Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases to affect children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While this may be a scary diagnosis for most parents, who may having to give daily shots and monitor diet, diabetes is a manageable disease. When it comes to your 5-year-old's meal plan, you need to provide healthy choices, but you also need to make sure she gets consistent amount of carbohydrates. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about a meal plan for your child.
Diet Basics
The diet for your 5-year-old is not a strict diet. In fact, the food recommendations are similar to what any healthy child should be eating, including fruits, vegetables, milk, whole grains and lean proteins. The major difference is that you need to make sure your child eats at regular times, and eats about the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal. Your 5-year-old's daily meal plan should include three meals and three snacks. How many carbohydrates your child needs depends on food preferences, blood sugars and calorie needs. Your doctor or dietitian can help you determine your child's carb needs. In general, each meal should contain 60 to 75 g of carbohydrates, and each snack 15 g of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates
The reason you need to control your child's carbohydrate intake is because these foods raise blood sugar. Eating about the same amount at each meal and snack can make it easier for you to manage his blood sugar. Carbohydrate foods include grains, starches, fruits, milk, yogurt and sweets. In general, one serving of these foods -- one slice of bread, 1 cup of milk or a small apple -- all contain about 15 g of carbohydrates. Using a food guide, such as the diabetes exchange diet, and reading food labels can help you manage and track the carbohydrates in your child's meal.
Breakfast
A healthy breakfast for your 5-year-old diabetic includes 3/4 cup of unsweetened cold cereal with 1 cup of low-fat milk and a large banana. This meal contains 320 calories and 60 g of carbohydrates.
Morning Snack
A healthy morning snack includes three graham cracker squares, which contains 80 calories and 15 g of carbohydrates.
Lunch
For lunch, your 5-year-old can have 1 cup of chicken noodle soup, one whole wheat dinner roll, one container of nonfat, sugar-free yogurt, a small apple and carrot and celery sticks with ranch dressing. This meal contains 430 calories and 60 g of carbohydrates.
Afternoon Snack
As an afternoon snack, give your child 17 small grapes with 1 oz. of low-fat cheese, which contains 105 calories and 15 g of carbohydrates.
Dinner
A healthy dinner meal for your 5-year-old diabetic includes a small turkey burger on a whole wheat hamburger bun, served with 1 cup of baked potato wedges, 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli and a tossed salad with 1 tbsp. of salad dressing. The meal contains 595 calories and 60 g of carbohydrates.
Evening Snack
For an evening snack, your child can have celery with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter and 1 cup of low-fat milk, which contains 235 calories and 15 g of carbohydrates.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Children and Diabetes; May 2011
- Children's Hospital at Dartmouth: Nutrition and Meal Planning
- Kids Health; Meal Plans: What Kids With Diabetes Need to Know; Steven Dowshen; August 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Your Diabetes Eating Plan: Exchange Diet; May 2010
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
