Diabetic Snack Options??

[Muppet_Girl]

My sister and I are going to the World in March. We will be on the dining plan and will have snack credits. My sister is a type I diabetic. What are your suggestions for snacks that she can have and enjoy? What are your favorite diabetic-friendly snacks in the world? If they are place specific, please let me know the location. Thanks in advance.

 

[jmartinez1895]

There are so many snack options that it would be hard to find an all inclusive list. We have also found that for most of the snacks there is not a list of nutrients either. If your sister does not have one already she may want to get The Official Pocket Guide to Diabetic Exchanges by the American Diabetes Association. This would be helpful for her as she could llok up the this she would like to eat. Also, if she needs too, she can bring in her own snacks ( just tell the people checking the bags that they are special snacks and they'll let her bring them in) and she could use her snack credits for drinks. At many of the places you can get a peice of fresh fruit some places have popcorn and at one point we found a stand in MK that had a sugar free icecream bar, but I do not know where it was or if this is still an option. I hope others will post and I hope that this helps some.

 

[tink2dw]

Taking some of your own snacks to carry is important for lines, parades, shows, and your hotel room. I'm type 2 diabetic. I like Juicy Juice boxes for quick rise in blood sugar. But I always carry Special K Breakfast Bars, 90 calories. Nuts are good.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I'm not diabetic, but I do have issues with blood sugar, so have done a fair bit of sugar-free Disney. As others have said, make sure you carry some snacks around with you, so she can eat it in lines etc as necessary. I didn't do this at the beginning of my recent trip, and I really paid for it - after a few 'episodes', we made sure we always had some emergency snacks!

If she's OK with artificial sweeteners and other sugar-free treats, there's a whole host of things out there! A lot of the CS restaurants and quick food outlets have sugar free brownies, which are absolutely delicious! You can get sugar-free ice cream at any of the permanent ice cream places (the ones in buildings rather than on carts), I really like the sugar-free pecan ice cream; most places now have a good range of fresh fruit, I particularly like the fresh pineapple from the Dole stand in Adventureland; and there are various bags of sugar-free candy, which I think you can get under the dining plan (check this, as I've not done the DDP before). Then there are various savory snacks such as chips (depending on how reactive she is to potato), pretzels (middling GI, but it might be OK), popcorn , and cut vegetables (The Land pavillion in EPCOT is particularly good for fresh veg, but I don't know what counts on the DDP). I think you can also get those ready-to-go pots of cereal from hotel food courts as a snack, but this may have changed.

Just a final note - the sugar-free items aren't always listed on the menu, so don't be afraid to ask whether they have anything sugar-free. I'm used to doing this anyway, as I'm a veggie, but the CMs are always very friendly and helpful; if they don't have anything, they'll be able to point you to somewhere that does

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[SanFranciscan]

Has airport security given anybody any trouble about carrying snacks or insulin and whichever form of injection that you use? How did you handle it?

 

[tink2dw]

LAX did, but only because no one would listen to me. So, I had to rescue it from the second guy, who wanted to dump my juice boxes, because they were over 3 oz. But when I explained I was diabetic he let me thru and on the plane!

 

[Muppet_Girl]

My sister has never had trouble getting any of her medicine or supplies through- she does carry a doctor's note just in case (since she carries syringes). I know that she doesn't try to get any liquids through as snacks for flights- she carries fruit snacks, sugar tablets, etc.

 

[SueM in MN]

Has airport security given anybody any trouble about carrying snacks or insulin and whichever form of injection that you use? How did you handle it?

First, for the park security screening:
those CMs are looking for things like weapons, dangerous items, alcohol and glass bottles (hazard if they break and get glass shards where people might have contact with them).
They are not concerned about snacks or juice boxes, so you don't need to do anything special or get permission to bring them in.

For airport security:
Follow the link in my signature or look at the top if this board's thread list for the disABILITIES FAQs thread. One post is about air travel and includes information and links about travel with medication. Basically, you need to separate it out and tell the TSA people about it each rime you meet one.
I don't know if all the airports have switched to having separately labeled lines as shown in the picture on that post, but if they have, one line will be labeled "Medical Liquids" and should help you avoid the problem a previous poster had at LAX. (At least TSA agents in that line should be looking at liquids in a 'medical necessity' light.

Last snacks in the parks -
Many people with diabetes eat the same snacks as everyone else and just account for it by basing their insulin on their blood sugar readings and estimates of the diabetic exchanges or carb counts of the items they eat. WDW does not provide carb counts for anything other than prepackaged foods manufactured foods which may be labeled with thst information.
Some people have problems with some artificial sweeteners ( mostly gastrointestinal) so if your friend is not used to those products, it's wise to be cautious until knowing what kind of reaction may occur. Also, many of those products may not be lower in carbs and may be higher in fat.
It is also important to watch the blood sugar. Many of the posters with diabetes find that all the walking/activity/excitement makes their blood suga lower than usual, so may need extra testing materials and more snacks than usual.

 

[Muppet_Girl]

Many people with diabetes eat the same snacks as everyone else and just account for it by basing their insulin on their blood sugar readings and estimates of the diabetic exchanges or carb counts of the items they eat.

While many people do this, this is not, in a medical sense, the best or healthiest way to handle being a type I diabetic. This actually causes more damage than good- further insulin dependence and further damage to the pancreas. Because of this knowledge, my sister never approaches her diabetes in this way, which is why I was seeking some advice on snack options.

 

[SueM in MN]

While many people do this, this is not, in a medical sense, the best or healthiest way to handle being a type I diabetic. This actually causes more damage than good- further insulin dependence and further damage to the pancreas. Because of this knowledge, my sister never approaches her diabetes in this way, which is why I was seeking some advice on snack options.

I think you understood this out of context. I am an RN and have done diabetic teaching. I was talking specifically in the context of trying to find foods with sugar substitutes, which are not always healthy.

I am not talking about "eat everything you want and cover it with insulin". I do know people who do that - I once went to a conference with someone who ate sugar sweetened cereal, eggs, 3 slices of toast, 6 containers of regular jam, 6 containers of butter and then had a glass of juice. She used sugar substitute in her coffee and on her already sweetened cereal. She covered all that with insulin. She could not figure out why she had such a high insulin dose! Or why her HbA1c test was out of whack and the doctor did not believe she was following her prescibwd diet in terms of carb count. I could though.

That is not at all what I am talking about at all.

Many diabetics are doing carb counting and trying to keep their body in a balance with the amount of carbs that are in their prescribed diet, their blood sugar readings and the amount of insulin prescribed and required to keep the blood sugar in their target range. This is what I am talking about.
It is a more physiologically based way to handle diabetes (still with limits) and people's blood sugar is usually under better control than in the old days when there was a lot of emphasis on avoiding sugar ( not keeping in mind that much of we eat is broken down into sugar )

 

[daneenm]

While many people do this, this is not, in a medical sense, the best or healthiest way to handle being a type I diabetic. This actually causes more damage than good- further insulin dependence and further damage to the pancreas. Because of this knowledge, my sister never approaches her diabetes in this way, which is why I was seeking some advice on snack options.

I beg to differ and wonder where you have received your "best approach" medical information. It would be fair to say "This is not how WE CHOOSE to manage her T1D," but to say it is not medically appropriate is out of line and incorrect. DS9 has had T1D for 7.5 years now, is seen by the Endocrinology clinic at Stanford and has been told in no uncertain terms that he should eat a healthy diet as anyone (with or without T1D) should. This does not mean never have a treat, this means moderation.

I am a firm believer in YDMV (Your Diabetes May Vary), but am not a believer in making false statements or judgements about how other people and their physicians manage theirs. No one way is best for all.

As a matter of fact, when we were in WDW, DS NEEDED extra snacks containing carbs to keep his BG up. This was a direct result of the heat combined with the large amount of exercise he was receiving as we raced through the parks. We also choose not to use any artificial sweeteners to speak of... again, our choice, but not everyone's.

 

[disneylvrnMS]

I am also a T1D. I was diagnosed in my mid 30's and I wear a pump. I usually use my snack options to purchase fresh fruit in the parks. I find that with all of the walking I need more snacks throughout the day.

I have never had any problems with any of my supplies at the airport. I have never tried to take any juices through the security. However, I usually have to go through special screening because my pump always sets off the alarm. The TSA agent that did the scanning the last time I flew was very talkative. She made sure that I was aware that I am allowed to take juices of more than 3 oz with me. I wasn't aware of that until she told me.

 

[ehsmum]

First, for the park security screening:
those CMs are looking for things like weapons, dangerous items, alcohol and glass bottles (hazard if they break and get glass shards where people might have contact with them).
They are not concerned about snacks or juice boxes, so you don't need to do anything special or get permission to bring them in.

Is there any issue with taking syringes into the parks? We will have a letter from my son's doctors stating that he has Type 1 diabetes. I'm hoping that we won't have any problems taking his insulin and syringes into WDW or Disneyland.

 

[daneenm]

Is there any issue with taking syringes into the parks? We will have a letter from my son's doctors stating that he has Type 1 diabetes. I'm hoping that we won't have any problems taking his insulin and syringes into WDW or Disneyland.

None at all. When we walk through, i let them know we have Diabetes supplies (just to speed up the process) and they do not look twice at them.

 

[ehsmum]

None at all. When we walk through, i let them know we have Diabetes supplies (just to speed up the process) and they do not look twice at them.

That's great to know. Thanks very much .

 

[melancholywings]

All those who defend that T1D's can indeed eat sugar ~ thank you.

We've had trouble recently flying out of Seatac specifically in regards to my travel letter and wanting them to hand check the insulin. We were flying out of country to a developing country and I wanted one pen of each hand checked. They've done it before with out problems but this one TSA agent really tried to bully me stating that no where in my travel letter did it say the medicine was required to be hand checked. I persisted and she did it but not with out a lot of stink eye. Then in Miami customs wouldn't let me carry her small kit in a bag over my shoulder - stating it was over our carry on limit even though we were one bag under allowence. I had to put the back inside another bag.

Also if you fly Delta - if you're in one of the planes that have the TV on the back of the chairs. Those chairs sit lower to the cabin floor and most carry on's do not fit under them. This means the overhead bins will be overfilled. All our snacks for the 6 hour flight were in a small kiddie pilot case and it nor a backpack would fit under the seats. The stewards also kept trying to seperate our luggage in the overhead bin.

 

[Muppet_Girl]

As OP, it's time to get this thread back on track...

Whether or not you feel that it is appropriate for diabetics to eat a substantial amount of sugar in their diets, please just post if you have an answer to my question- to rephrase it: Do you know of any snack options that are specifically good for diabetics who are attempting to avoid excess sugar? I am not looking for a response of "all snacks", but things that you have found that are low-carb, low-sugar, no sugar added, etc.

Thank you for your help! I greatly appreciate it! And so will my sister

**P.S. I am sorry if I offended anyone with my earlier comments. My statements come from several medical physicians: endocrinologists, pediatricians, and primary care physicians. I have also gotten my information from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I have done a great deal of research on this topic. I wasn't speaking from a lack of knowledge. I also would like to point out that there is a difference between eating sugar when you need to in order to raise glucose level and eating as much sugar as you please and depending on your meds to always cover it (aka not really considering the disease when making dietary choices which is really what I was referring to. **

 

[melancholywings]

Eating as much sugar as you please isn't healthy for anyone regardless of T1D. Every good doctor teaches moderation. But the idea and preaching that a T1D child can not have sugar - unless to treat a low because it will make everything worse - causes harm to so many families living with it as it's simply not true with the invention of short acting and long acting insulin. And blanket statements like that can spread misinformation to the general public who already don't understand what T1D is - if I hear one more person tell me my child's T1D is just like their grandma's T2D I'm going to kick them in the knee cap. Or the next classmate that tells my daughter she can't enjoy a piece of birthday cake because her foot will fall off. I understand you don't mean to offend - but I just wanted to explain why it was taken that way. And why it can make others so fiesty. As a parent it's exhausting fighting misconceptions when it comes to your kid.

For your question: You can find fresh fruit in the parks - we usually grabbed apples and bannanas. I think we saw some nut based snacks and you can use snack credits for milk. But you may find it easiest to just bring some snacks with you from home. My DD loves Buffets because she can cobble a meal together. And I have been known to naughtily take a piece of fruit or two off the buffet for her for later.

 

[daneenm]

Eating as much sugar as you please isn't healthy for anyone regardless of T1D. Every good doctor teaches moderation. But the idea and preaching that a T1D child can not have sugar - unless to treat a low because it will make everything worse - causes harm to so many families living with it as it's simply not true with the invention of short acting and long acting insulin. And blanket statements like that can spread misinformation to the general public who already don't understand what T1D is - if I hear one more person tell me my child's T1D is just like their grandma's T2D I'm going to kick them in the knee cap. Or the next classmate that tells my daughter she can't enjoy a piece of birthday cake because her foot will fall off. I understand you don't mean to offend - but I just wanted to explain why it was taken that way. And why it can make others so fiesty. As a parent it's exhausting fighting misconceptions when it comes to your kid.

Amen! Funny how we can all do our research (ala JDRF), hear from our doctors (in our case Stanford), etc. and interpret that message differently. Noting in ANYTHING I have read from these sources or been told by our Ped. Endo. says anything other than eating a well balanced diet (T1D or not) is a healthy way to live. Again, we all choose different paths, this is OK. What is NOT OK is to make blanket statements that appear to make judgements on others.

I think the suggestion for your sister to bring your her is a good one. We do that everywhere we go and if there happens to be an option available we choose for DS to eat, we forego what we brought for that. That way your bases are covered.

 

[Muppet_Girl]

I was never making "blanket statements" nor was I "judging" anyone. All I said was based on scientific and medical research findings/information that I stated earlier from reliable and appropriate sources, my sister CHOOSES not to handle her diabetes in that way. Every person/family has the right to handle any disease as they see fit. No one can force you to do anything or not do something. I was never telling anyone what to do just explaining why she chooses not to consume sugar whenever possible.