what foods to have/avoid for diabetics

[mtemm]

we are hosting easter and my dh's aunt's husband...which should be his uncle, I guess...they just got married and it feels weird to say that (his aunt is actually the same age as my dh) is diabetic. I want to make sure I offer enough foods that he is allowed to have but am pretty clueless about this.

can I do a fruit dessert? I'm assuming sugar is off-limits, but what about the sugar in fruit?

 

[Hannathy]

Have an angel food cake with fruit can be very pretty and the amt of fruit can be adjusted per person. Angel food is an easy dessert to work into a diabetic diet. Yes you are right fruit has a lot of carbohydrates(sugar) for diabetics.

 

[CJRN]

No, sugar is not totally off limits, but needs to be counted for just like any other carb.

A menu idea (you are very nice to even think about this), is about the carbohydrates. This simply means a person that has diabetes can have potatoes, but other vegetables should not be starchy (carbs). Carrots, peas, corn are all starches, a good suggestion for vegs would be broccoli, green beans, green tossed salad.

DH has had diabetes since college (Type 1/Insulin Dependent). Feel free to ask any questions. (plus I've been an RN for almost 20yrs).

Good luck!

 

[pumba]

I am a diabetic also, and I love to make a pie with jello sugar free cook pudding and put it in a graham cracker crust. Then I use a cool whip free topping......If I want a fancy one I do a regular crust and make the sugar free chocolate pudding cooked of course and put that in a cooked pie crust and REAL whipped cream....I just adjust how much I eat ...Fruits are okey in moderation as are all the foods we eat.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

You might try www.diabetes.org for info, under Nutrition & Recipes. Most libraries also have diabetic cookbooks.

 

[Swimnoid]

You are so nice to think of your guest's needs and work them into your menu. He will know how he needs to divide his carbs but offering lots of green veggies is great. Try asking this in the Disabilities and WISH boards too. Probably lots of diabetics will be discussing their menu ideas there.

 

[mtemm]

thanks everyone! how does this sound:

Ham
turkey
asiago, potato, and bacon gratin
asparagus
green beans
salad
fruit salad

dessert:

cake (my mil's birthday is that day)
lemon pudding with mixed berry pie (I'll make with graham cracker crust, sugar free lemon pudding, with blueberries/raspberries and free-cool whip on top.

I know he won't be able to have everything, but that should give him enough to pick and choose from, right?

 

[Swimnoid]

Can I come?

Being a guy he probably has at least 4 carb servings so he could have a little of everything or a lot of one thing! My dinner choices are 4 carbs one of which should be fruit, 2 can be starches/breads etc. He can eat a ton of green vegetables. So you have a winner of a menu!