After I went paleo the iron in my blood went from "go home, you're anemic" to " oh wow! you're off the chart" (for women who have a lower baseline iron requirement than men), I've never had an issue with giving blood and last time brought my own post donation snack (an orange) and had coconut water when I got home. Unfortunately I've dipped below their cutoff for weight so trying to gain weight ... a little tough to do when most conventional 'fattening' foods are not appealing anymore (to me or the gut) ... ok, except red wine. Pigging out on chicken & rib bbq is in the cards ;-)

I normally have a bottle of water then just go home afterwards and have a protein drink, like I did last night :drinker: .
They only offer milkshakes, sausage rolls, biscuits, cake or juice at our local blood bank, all of which are laden with sugar or grains.

Wow! we get really pathetic looking cookies, and apple/orange juice. On Tuesdays they have donuts. Still ... crap.

Mine has the typical cookies, sugar added juice, and "100 cal" packs of junk. They try their hardest not to let me leave without eating but I tell them I am lactose intolerant and gluten sensitive. That shuts them up...how hard would it be for these places to have fresh fruit for crying out loud??

I agree! I would take the fresh fruit! I supose it doesn't travel well, but I pass up the candy / cookie bits and find an apple in the cafeteria.