing the 5:2 Feast:Fast I'm hoping frozen grapes might prove to be a something yummy you can fit in on your fast days - according to myfitnesspal, 1 grape is 2 calories and the good thing about freezing them is that you don't pop one in your mouth after another, barely tasting them as they go down. It forces you to slow down and to really enjoy each mouthful.

Quite simply, wash your grapes, put them in a tupperware or similar without a lid, and in your freezer - help yourself to them every time you're peckish.

If I weren't so embarrassed I'd submit these to Kavey's Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream this month, the subject of which is Ice lollies, but I'm too embarrassed. By far.