Tips for Preparing a Thanksgiving Dinner for a Diabetic Parent

Boost the Fiber

Try to focus on fiber-rich vegetables. Fiber can help with blood sugar management. Turnips and rutabagas are high in fiber. So are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, and corn. When possible, serve a majority of fiber-rich vegetables over starchier ones like sweet potatoes and potatoes.

Don’t make mashed potatoes. Mash rutabaga or cauliflower instead. For stuffing, mix roasted vegetables with an equal portion of toasted whole-grain bread cubes.

Purchase bacon that’s not cured with sugar and bake a few slices. Let them cool. Roast Brussels sprouts and toss them with walnut oil, toasted walnuts, bacon pieces, and nutmeg.

Instead of white bread rolls, make whole-grain rolls. If you have family members who cannot stand the thought of grainy rolls, white wheat flour is a reasonable option. Or, they could bring their own white rolls while you make a healthier option for your dad.

Skip the stuffing. Cook half a cup of quinoa in a cup of water. Let cook and add two diced apples, a teaspoon of sage, half a cup of shredded cheddar, and a large diced onion. Add in a half teaspoon of celery salt, a half cup of cornmeal, a half cup of chickpea flour, a half teaspoon of black pepper, two eggs, and a cup of cashew milk. Bake that until it’s set.

Sweeten With Fruit

When you have to add something sweet, aim for fruit over added sugar. For example, you can sweeten a pumpkin pie with pureed dates. While there’s still natural sugar, it does add fiber. Try sweeteners like Swerve’s brown sugar which uses erythritol instead of regular brown sugar.

The cranberry sauce you serve should be sweetened with apple cider instead of sugar. Add blueberries if you want to tone down the bitterness of the cranberries without adding sugar.

Watch Your Turkey’s Sugar Level

Don’t focus fully on the sides. Many pre-brined turkeys contain sugar in the solution that’s injected into them. Consider a natural, local turkey this year. It’s more expensive, but it’s going to be the healthiest option.

If you make a brine, look for brines that avoid sugar. If you have to have sugar and salt in the brine, try to stick to ingredients like apple cider or unsweetened cranberry juice.

What About the Rest of the Year?

Make sure your mom has the support she needs year-round by arranging senior home care services. Her caregivers can help her shop for appropriate foods, make sure she sees her doctor often enough, and keep her active. Hire senior home care aides and ensure your mom takes care of herself.

Source
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/diabetes-older-people

If you are considering senior home care in Beavercreek, OH, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts At Home of Dayton today at 937-558-9394.