Whether you are navigating the holiday with diabetes, or hosting a loved one with diabetes, take the bite out of your next celebration with these tips for serving a diabetes-friendly holiday meal.

Timing is everything. For example, quick-acting insulin lowers blood sugar levels, so if your guest ends up waiting too long to eat after taking it, they may have a low blood sugar reaction, causing them to feel weak and shaky. Let your guests know the time you plan to serve food so they can plan ahead and make any necessary adjustments to their schedule.

Unexpected delays can affect blood glucose levels. Serve up almonds flavored with pumpkin spice, an assortment of cheeses, or fruits and vegetables to bridge the gap.

For guests, Dr. People with diabetes can enjoy the same food as your other guests. The difference is that they will need to manage their portion sizes and carb intake.

Preparing traditional favorites with healthy substitutes and low-carb options can be a welcome accommodation. Check out some suggestions for green bean casserole, mashed cauliflower and herb stuffing.

Alcoholic drinks have extra calories and cause hypoglycemic lower blood sugar levels than normal reactions, so choose wisely and serve food with beverages.

Or, opt for a variety of flavored waters or sugar-free tea. While you may have good intentions, trust your guests to successfully plan ahead and navigate the holiday fare.

Feeling stuffed after a great meal? Bundle up and invite your guests to get moving. A brisk walk around the block or an impromptu turkey football game can speed up digestion, burn calories and help lower blood sugar , too — not to mention create great family memories.

Gogineni adds that as a general rule, any activity, even in small increments, can have help reduce blood sugar levels. Gogineni suggests anyone with diabetes should check their blood sugar frequently, even if they are feeling well.

Your blood sugar level can drop unexpectedly, especially if you are not in your regular routine. Gogineni encourages hosts or family members to look out for signs of blood sugar problems.

Some symptoms of low blood sugar are confusion, dizziness or disorientation. When you eat is just as important as what you eat. Knowing your numbers is an important piece of the puzzle. This thyroid test package can reveal insights into your overall health.

One test that reveals your immunity status for five infectious diseases. Shop Tests Register Kit View Results About Sign Out Cancel Search Tests. Home Articles and Blogs A diabetics guide to holiday eating: Delicious choices that do not spike blood sugar levels.

A guide to holiday eating for people with diabetes: Delicious choices that won't spike blood sugar levels November 14, Shop for Tests. Skip the cranberry sauce and top your turkey with fresh cranberries, which provide fiber and sweetness with less added sugar.

Allow yourself a small taste of that pumpkin pie or cookie but stick to just one modest serving. Stick to water or unsweetened tea and avoid sugary sodas, juices and alcoholic beverages.

The natural sugars are balanced out by fiber. Trade in mac and cheese for roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with nuts and cranberries. The healthy fats will keep you full.

The protein can help stabilize blood sugar levels. The bubbles provide satisfaction without the blood sugar spike. Tips to building a diabetic-friendly plate during the holidays: Focus on balance: Create a plate with non-starchy vegetables, a lean protein and a moderate portion of a whole grain like brown rice or quinoa.

Proteins are your friend: Lean proteins like turkey, chicken, fish and tofu are great choices. Avoid sauces: Limit high-carb sides and go easy on gravies and sauces, which can be loaded with hidden sugars.

Portion control: When choosing holiday treats, portion control is key. Here are some delicious swaps to try: Instead of mashed potatoes, roast sweet potatoes seasoned with cinnamon and ginger.

Skip the dinner rolls and fill up on a salad with leafy greens, tomatoes, nuts and avocado. Rather than pumpkin or apple pie, enjoy Greek yogurt high in protein mixed with pumpkin puree, cinnamon and chopped walnuts.

Drink sparkling water with slices of fruit lemon or lime instead of soda or sweetened beverages. Getting up and moving after a holiday meal can help control and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Monitor your blood sugar levels for peace of mind If you have diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar levels is essential. Featured Health Tests. Tuberculosis TB Blood Test Screen for a Tuberculosis infection with a simple, convenient blood test.

RELATED: 20 Easy and Quick Snack Ideas for People With Type 2 Diabetes. These crowd-pleasers get the thumbs-up from diabetes experts. This recipe from Downshiftology offers a delicious way to add more veggies to your holiday plate, Smithson notes.

Nonstarchy veggies are chock-full of vitamins and minerals yet low in calories. Nutrition per serving serves 6 : 90 calories, 5 g total fat 1 g saturated fat , 4 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 28 mg sodium.

Get the recipe. While this recipe from Well Plated includes two carb-heavy ingredients butternut squash and maple syrup , it balances the scale with low- and no-carb ingredients olive oil, almond milk, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and spices.

The result: a diabetes-friendly dish that contains 17 g of carbs per serving, Smithson says. Nutrition per serving serves 6 : calories, 5 g total fat 1 g saturated fat , 1 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, mg sodium.

What are the holidays without pie? Nutrition per serving serves 10 : calories, 4. This healthier version of a holiday classic from Wholesome Yum offers plenty of flavor without loads of added sugar. It contains only four ingredients: cranberries, water, erythritol, and orange zest.

Nutrition per serving serves 6 : 32 calories, 0 g total fat 0 g saturated fat , 0 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar. Kimberlain offers up this recipe as a way of enjoying a flavorful potato dish — minus the standard heaping serving of butter.

Nutrition per serving serves 8 : calories, 5. RELATED: 10 Surprising Foods That Have Little Impact on Blood Sugar. Check out these books, blogs, and websites if you could use more diabetes nutrition tips and tricks.

The ADA is one of the leading diabetes education organizations in the nation. It is a top choice for finding healthy diabetes recipes , nutrition information, and meal prep advice.

She breaks down what fits into a healthy diabetes eating plan, gives shopping tips, and suggests how to eat healthy away from home. This government agency offers tips related to meal planning, grocery shopping, reading food labels, counting carbs, and more.

She publishes crowd-friendly diabetes recipes, along with nutrition-focused articles to help people navigate life with type 2 diabetes.

Run by the ADA, Diabetes Food Hub provides a wide variety of recipes organized in categories such as lower carb, snacks, Mediterranean, and budget-friendly , grocery lists, meal plans, and informational articles.

RELATED: The Best and Worst Candy for People With Type 2 Diabetes. Make healthy foods like nonstarchy vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein the stars of every dish. And if you swap unhealthy ingredients with smart, tasty choices, you may just offer your other guests without diabetes some health perks.

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Type 2 Diabetes. By Lauren Bedosky. Medically Reviewed. Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES. Basics Ingredients to Use Jump to More Topics. Helping Loved Ones With Diabetes Stay on Track As the host, you can help any friends and family members with type 2 diabetes stay on track with their diabetes diet and still satisfy other guests with the holiday dishes they love.

Stock up on these diabetes-friendly ingredients when planning your holiday meals. Whole Grains and Starchy Fruits and Vegetables The quality and quantity of carbs consumed has a direct effect on blood sugar levels, Kimberlain says.

Healthy Fats When eaten in moderation, healthier fat sources like avocado, olive oil, and nuts and seeds can help guests with type 2 diabetes lower their risk of heart disease. Simple Carbs and Sugar Recipes that use simple carbohydrate ingredients read: added sugar like honey , sweet glazes, or icing can spike blood sugar levels in small portions, Smithson says.

Processed Meats As previously mentioned, meats high in saturated fat can spell trouble for heart health — especially for people with type 2 diabetes. High-Fat, High-Calorie Dips and Dressings The wrong dip or dressing can wreck an otherwise healthy vegetable platter by adding extra calories and saturated fat.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts This recipe from Downshiftology offers a delicious way to add more veggies to your holiday plate, Smithson notes.

Mashed Butternut Squash While this recipe from Well Plated includes two carb-heavy ingredients butternut squash and maple syrup , it balances the scale with low- and no-carb ingredients olive oil, almond milk, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and spices.

Contact Us. About Abbott Overview. ABOUT ABBOTT. SITE MAP. privacy policy. YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES. Home Newsroom DIABETES CARE Easy Holiday Meal Swaps to Keep Diabetes Nutrition in Mind.

When Holidays Arrive, Make Dinners Diabetes-Friendly. DIABETES CARE May. BY ANA G REISDORF, MS, RD. Appetizers Most people with diabetes have to eat at a specific time based on their medication schedule.

A few suggestions for diabetes-friendly appetizers include: Spinach and artichoke dip made with fat-free Greek yogurt.

Slice up some veggies for dipping. Mushrooms stuffed with light sour cream and diced veggies. Bell peppers, finely shredded carrots or broccoli would work well in this recipe.

Ground turkey meatballs with your choice of sauce. The Main Dish The traditional holiday centerpiece dish is usually a ham, a turkey or some kind of roast beef.

A few things to consider: Avoid any glazes with added sugar. Honey-glazed hams are delicious, but they add a lot of sugar to a dish that could easily be sugar-free.

Don't deep-fry your main dish. This preparation adds a lot of extra fat and calories, which anyone with diabetes would want to avoid. Roasting or grilling works just fine. Choose your cuts of meat wisely. Opt for leaner cuts. Diabetes-Friendly Sides Many traditional side dishes can be modified to be diabetes-friendly.

Try these ideas: Swap out mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. If that isn't going to fly with your other guests, try doing half cauliflower and half potatoes; the flavor will be the same and the texture will be similar, but the carbs will be slashed in half.

Get creative with veggies. Green veggies, such as Brussels sprouts or asparagus, are delicious when roasted and make a great, colorful side dish. Sprinkle on some pomegranate seeds or slivers of Parmesan cheese to add a nice bit of taste and color contrast.

Whip up a diabetes-friendly stuffing. Packaged stuffing is usually high in carbohydrates and made with white bread.

Look for a recipe that uses whole grain bread instead; this will increase the stuffing's fiber content, which ultimately helps control blood glucose levels. Or consider using a different type of grain altogether — barley and farro are high in fiber, too.

Desserts The holiday dessert table can be tricky for someone with diabetes, as traditional offerings are usually loaded with sugar. A few ways to achieve a diabetes-friendly dessert include: Substituting pitted dates for sugar in any recipe.

Use 1 cup of pureed pitted dates and add a ½ cup of water to make a thick paste. You can use the paste as a substitute for a cup of sugar in any recipe that calls for it. Using Greek yogurt as a low-calorie, high-protein alternative.

Plain Greek yogurt can be used as a healthier substitute for cream cheese or sour cream in many recipes. The amount you need may vary depending on the recipe. Choosing a crust-less dessert. Crust adds significant carbohydrates to the traditional holiday pie.

Crust-less dessert alternatives, like an apple or cherry crisp, are good ones to consider. Be Supportive The holidays can be a challenging time for someone with diabetes, so the best thing you can do is be supportive.

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