Short answer: Yes, you’ve got plenty of choice across low-carb and medium-carb foods. Most of these snacks have 0–4g net carbs per serve. (Remember: on South African packaged food, the “Glycaemic Carbohydrate” line already equals net carbs).
Sticking to snacks that need no cooking makes Banting far easier to keep up. These are all easy to find at Woolworths, Checkers, or Pick n Pay, and none need a recipe.
Snack table — net carbs per serve
Figures from USDA FoodData Central. Brands differ, so check your label. Serves are realistic snack sizes, not 100g lab portions.
| Snack | Serve | Total carbs | Fibre | Net carbs | Carb band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biltong, plain beef | 30g (small handful) | 1.8g | 0g | 1.8g | Low-carb |
| Droëwors, clean (no rusk) | 30g | 1.2g | 0g | 1.2g | Low-carb |
| Hard cheese (cheddar / gouda) | 30g (2 slices) | 1.1g | 0g | 1.1g | Low-carb |
| Boiled eggs | 2 eggs (100g) | 1.2g | 0g | 1.2g | Low-carb |
| Macadamias, dry roasted | 30g (small handful) | 4.1g | 2.6g | 1.5g | Medium-carb |
| Pork crackling, plain salted | 25g (small packet) | 0g | 0g | 0g | Low-carb |
| Avocado | ½ avo (75g) | 6.4g | 5.0g | 1.4g | Low-carb |
| Natural peanut butter (no sugar) | 2 tbsp (32g) | 6.0g | 2.6g | 3.4g | Medium-carb |
| Olives in brine, green / black | 40g (about 8) | 2.5g | 1.0g | 1.5g | Low-carb |
| Full-cream plain yoghurt | 175g tub | 8.2g | 0g | 8.2g | Medium-carb |
| Cucumber + cream cheese | 100g cucumber + 30g cheese | 4.5g | 0.7g | 3.8g | Low-carb / Medium-carb |
Labels change often in SA, so scan the packet before you buy.
What I’d actually buy
Biltong is still the easiest Banting snack in SA. A 30–50g packet from Checkers or Pick n Pay is easy to find. Go for plain beef or game. Sweet chilli, BBQ and honey-glazed versions can add 6–10g sugar per 30g without tasting much sweeter.
Droëwors is much the same story. Traditional beef droëwors is fine. Some cheaper sticks use sugar, dextrose or rusk as filler to stretch the meat. If the ingredients list sugar in the first few lines, leave it. My rule: meat, salt, vinegar, spices and maybe preserving salt. Nothing else.
Cheese and boiled eggs are your budget backups. A dozen eggs is a budget-friendly option, and two boiled eggs keep you full for hours. I keep a few in the fridge for petrol-station moments. Hard cheeses like white cheddar, gouda and pecorino are safer than processed slices, which often contain starch.
Macadamias are my favourite emergency stash for the handbag or cubbyhole. They’re grown locally, they’re rich, and a small handful is enough. Don’t eat from the 500g bag. Decant 30g or you’ll finish the bag without noticing while driving to Durban.
Three traps to watch
Peanut butter splits Banting cupboards. Regular Black Cat or Yum Yum with added sugar runs about 10–12g net carbs per 2 tbsp. A no-sugar version — just peanuts and salt — drops to about 3–4g. Woolworths and Pick n Pay both stock no-sugar options now. Stir the oil back in and keep it in the cupboard, not the fridge.
Pork crackling looks perfect at zero carbs, and plain salted usually is. Flavoured versions (sweet BBQ, chutney) can hide 3–5g sugar per packet. Same with olives: plain olives in brine are great, but piri-piri or sweet peppadew-stuffed ones often sit in sugary brine.
Full-cream plain yoghurt catches people out. Plain Lancewood or Fair Cape is about 4.7g carbs per 100g, so a 175g tub lands near 8g net. That’s fine if you plan for it. Flavoured “full cream” yoghurts can hit 18–22g per tub. If it says strawberry, vanilla or honey on the front, treat it as dessert.
You can scan the barcode in Banting Buddy to check net carbs and flagged ingredients before you pay.
Related questions
Checking labels in the aisle?
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General information only, not medical advice. If you take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, talk to your doctor before changing how you eat, because low-carb eating can change medication needs.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central; SA store labels. Last updated 2026-09-19. For packaged-food methods see USDA FoodData Central.
General information only, not medical advice. If you take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, talk to your doctor before changing how you eat. Last updated: 2026-09-19. Sources listed on each page.