We asked our nutrition research lead and Accredited Practising Dietitian, Dr Amelia Harray, for her advice on how to enjoy food and stay on track with managing type 1 diabetes over Christmas.
Sticking to routine at Christmas can be difficult with so many food temptations. Is it OK to indulge?
The simple answer is yes. Part of healthy eating is indulging at celebrations like Christmas. But it’s important to still encourage a variety of foods from the five food groups and monitor what and how much your child with diabetes is eating to calculate insulin requirements.
Indulging doesn’t have to involve food – you could indulge in a long board game or puzzle with your kids or forget the chores and spend extra time at the park.
What are some nutrition tips to stay on track at Christmas gatherings?
They key is to fill your plate with vegetables. Vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre. It’s the fibre in vegetables that can help keep you fuller for longer.
Try making your table on Christmas day extra special by creating bright colourful salads. Getting your kids in the kitchen washing, cutting (depending on age) or arranging salads for all to enjoy will mean they’ll be more interested in eating them!
What about drinks?
The festive season is a wonderful time to great creative and fun with drinks. These can be colourful and delicious without being packed with sugar. Creating some bright fruit ice cubes is a great way to make a glass of still or sparkling water more exciting.
Try to avoid buying sugary drinks (soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juice, cordial or sports drinks) as they will probably get drunk if they’re in the fridge. Avoiding sugary drinks can help control blood glucose levels over the festive season.
Any other tips?
Families living with diabetes are taught how to count and monitor foods and drinks containing carbohydrate. But not all these foods are the same for health. This festive season remember to include carb-containing foods that benefit your child’s health and keep them fuller for longer, such as vegetables and fruit (not juiced!), legumes, wholegrains, and cereals. Try the delicious fruit kebab recipe below.
Festive recipes
- Meat free Christmas nut roast (credit: Diabetes UK)
- Brussels sprouts with oranges (credit: Diabetes Food Hub)
- Carrot and swede mash (credit: Diabetes UK)
- Crunchy Asian slaw recipe (credit: LiveLighter)
- Tropical fruit kebabs (credit: Diabetes Australia)
Above photo: Brussels sprouts with oranges. Recipe Credit: Robyn Webb, MS, LN. Photo Credit: Terry Doran.