Packing your lunch is a good way to stay on track with your diet and prevent you from ending up at the closest fast food restaurants looking for something to grab on the go. If you have diabetes, preparing a healthy diabetic lunch does not have to be complicated but you need to pay more attention to the amount of carbohydrates you include to ensure your blood sugar levels will stay under control. Carbohydrates are found in grains, beans, starchy vegetables, fruits, milk, yogurt and sweets. Aim for 45 to 60 g of carbohydrate for your lunch, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Vegetable Soup with Whole Grain Crackers
Prepare a large batch of soup on the weekend so you have quick lunches ready for the whole week. Non-starchy vegetable-based soups are best and are a good way to help you get your vegetables in. Add fish, chicken, meat or cheese to get your protein. Legumes, such as beans and lentils, are also a good source of vegetarian protein but remember to count 15 g of carbohydrates for every 1/2 cup. If you add noodles, rice or starchy vegetables to your soup, count them as part of your carbohydrate for the lunch. You can also get 15 g of carbohydrates per serving of 4 to 6 whole grain crackers. Check the label because the serving may vary depending on the size.
Whole Grain Sandwich
A sandwich is a very convenient lunch to bring to work or school with you. Each slice of whole grain bread provides 15 g of carbohydrates. You can use hummus, guacamole, pesto, mustard or low-fat mayo as a spread and add protein from meat or cheese and a few slices of grilled vegetables if you like. Serve your sandwich with a salad made of leafy greens to increase your vegetable intake.
Healthy Leftovers
If you prepare healthy diabetic dinners, leftovers may be a good option to consider for lunch the following day. Whether you have leftover chicken stir-fry with rice, homemade pizza on a tortilla or whole grain pasta, you can bring the leftovers to heat up at lunch time. Ensure your carbohydrates are within the target range by calculating that 1/3 cup of rice, 1/3 cup of pasta, a 6-inch tortilla, 1/4 of a large baked potato or 1/2 of a hamburger bun each provides the equivalent of 15 g of carbohydrates.
Complete Your Lunch
If you find that your lunch is not totally complete and is lacking some carbohydrates to get your 45 to 60 g at lunchtime, you can add a few more items to your lunch box. You can add 2/3 cup of unsweetened yogurt, a small piece of fruit, 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup of canned unsweetened fruit salad or 2 small cookies. Track your blood sugar levels two hours after eating to ensure that the amount of carbohydrate you eat help you keep your blood sugar levels below 180 mg/dL after eating.
