Planning Healthy Meals for Children with Diabetes

Unlike the advice people with diabetes had received in the past, today there is no such thing as a “diabetic food”. Years of research and studies have found that it is the amount of foods eaten, not the food itself that causes problems. This is a very important fact to remember when you are trying to plan healthy meals for your children. They will eat healthier when they realize they do not need to give up all of their favorite foods.

How do you plan meals that include your child’s favorite foods? The American Diabetes Association has a chart called the Exchange List which lists all the food groups; starches, fruits, vegetables, meats and meat substitutes, milk, fats, and free foods. By outlining the individual foods, combination foods, and portion sizes, it becomes much easier for us to plan well-balanced meals.

In order to understand how to use the Exchange Lists you will need to understand how the system works. In a nutshell you exchange one food for another as outlined in the chart. The list does take some time to learn, but it is a really good tool that will help you plan healthy well-balanced meals and snacks daily.

Let’s say that your child’s meal plan calls 1500 calorie meal plan to be distributed throughout the day.

Breakfast Exchanges: 2 bread/starch, 1 protein, 1 fruit, 2 fat, and ½ milk:

¾ cup of Ready to eat unsweetened cereal
1 slice of toast
½ cup of juice
1 slice of bacon
1 tsp of margarine
4 oz. 2% milk

Lunch Exchanges: 2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 2 protein, 1 fat, and ½ milk:

2 oz. hamburger
1 bun
½ c. canned fruit
½ c. non-starchy cooked vegetables, or 1 c. of raw vegetables
1 tsp. mayonnaise
4 oz. 2% milk

Supper Exchanges: 2 bread/starch, 2 protein, 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 fat, and ½ milk:

2 oz. baked chicken
½ c. mashed potatoes
½ c. canned fruit
½ c. non-starchy cooked vegetables or 1 c. raw vegetables
1 tsp. of margarine
4 oz. 2% milk

Afternoon or Evening snack: 1 starch/bread and ½ milk:

8 animal crackers
4 oz. 2% milk.

If your child doesn’t like the foods listed above you simply look at the Exchange List for different alternatives. In no time at all you will be planning healthy well-balanced meals and snacks with ease.