A daily insulin injection is required to manage type 1 diabetes in children but it is not the
only management strategy. The diet plan that goes along with the daily insulin
requirements is just as important and needs to be planned accordingly. Consistency in
meal times, portion sizes, and food groups are the keys to successful meal planning for
children with diabetes.
Even though consistency is of the utmost importance, it does not mean that your child
cannot have variety too. This may seem impossible but there are ways it can be achieved.
The important rules to remember are feeding your child at the same time each day and
giving them their insulin injection(s) at the same time too. This helps their bodies
regulate the use of the insulin.
The other piece of the consistency equation is the servings given from the food groups. If
your child gets one protein and one carbohydrate every day for the morning snack don’t
deviate from that. But what you can do is provide many choices for the protein and
carbohydrate and try different combinations.
If your child has a favorite meal or snack that works well with their blood sugar make it
for them as often as they like. But they are going to get bored if they have to eat the same
thing day in and day out. You are going to find that the food choices available are not as
limited as you might have originally thought. You can also get creative and revamp old
recipes making them friendly for diabetics by using sugar substitutes in place of sugar or
using whole wheat in place of white (for instance in a pizza crust).
Browse diabetic cookbooks with your child and involve them in the meal planning. You
are sure to have more success in preparing meals if they have a say in what they are
eating.