Coach on Call Planning Healthy Snacks for Diabetes It was great to talk with you. Thank you for your interest in. I hope you find this tip sheet helpful. Please give me a call if you have more questions about this or other topics. As your health coach, I m ready to help in any way I can. Just like planning your meals, planning your snacks is a key to managing your diabetes well. Planning your snacks has many rewards! You will be more likely to: Have on hand healthy snack foods you enjoy. Avoid resorting to unhealthy choices from vending machines or convenience stores. Keep your blood sugar within your target range between meals. Curb your hunger before meals, which can help prevent overeating. Get a nutritious energy boost during the day when you need one. Follow these guidelines for planning healthy snacks: Work with your diabetes care team to plan snacks that fit the goals of your overall diabetes meal plan. This includes when, what, and how much to eat for snacks. For example, you may want to include a lean protein food or fat-free dairy food in your snacks to help curb your hunger before meals. For weight loss, you may want to limit your snacks to a certain number of calories. Remember to count the carbohydrate in your snacks if you do carb counting. Stick to your planned snacks as best you can from day to day. Log your blood glucose readings as advised by your doctor. Based on that, work with your diabetes care team to adjust your meal and snack plan as needed. Include snacks you enjoy. You will be much more likely to stick with your plan. CMN17-0621-9 CMN17-0621-10 Copyright 2017 UPMC Health Plan, Inc. All rights reserved C ON C CA HEALTHY SNACKS 17CA0696 (MCG) 9/7/17 PDF
Page 2 of 5 Be careful about portion sizes. o When you pack snacks from home, use measuring cups and spoons to make sure the amounts accurately match your plans. o For packaged snacks, read labels for serving size, servings per container, and grams of carbohydrate per serving. o Avoid eating directly from packages. For example, instead of eating from a box of crackers, measure out your portion size into a bowl or plastic bag. Stay away from unhealthy snack options, and keep healthy alternatives on hand. For example: o Purge your kitchen and your desk at work of snacks that are high in sugar and/or unhealthy fat. Replace them with healthy options. o Are pastries or candy often by the coffee pot where you work? Get coffee elsewhere if you can. Or talk to your co-workers about the issue. You may find that others would prefer healthier options too! Offer to bring some for everyone to try. Avoid mindless snacking. Examples include snacking while reading, driving, or in front of the TV or computer. Instead, use snack time to take a break from everything. Be mindful of the taste and texture of the food. Relax while you eat, even if you only have a few minutes. Healthy snack ideas Below are some healthy snack ideas, listed by how much carbohydrate they contain. Less than 5 grams of carbohydrate 15 almonds 3 celery sticks + 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter 5 baby carrots 5 cherry tomatoes + 1 Tablespoon ranch dressing 1 hard-boiled egg 1 cup cucumber slices + 1 Tablespoon ranch dressing ¼ cup of fresh blueberries 1 cup of salad greens + 1/2 cup of diced cucumber + drizzle of vinegar and oil 1 frozen sugar-free popsicle 1 cup of light popcorn 2 whole wheat saltine crackers 10 Goldfish crackers ½ cup sugar-free gelatin 1 piece of string cheese 8 green olives 2 Tablespoons pumpkin or sesame seeds ¼ of a whole avocado
Page 3 of 5 About 10-20 grams of carbohydrate ¼ cup dried fruit and nut mix 1 cup chicken noodle soup, tomato soup (made with water), or vegetable soup 1 small apple or orange 3 cups light popcorn 1/3 cup hummus + 1 cup raw fresh-cut veggies (bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, celery, cauliflower, or a combination of these) ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese + ½ cup fruit (fresh or canned in water/juice) 1 cheese quesadilla (made with one 6-inch corn or whole wheat tortilla + 1 oz. shredded cheese) + ¼ cup salsa 2 rice cakes (4-inch diameter) + 1 Tablespoon peanut butter 5 whole wheat crackers (or ¾ oz.) + 1 piece of string cheese ½ turkey sandwich (1 slice whole wheat bread + 2 oz. turkey + mustard) ½ cup tuna salad + 4 whole wheat crackers About 30 grams of carbohydrate (good choice before exercise) ½ peanut butter sandwich (1 slice whole wheat bread + 1 Tablespoon peanut butter) + 1 cup fat-free milk 6 oz. fat-free, sugar-free yogurt + ¾ cup berries (such as blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries) 1 whole wheat English muffin + 1 teaspoon tub margarine 3/4 cup whole grain, ready-to-eat cereal + ½ cup fat-free milk 1 medium banana + 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
Page 4 of 5 Take Action My SMART* goal for this week Do your best to reach the SMART goal you set with your health coach. Write it here. Check the box when you have completed it. Check when completed Staying on the path to wellness When you are ready, choose one or two snack ideas from this tip sheet that you would enjoy and that fit the goals of your diabetes meal plan. Set a weekly SMART goal for each idea. Write your goals below. Check the boxes when you have completed them. SMART Goal 1: SMART Goal 2: When you reach your goals, share your success with a supportive friend or family member. Celebrate together each step you take to live well with your diabetes! *SMART goals are specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic, and timely. For example, On Tuesday I will buy some peanut butter and brown rice cakes. I ll pack two rice cakes spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter for my mid-afternoon snacks at work on Wednesday and Friday. SMART goals help you succeed! If you have any trouble setting your weekly SMART goals, ask your health coach for help.
Page 5 of 5 The information in this tip sheet is for educational purposes only. It is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Before making changes, always talk to your doctor about what is right for you. Sources: Snacks. American Diabetes Association. Available at www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/ food/what-can-i-eat/food-tips/snacks.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/. Accessed November 9, 2016.