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Food & Nutrition Guide

Healthy eating is a vital part of diabetes management. Consult your diabetes educator and a registered dietitian for advice on what your child should eat, when and how often. A registered dietitian can help you set up a personalized food plan for your child, and even adapt some of his or her favourite recipes. Find a dietitian in your area.

Nutrition Tips

1. Create and enforce a food routine: Eating at regular times will help keep your son or daughter's blood glucose levels under control.
   Canadian Diabetes Association recommendation: Meal planning should be individualized to accommodate son or daughter's preferences, age, needs, economic status, etc. Consistency in carbohydrate intake, spacing and regularity in meal consumption may help control blood glucose levels.
2. Monitor your child's sugar intake: Sugar will spike your child's blood glucose levels.
   Canadian Diabetes Association recommendation: Limit sugars and sweets, including regular pop, desserts, candies, jam and honey.
3. Help your child maintain a healthy weight: A healthy weight helps with blood glucose control.
   Canadian Diabetes Association recommendation: Limit high fat foods, such as fried foods, chips and pastries.
4. Encourage your child to eat high fibre foods: These foods may help your child feel full and lower blood glucose levels.
   Canadian Diabetes Association recommendation: Encourage high fibre foods including whole grain breads and cereals, lentils, dried beans and peas, brown rice, vegetables and fruits.
5. Help your child make smart beverage choices: Teach your child that regular pop and fruit juice will raise his or her blood glucose.
   Canadian Diabetes Association recommendation: Encourage your son or daughter to drink water or milk.
6. Help your child get active: Regular physical activity will help keep your child's blood glucose under control.
   Canadian Diabetes Association recommendation: Add regular physical activity to your child's routine.

What's in a Healthy Meal?

• At least 2 kinds of vegetables for nutrients.
• Grains and starches (whole grain breads and cereals, rice, noodles or potatoes) for energy.
• Meat and alternatives (fish, lean meat, chicken, beans, lentils, low-fat cheeses, eggs or vegetarian protein sources) for protein.
• A glass of milk for calcium.
• A piece of fruit for nutrients (it's also dessert!).