Recipes For Children With Diabetes

Your child has been diagnosed with diabetes and it seems as though someone has just pulled the rug out from under you.

A feeling of guilt and the "it's my fault", syndrome sets in for the parents. Parents wonder what went wrong.

Well the first thing one needs to know is there was nothing you could have done to prevent the onset of your child's type 1 diabetes. Fear not, because you and your child can adjust to life with this disease. Educate yourself and your child on diabetes. The more one knows makes the transition easier. Insulin injections, blood tests, and medical exams can be hard on your child. But with your help, and diligent medical care, your child should be able to lead an active, healthy, and happy life.

Unfortunately what comes along with diabetes is adjusting your child's diet. This can be difficult; especially for the child that is a picky eater, and the child who eats everything that is placed in front of her/him. Telling a child that she/he cannot eat certain foods, can lead to a very emotional situation. She may not understand why she can only eat 1 cookie, when she was accustomed to eating as many as she liked.

You may even feel limited in the choices of food to serve your child. I am going to list a few tasty recipes that could help you keep the joy of eating in your family. Having diabetes does not mean that your child should settle for bland, boring food.

Diabetes does not have to be the end of ones eating experience life. However; one does have to pay close attention to what goes in the body. 

 

The key to managing childhood diabetes is learning how to control blood sugar.

The 3 rules to achieve this are:

• Give your child's body the chemical it needs (insulin) to better process the sugars that are naturally there.
• Make sure your child gets sufficient exercise, relaxation, sleep, and vitamin supplements, all of which make the body less susceptible or sensitive to blood-sugar swings.
• Adjust your child's diet to make sure that the right nutrients are included in a way that won't cause big surges in blood sugar.

FUN FRUIT PIZZAS

Serves: 2

Serving size: 1 Pita

Prep time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup sugar-free reduced-fat vanilla yogurt
2. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3. 2 small whole-wheat pita breads, left whole
4. 2 tablespoons diced dried fruit (such as raisins, apples, apricots, and peaches)

Combine the yogurt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread half the mixture on each pita and decorate with the dried fruit. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 115, Sodium 191mg, Total fat 1g, Sugars 7g, Protein 4g, Dietary fiber 3g

 

"NOT-SO-SLOPPY" SLOPPY JOES

Serves: 6

Serving size: half a bun

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground chicken

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste.

1 medium-size red or green bell pepper, trimmed, cored, and finely diced

1 medium-size zucchini, trimmed and finely diced

1 can (140z.) diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup commercial reduced-sugar barbecue sauce

3 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

1. In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken with the onion, garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper for 5 to 6 minutes until the meat is browned, stirring often and breaking up any lumps.
2. Stir in the bell pepper and zucchini and continue to cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes more until vegetables are tender. Add the diced tomatoes and barbecue sauce, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Spoon some of the mixture over half a toasted bun and serve immediately.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 202, Sodium 437mg, Total fat 8g, Sugars 6g, Protein 15g, Dietary fiber 4g

 

Honey-Mustard Crispy-Crust Chicken Fingers

Serves: 4

Serving size: 3 or 4 fingers

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cornflake crumbs

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the honey, mustard, ginger, salt, and pepper. Place the cornflake crumbs in a shallow bow.
3. Cut each chicken breast into 3 or 4 finger-size pieces. Brush each piece with the honey mixture and roll in the cornflake crumbs, coating well.
4. Place the chicken in a single layer on a nonstick baking pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake about 20 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked thorough and the crust is golden brown. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 189, Sodium 251mg, Total fat 1g, Sugars 5g, Protein 24g, Dietary fiber 0