Healthy Holiday Eating Guide For Diabetics

Healthy Holiday Eating Guide
By John Crowley, Caregiver Advocate


From work parties to family gatherings, the holidays always seem to offer new challenges to diabetics. New foods, richer foods, extra treats, and traditional dishes can make it difficult to manage blood sugars effectively.

With a little planning ahead and a few simple steps, you can make the holidays healthier and more enjoyable. Perhaps the most important thing is having the right mindset. You don’t have to deny yourself every holiday treat. But you will have to make choices. Here are a few tips to help you make the best choices.

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Survey the Whole Table

When eating at a party, take a moment to look over the food before you start loading your plate. Look for green salads, vegetable trays, and meat dishes. By giving a large portion of your plate to low-carb options, you will give yourself a much better chance at controlling your blood sugar. Choose breads and starches carefully. You’re much more likely to encounter a sweet roll or a sugary glaze during the holidays than other times of the year. Desserts and treats are a big part of most holiday celebrations. Watch your portion size to help avoid large spikes in blood sugar.

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Watch What You Drink

The American Diabetes Association suggests that diabetics with nerve damage should not drink alcohol at all because alcohol is toxic to nerves. Even diabetics with good blood sugar control need to be careful. Alcohol increases the risk of low blood sugar—especially if you drink on an empty stomach. If you choose to drink alcohol, avoid mixed drinks that add large amounts of sugar. One helpful tip is to alternate drinking water between alcoholic drinks at a party.

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Do Your Part

Often, you’ll be asked to bring an item to share at a holiday party. You can do your part to make sure there are items on the table that work for your diet. Bring a fresh vegetable tray or a green salad or a low-calorie dessert. Learn to make one of your favorite holiday dishes with sugar substitute.

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Don’t Be Embarrassed to Ask

If there is a delicious looking dish on the table but you have no idea what’s in it or how many carbohydrates it contains, don’t be embarrassed to ask. No one will be offended if you compliment their wonderful looking dish and explain that due to your diabetes you simply need to know what’s in it. Then once you know the ingredients, compare the ingredients to a food for which you know the carbohydrate count and make your best estimate.

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Make a Deal with Your Support Team

Talk with your spouse, family, or friends before attending a party. Share with them your eating plan (perhaps you could even challenge them to try to stick to your plan too). Will you try to eat fewer carbohydrates from the main dishes to accommodate a dessert? Or are you planning to adjust your insulin dose to cover extra carbohydrates? (Note: If you don’t know how to adjust insulin, be sure to talk to your doctor first.) Talking through your plan will help you solidify it in your mind and increases your commitment to it. Then ask your support team if they will meet you at the gym or the walking path the day after to help work off any extra calories.

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Beware of Grazing

One of the biggest challenges for diabetics is what my son’s doctor calls “grazing.” This happens when you simply keep passing by the serving table or the kitchen counter and nibbling on this and that. Nothing seems significant enough to worry about. But then suddenly your blood sugar is skyrocketing. It’s best to only eat off your plate. Serve yourself, pause to count the carbohydrates, and then eat. It takes a little self-discipline, but it can make a huge difference in protecting yourself from spikes in your blood sugar.