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Eating Out

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Holidays and special occasions are a time for family, friends, and happiness. But for people with diabetes, the extra helpings, sweets, and alcohol are obstacles that may need to be navigated. Any special occasion or night on the town -- even a birthday party -- can present a dilemma. But, with the proper planning and mindset, you can thoroughly enjoy a big night out.

Things to Remember

  1. 1. Try and keep your blood glucose levels stable. Don't leave home without your medications and monitor, and bring extra medication if you think you may stay out longer than planned. You may need to test more frequently around special occasions and adjust your medications accordingly as you might be drinking or eating more or differently.
  2. Always wear medical identification that shows that you have diabetes, and be aware of where and how to obtain medical care should it be necessary. 
  3. When choosing a meal, try to stick to foods that have been grilled, barbecued, marinated, steamed, baked, or poached. 
  4. Try to find out what's on the menu so you can plan your daily meal plan, or carb counting, around the party. 
  5. Try to time your meal so it arrives at the same time you normally eat at home. If there is a long wait for food, ask the waiter to hurry you through a healthy entree. 
  6. Limit foods that are fried, creamed, buttered or that are served with sauces. 
  7. Do not add butter, sour cream, gravy, cream, or salad dressing at the table. 
  8. Find out how alcohol affects your blood glucose and, if you drink, always drink in moderation. If you know you'll be drinking, don't drink on an empty stomach. Let someone in your party know you have diabetes. Low blood glucose symptoms are easily mistaken for drunkenness. Discuss the potential health risks of drinking with your health care team.

Reading Labels

Understanding how to properly read food labels will help you work out the difference between a healthy and a not-so-healthy option.

Once you have decided with your diabetes care team about your target nutrition goals (how much calories, fat, carbs, protein, fiber, calcium you should have at each meal/snack), reading labels will help you put that information into practice.

There are a few things to remember when reading food labels.

Don't forget about the ingredients

Even if the information provided in the Nutrition Facts food label works with your meal plan, the individual ingredients may not work for you. People with food sensitivities and allergies (like wheat, gluten or peanuts), or people looking to eliminate certain things from their diet (like artificial sweeteners or hydrogenated oils) will also have to pay attention to the ingredients and then decide if the product is right for them.

Check the Serving Size

Most food labels list their nutrition information in relation to a “serving size”. Be careful to check what that serving size is, and do not just assume that it is the amount you would usually serve. For example, a serving size of cereal might have 24g of carbohydrates, the serving size being one cup. However, your breakfast bowl might hold two cups, which would be 48g of carbohydrates.

Beware of Health Claims

Read the food labels on products that claim to be "low sugar," "sugar free," "low fat," or "low calorie" and compare to the original version. You might be surprised that something sugar-free has more carbohydrates than the original food source. Sometimes there are healthier, and often tastier choices available that have similar or lower amounts of sugar, fats and calories.