Newly Diabetic any ideas?

Hi to all :wave:

DH has found out just before christmas that hi is diabetic, and is now insulin dependant.
Problem is he likes his grub, and is up at 6 every morning for work and he is getting bored with the porridge. His breakfast is at 6, lunch break is at 1, and his main meal at home is either 5/6.30 depending on overtime. This is a long time to go between meals so he does have a snack at around 9am and at 3pm. So you can imagine the amount of food he carrys to work, but it seems to be the same things, breakfast porridge, lunch part of the tea from the night before, and his main meal. Snacks tends to be couple of sandwiches or fruit.
Im just looking for new ideas for him for his meals/snacks but all the while still trying to control his blood sugars which are still all over the place.

Any ideas are gratefully recieved.
£2.00 COIN SAVINGS...........TOTAL £24.00 :j

ONLY £11.946.00 TO GO :wall:

Comments

  • HOLsale
    HOLsale Posts: 1,231 Forumite
    well don't know if he likes them but sweet potatoes are actually supposed to be really good with insulin levels far better than white potatoes and they can be used to make all sorts of scrummy sweet puddings

    here's a bit i found on them

    >> Nix that baked potato and replace it with a sweet potato. Contrary to the name, sweet potatoes are better for you than regular white potatoes. There is this little guide out there that is call the Glycemic Index. It refers to the effect a food has on your blood sugar levels. The higher the number or "g.i" a food has the more it will cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to rise. All foods were measured against white table sugar, table sugar having a score of 100 for 100 grams. A white baked potato has a score of 115 on the G.I. This means that if I sit down and eat 100g of baked potato and 100g of sugar, the baked potato is going to raise my blood sugar higher than the sugar. It boggles the mind.

    also this link has some great info on them

    http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64


    best way to use them as a pudding is to mash with some milk (you can skip the butter if you like) then add in some cinnamon or a few drops of maple syrup

    or mash with butter and milk and add walnuts in mmmmmm

    or mash well and add in a finely mashed banana this is very tasty

    i find all of these fill me up for a long time too

    it won't solve all your problems but offers an alternative and a nice pudding he can have without a big fuss
    founder of Frugal Genius UK (Yahoo Groups)
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
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    There are a couple of threads listed under "Healthy eating" in the Cooking section of the MEGA Index that will help you out a bit.
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  • thanks HOLsale never new that about white potatoes hes been eating mash potato nearly every other night :eek:
    £2.00 COIN SAVINGS...........TOTAL £24.00 :j

    ONLY £11.946.00 TO GO :wall:
  • Hi, you could try tortilla wraps with a variety of fillings, and the wraps are available in different flavours too, such as tomato and herb and so on. My late mum was diabetic and was told to have one of the following with meals, pasta, potatoes, bread and rice.
    Is there anywhere in work for your husband to cook a jacket potato? ie; microwave.
    What about cheese and crackers for a snack?
    For breakfast your husband could try cereals such as just right or fruit n fibre.
    Make sure hubby washes his hands before he checks his blood sugar, eg if just eaten fruit, the natural sugar form the fruit will still be on your fingers and possibly give a higher reading.
    Hope this helps.
    Pole Dancer In Training :rotfl: ;);) :rotfl:
  • There is alot of research going on at the moment about cinnamon. It is supposed to be really good at stabilising blood sugar - (Google cinnamon and diabetes and you will get loads of articles) how about wholemeal cinnamon toast? I make this (I have insulin resistance) by making two pieces of wholemeal toast (lightly toasted) and then mixing a little flora pro-active with a little Splenda and a tsp of cinnamon and I spread this on the toast. It is really really nice. How about making a kind of muesli with the porridge - just mix a cup of porridge oats, a cup of all bran, a cup of bran flakes with a quarter cup of sultanas or raisins, and about a tablespoon of Splenda. That makes enough for about three days or even more. I have it for breakfast with a sliced banana on it - it is really nice and you don't even taste the fact that the oats aren't cooked. And All bran and Bran Flakes are on offer 2 for £2.20 in the co-op at the moment (usually £1.99 each). Another nice thing is Butternut squash "chips" - you just cut a BNS into Chips (don't peel it the peel goes all crunchy) and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and a tiny bit of ground cumin and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast at a high heat for about 20 mins or until crispy - it is lovely!! The diabetes UK website also has some nice receipes - I don't know how to do links sorry!!
    Jane

    ENDIS. Employed, no disposable income or savings!
  • Diabetes UK are wonderful and full of info. A friend had to phone them as they were going to live in Spain and they gave them so much info on where/how to get their insulin. The dietician advised me that although fruit quotas made for healthy diet to be aware that the high fruit sugars play havoc with levels so choose the fruits carefully. Another point was that carbs convert to lay down in the fat stores and I was amazed/shocked at the small amount of rice/potatoes etc that should accompany a meal. 2 small ice cream scoops of rice with chilli etc. Now I know why the waist expands lol. If you haven't already get them to book him a nutritionist appointment. Best of luck and don't forget to take advantage of free eye tests that diabetics are entitled to
    olympic challenge week 6 = $414.70:j
    slowly slowly REBEL NO. 21
  • HOLsale
    HOLsale Posts: 1,231 Forumite
    Hi, you could try tortilla wraps with a variety of fillings, and the wraps are available in different flavours too, such as tomato and herb and so on. My late mum was diabetic and was told to have one of the following with meals, pasta, potatoes, bread and rice.
    Is there anywhere in work for your husband to cook a jacket potato? ie; microwave.
    .


    i'd recommend the wholewheat tortillas from marks and spencers

    they're on a buy 2 get 3rd free right now so you can get 18 tortilla wraps for £2.28, not bad!

    m&s tortilla's are my favourites!

    brown or basmati rice is his best choice

    also wholewheat pasta is best but if he insists on regular pasta make sure you cook it al dente the longer any white products cook they more starch they release (and glucose!)
    founder of Frugal Genius UK (Yahoo Groups)
  • HOLsale
    HOLsale Posts: 1,231 Forumite
    There is alot of research going on at the moment about cinnamon. It is supposed to be really good at stabilising blood sugar - (Google cinnamon and diabetes and you will get loads of articles) how about wholemeal cinnamon toast? I make this (I have insulin resistance) by making two pieces of wholemeal toast (lightly toasted) and then mixing a little flora pro-active with a little Splenda and a tsp of cinnamon and I spread this on the toast. It is really really nice. How about making a kind of muesli with the porridge - just mix a cup of porridge oats, a cup of all bran, a cup of bran flakes with a quarter cup of sultanas or raisins, and about a tablespoon of Splenda. That makes enough for about three days or even more. I have it for breakfast with a sliced banana on it - it is really nice and you don't even taste the fact that the oats aren't cooked. And All bran and Bran Flakes are on offer 2 for £2.20 in the co-op at the moment (usually £1.99 each). Another nice thing is Butternut squash "chips" - you just cut a BNS into Chips (don't peel it the peel goes all crunchy) and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and a tiny bit of ground cumin and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast at a high heat for about 20 mins or until crispy - it is lovely!! The diabetes UK website also has some nice receipes - I don't know how to do links sorry!!

    some very good tips there! i'm insulin resistant too, just requested another test and still hovering on the boderline (been like this for 11 years now!)

    museli is a superb breakfast alternative to porridge (i like both) it will fill him up longer and it's soooo variable

    i start with lid's luxury museli it has a bit of dried fruit and a fair amount of nuts. (so you've got your protein from the oats and healthy fats from the nuts which means longer more stable blood sugar levels) its only 99p/kg box

    i use a third box at a time. i mix it with pumpkin, sunflower and flax (linseeds) all very lightly dry roasted along with some coconut. then i add in some cinnamon and whatever dried fruit we have.

    i use my coffee grinder to finely grind the seeds and extra porridge oats this then makes up an entire canister worth (i have the tall type with the pour spout for cereals) i reckon i get a box of cereals worth out of each batch and each batch costs me only about 75p to make!

    you can make sweet potatoe chips in a similar fashion to the BNS chips (i'll have to try those!) parsnips are good too even carrots i actually sautee onions thinly sliced then dehydrate these but you could do them in the oven like the butternut squash makes a great treat and superb for crumbling over salads or casseroles

    one thing you dh needs to watch is fruit juice. the body treats all simple sugars the same. i took a 16 hour diabetes education class years ago when i was diagnosed with insulin resistance. we were told that if you drink a 4oz glass of orange juice your body reacts to it the same way as it would a snickers bar :eek: the oj is healthier for you vitaminwise but not for maintaining stable bloodsugar!
    founder of Frugal Genius UK (Yahoo Groups)
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