Patient Information
By Phyllis Woodson, MS, RD, CDE

Whether you have diabetes or not, what and how much you eat between meals can have a great impact on your caloric intake and weight gain. Some research by dietitians shows that these extra foods can be equal in calories to an additional meal! We will give you some suggestions for low calorie, filling and healthy snacks.

If you do have diabetes, you need to be aware of how much carbohydrate you eat at one time, since it is the carbohydrate that raises your blood glucose the most within one hour of eating. If you exercise or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may need extra snacks. Consult with your dietitian.

For most persons with diabetes, especially Type 2, it is recommended to snack as little as possible since extra food can cause weight gain. If you have Type 1 diabetes (requiring insulin injections or the pump) or are a young person, you may need some snacks in order to prevent low blood glucose. Consult with your dietitian. If your triglycerides are elevated, you may need to limit your total carbohydrate intake, include monounsaturated fat, avoid high-fructose corn syrup, limit total fat intake in general and limit or avoid alcohol.

• First of all, make sure you are eating three regular meals a day — it may actually keep you from getting so hungry between meals. For example, a typical meal could include a starchy food, several vegetables, a lean meat/protein serving, low-fat milk, and a small serving of fruit (for example, 1/2 –1 c potato, cooked broccoli and salad, 3 oz grilled chicken, 1 c low-fat milk, ½ c or 4 oz apple). Breakfast could include a starch, lean meat/protein, milk, and fruit (1 slice whole wheat bread, an egg or 1 oz low-fat ham or cheese or 1 T peanut butter, 1 c low-fat milk, ½ c or 4 oz orange). Fill up on a variety of healthy, low-calorie foods with portion control!
• Secondly, avoid waiting too long between meals. Studies have shown that we do best with 4-5 hours between breakfast and lunch and about 5-6 hours between lunch and supper. Waiting too long between meals can bring out the bear in your appetite causing you to eat whatever is available!
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Sit down and slow down when you eat.
• Exercise and keep busy.
• If you do desire something sweet or fatty, have a small
  amount of it on occasion.
• Eat raw veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, squash) or sliced cucumbers with vinegar or sugar-free gelatin with chopped celery and a few nuts.
• Skip the high-calorie dip; try plain yogurt + cottage cheese + small amount dry soup mix.
• Cottage cheese with onion, celery, and small amount of fruit (you create) can be tasty.

Consider the following choices, about 15 grams of carbohydrate each. Suggested snacks consist of a carb food or a carb food and a protein food; to reduce the calories, some of the examples are half servings. If you are trying to lose weight, you may want to have less of the amounts suggested. If you have diabetes, check your blood glucose two hours after eating or before the next meal to see the effect of the snack you chose. Enjoy!

Healthy Snacks

• 2 T raisins and 2 T unsalted nuts
• 4-6 whole wheat crackers or few slices apple and 1 oz low-fat cheese or 1/4 c low-fat cottage cheese
• 4-5 whole wheat crackers or a few slices pear and 1 T peanut butter
• 1 slice toast and 1 oz melted low-fat cheese
• 3 c air-popped popcorn, low-fat
• 3 gingersnaps or 5 vanilla wafers or 8 animal crackers
• 3 2½” sq graham crackers
• 6-12 each or 1 oz low-fat tortilla chips and salsa
• 12-18 each or 1 oz low-fat baked potato chips
• ¼-½ c cooked dried beans/peas with a small amount of Italian dressing
• ½ sandwich (low-fat ham [Boar's Head, Healthy Choice/Request], chicken, fish, not breaded; avoid bologna, hotdogs)
• 1 c low-fat milk
• ½ c low-fat milk or yogurt and 8 ea small grapes
• 3 pieces of of dried fruit or 2 T raisins
• 4 oz or small banana
• blended drink of ½ c low-fat milk or yogurt and 1/3 c fresh blueberries
• ½ c or 4 oz kiwi and 1 oz low-fat ham
• 1 c vegetable or low sodium broth soup (Healthy Choice/Healthy Request brands)
• 3/4 c whole grain dry cereal (low sugar) or ½ c cooked cereal (Oatmeal/Bran)
• 1/3 c whole grain dry cereal and 1/2 c low-fat milk (Fiber One, All Bran, Total)
• ¾ oz pretzels
• ½ of a 2 oz whole grain bagel
• ½ English muffin
• ½ pita
• 2 rice cakes
• 1 small roll
• 1 tortilla
• ½ c cooked cooked whole wheat pasta or brown rice or baked potato with skin
• ¼ c regular pudding or ½ c sugar-free pudding
• ½ c regular or no added sugar ice cream
• 1 c low-fat yogurt with artificial fruit flavor/sweetener
• 1/3 c frozen yogurt
• ½ c frozen yogurt, no sugar added
• ¼ c sherbet or sorbet
• 1 granola bar