The American Diabetes Association recommends a nutritious, balanced meal plan for children with diabetes. Children need the same vitamins, minerals and nutrients as adults, particularly when eating to manage diabetes. Understanding the options available to you when planning a diabetes management diet can help you make the best decision to fit your child's needs.
Food Exchange
The Exchange method of planning meals to manage diabetes works with an "Exchange List" that categorizes foods based on their nutritional content. Foods are broken down into starches, fruits and vegetables, milk, protein and fat. Work with a diabetic nutritionist to obtain a list of exchanges for most foods. Let your child pick from each category using the quantities provided by your nutritionist or diabetic educator. For example, your diabetic nutritionist may recommend one serving of milk, two servings of fruits and vegetables, two servings of starch and a serving of protein at each meal, and smaller counts for snacks. This gives your child the flexibility to choose what she wants to eat from each category at meal and snack times. With children's changing tastes, this can give your child more control over what she eats.
Carbohydrate Counting
When you count carbohydrates in meal planning, your child selects what he wants to eat at a meal and you count the total carbohydrates based on his food selections. You will receive a guideline from your diabetic nutritionist or educator that tells you how many grams of carbohydrates your child should eat at each meal. Counting carbohydrates provides the most flexibility in meal planning, as your child can pick exactly what he wants to eat and you can dose his insulin accordingly. This prevents him from having to eat a certain amount when he is simply not very hungry.
Consistent Carbohydrates
Your child's diabetes care team may recommend a meal plan with consistent carbohydrates. In this case, she would eat the same amount of carbohydrates every day at the same time each day. With this meal plan, you schedule her insulin doses for specific times and consistent amounts to manage the carbohydrates.
Other Considerations
Stick to the carbohydrate intake guideline based on your diabetic nutritionist's recommendations. Select lean proteins to reduce the cholesterol and added fats in your child's diet. Let him choose his fruits and vegetables, but offer a variety of colors so that he can reap the nutritional benefit of each color group. Carbohydrates should only make up a quarter of his plate. Fruits and vegetables should cover half, and a protein choice should occupy the remaining section. Add a low-fat dairy choice such as low-fat milk to round it out.
Member Comments