Quick and Easy Lunches for Gestational Diabetes

By the time lunch hits for many women with gestational diabetes, you might be ready to consume anything in sight. I have to make sure to eat a mid-morning snack to keep my energy up and blood sugar from going too low, which can result in craving sugar and carbs. If I don't have a snack, come lunchtime I'm ready to devour everything in sight!

There are many healthy options for quick and easy lunch menus for women with gestational diabetes without succumbing to the lures of the carb laden value meals at the fast food drive through. The key is having staples on hand to pack for work or grab quickly at home when you are hungry for an easy lunch. Staples for quick, easy, and healthful lunches include:

1. Single servings if whole grains, such as whole grain breads, wild and brown rice, whole grain or wheat crackers, low carb wheat tortillas, and whole grain pastas. To make pasta and rice lunch-friendly, cook a moderate amount and then freeze in 1/3 cup (1 carb option) or 2/3 cup (2 carb choices) serving sizes to reheat. (Whole grains are lower on the glycemic index, so they will give you and your baby good nutrition without making your blood sugar rise quickly).

2. Quick protein sources such as cooked chicken, turkey, or lean beef, low-fat cheese, low fat cottage cheese, eggs, peanut butter and nuts, and quick meats like turkey hot dogs or deli lunch meats. Pre-cooked turkey bacon or sausage can also be crumbled and added to salads, wraps, and other dishes. (Caution: Remember to cook hot dogs and lunch meats until steaming to avoid the risk of listeria, a potentially harmful bacteria).

3. Fresh veggies: pre-cut salads, pre-washed spinach, and bagged ready-to-eat veggies can be convenient for lunches. To save money, wash and cut lettuce and other veggies and store in plastic containers to use throughout the week. Use leftover veggies from meals to add to lunches, too.

4. Fresh fruit: Choose fruits with a lower glycemic index to fill you up without as much sugar. Great choices are berries -- such as blueberries, strawberries, or black or raspberries -- cherries, plums, oranges, and apples. Avoid juice and dried fruit when possible in favor of whole fruits since contain high amounts of sugar in small servings.

5. Splenda sweetened treats like gelatin, pudding, or yogurt.

Once you're stocked with staples, get creative with your lunches. The International Diabetes Association suggest 4 carb options or less (or 60 grams of carbohydrates) is acceptable for a gestational diabetes lunch menu. Here are a 10 ideas for quick and easy lunches that fall within that range:

Gestational Diabetes Lunch Menu Ideas

Meal 1:
*Chicken spinach wrap (1 low-carb tortilla, 1/2 cup spinach, 1/2 diced chicken, 2 0z low fat cheese), 1 cup blueberries, 1 light yogurt. 3-4 carb choices, depending on the number of carbs in the tortilla.

Meal 2:
*Hot ham and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread (if you're short on time, just microwave the ham and cheese and place on toasted bread rather than heating in a pan), 1 cup cherries, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, fresh veggie sticks.(3 carb choices)

Meal 3:
*Peanut butter and jelly (use natural peanut butter, which has no sugar or preservatives, and a sugar free or light jam or jelly), one medium apple, 1 low fat cheese stick, green pepper slices. (4 carb choices).

Meal 4:
*BLT Salad: Combine lettuce, tomato, turkey bacon and light mayo to taste. Serve with whole grain English muffin and a piece of fresh fruit. (2-4 carb choices, depending on the carbs in the english muffin and fruit choice).

Meal 5:
*Taco Salad: Combine lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, ground beef, and salsa. Serve with 11 tortilla chips and low-fat sour cream, along with a cup of cantelope. (3 carb choices).

Meal 6:
*Quick and Easy leftover microwave casserole: Combine any non-starchy veggies, such as green beans, zuchini, or asparagus, with 2/3 cup whole grain pasta or brown or wild rice. Add in any leftover cooked meats or cooked deli ham or turkey. Toss with a small amount of butter or margerine and garlic if you like. Add a small whole grain roll and an orange.

Meal 7:
*Open faced tuna salad sandwich: (Canned tuna is considered safe for pregnant women in small amounts, eat only once or twice a week). 4oz canned tuna, light mayo to taste. Add tuna to toasted whole grain bread, top with 1 slice cheese and 1 tomato slice. Serve with whole grain chips, a peach, and a cup of milk. (4 carb choices)

Meal 8:
*Pasta salad (made with 2/3 cup whole grain pasta), toss in fresh veggies, low fat- cheese chunks and 1/2 chickpeas or kidney beans. Serve with 1 cup cherries. (4 carb choices)

Meal 9:
*Breakfast salad: Combine chopped romaine lettuce with 1-2 hard boiled eggs and crumbled turkey bacon. Add in tomato and dressing of your choice. Serve with one slice of whole grain bread, and fresh fruit, and a sugar free pudding cup. (3 car options).

Meal 10:
*Ranch-Teriyaki rice, broccoli, and chicken: Heat 2/3 cup brown or wild rice, and mix with steamed broccoli and diced chicken or turkey. Add in peanuts or other nuts of your choice while warm and toss, then add a *small* amount of your favorite Teriyaki sauce, and top with low fat ranch dressing. Serve with low fat cheese and 1/2 cup grapes. (3 carb options)

Enjoy!

Veggie Omelettes: 8 Breakfast Ideas for Gestational Diabetes

Veggie omelettes are a yummy and healthy way to stave off hunger and get vital nutrients to a growing baby for women with gestational diabetes. Since fat can hinder the absorption of insulation, those diagnosed with diabetes are typically encouraged to eat a diet low in fat as well as low in carbs. You can easily do this by using egg whites, egg substitutes, or combine one egg with additional egg whites for the omelette.

Omelettes can be delicious with virtually any vegetable and a sprinkling of low-fat cheese, so don't be afraid to toss any non-starchy veggies left over from last night's dinner into your morning meal. Here are some 8 veggie omelette ideas to get you started.

1. Spinach and tomato omelette: After you turn the omelette, add in half cup to one cup spinach (sounds like a lot but it wilts down withe the heat) and a half fresh cup chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle some low fat monterey jack cheese over the veggies.

2. Green bean and broccoli omelette: This may sound strange, but it is actually really good! Microwave about a quarter cup broccoli and fresh green beans, then toss in a little butter and add to the omelette. Sprinkle with low fat cheddar cheese.

3. Mexican veggie omelette: Add chopped tomoatoes, onions, and green pepper to taste. Sprinkle with pepper jack cheese and top with low fat sour cream.

4. Zuchini omelette: Add thin slices of fresh zuchini to omelette and top with mozzarella cheese. Chopped tomoto is good with this, too.

5. Pepper omelette: Dice green, red, and yellow peppers and top with cheese of your choice, my husband likes deluxe American cheese, but I like a white cheese, like mozzarella or monterey.

6. Swiss chard and swiss: For those of you unfamiliar with swiss chard, it's like slightly more fibrous spinach. It has a great taste steamed or sauted with a little garlic. Add to some swiss chard and swiss or other white cheese to your omelette with a little garlic powder if you tummy can handle it.

7. Grated veggie omelette: Grated veggies cook quickly and have a nice texture with the cooked eggs. You can add them into your eggs before cooking or as the filling. Zuchini, carrot, and non-starchy root vegetables are good for grating.

8. Aspargus omelette: Add several thin, cooked slices of asparagus to your omelette. Add a grated cheese, or cream cheese, cottage cheese, or ricotta for a creamier taste.

You can also experiment with fresh herbs, like basil and parsley to add to the taste, or add spices to change the flavor (cumin for a more mexican taste). For those who want a healthy veggie omelette with meat, just add in turkey bacon or sausage, lean ham, or any other lean meats.

Fake Shake Recipe for Gestational Diabetes Diet

My kids love pretty much anything in the blender - which means along with my homemade salsa and spaghetti sauce they love smoothies and 'shakes.' With the summer temperatures soaring, they begged me recently for a smoothie. What I made for them was a fairly healthy kid-friendly smoothie - low fat milk, crushed ice, frozen bananas, and chocolate syrup for sweetness. While this is great for growing, athletic kids, unfortunately having more than a sip of their bananna-laden, chocolate syrup-sweetened smoothie is not ideal for someone like me with gestational diabetes.

So, not content with my ice water after making their smoothies, I decided I needed to make a 'fake shake' milk shake that was more gestational diabetic friendly. Alter this to fit your tastes!


Fake Shake for Gestational Diabetes Diet (1 carb option)

*Start with one cup of skim milk
*Add 1/2 to 1 cup of ice to blender depending on ic-y you like your shakes or smoothies
*Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, and/or nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
*Add about a teaspoon of vanilla
*Add 1-2 packets splenda or other sugar free sweetener of your choice
*Blend approx. 2 minutes using ice crush, smoothie, or shake setting on your blender
*Enjoy!

What you get is a yummy, creamy fake shake that is light and minimal on carbs.

If this is too bland for you, you can also alter it to get different tastes. One option I like is using a teaspoon or so of sugar free jam or jelly. This gives it a big flavor punch, especially the berry variety jams, like blackberry.

You can also add in a small amount of frozen fruit to boost nutritional and add flavor. Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are great choices as a whole cup of these fruits is only one carb choice. Use a quarter cup of fruit and the additional carb count is very minimal.

You can also try a sugar free chocolate or other syrup instead of the splenda for taste, or substitute light vanilla or fruit flavored yogurt for a slightly thicker frozen yogurt shake.

Sample Lunch for Gestational Diabetes: BLT Salad

Having gestational diabetes doesn't mean you can't eat well, and have delicious food. Sometimes it just means being a little bit more creative with your meals.

Here's a sample lunch for gestational diabetes that is perfect if you like BLT's!
While BLT's are traditionally served on white bread with full fat bacon, this salad gives you all of the taste with less fat and none of the carbs.

BLT Salad:

1 1/2 cups lettuce (you can use any kind, but the greener varieties offer more nutrition. I used romaine).
1/2 cup chopped tomato (use garden tomatoes or the on-the-vine variety for a really fresh tomato taste)
3-5 slices of turkey bacon
1 tbsp. light or regular mayonnaise (add more or less mayo to taste)

*Cook the turkey bacon in the microwave between two paper towels for about 2 minutes (depending on the package directions and the strength of your microwave.
*Mix lettuce and tomato gently while bacon cools.
*Crumble bacon and add to salad, then gently toss all ingredients with mayonnaise.
*Enjoy!

Since the ingredients in this salad have virtually no carbs, you can add sides to suit your tastes and personal food plan. The International Diabetes Center allows 4 lunch carb options for its general guideline. For me, I find that more than 2 or three carb choices at any one meal can often spike my blood sugar - (less true with denser grains, like a mix of wild and brown rice, and more true with many fruits). So add what works for you. Some great options would be a piece of fresh fruit, whole grain crackers or a whole wheat roll, and light yogurt or a small smoothie. (And if you think smoothies are off limits for gestational diabetes diets, check out my 'fake shake' blog entry for a yummy recipe).

Gestational Diabetes: My Story

I'm a mother of three -- and other than the morning sickness, I loved being pregnant. I loved feeling the wonder of the little life inside me grow, I loved the fact that I was being blessed with a child, and yes, I loved to eat! I always tried to eat healthy, but having a cupcake or ice cream or brownie, or eating the rest of my husband's breakfast without any major guilt was something I definitely loved about being pregnant.

Now I'm pregnant with my fourth child, and while I am still thrilled with the little life growing inside of me, the eating part has to change since I've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I never hopped on the low carb diet bandwagon and was still an old school calorie counter. So changing the way I eat to keep my baby healthy is a struggle - one I'm sure any cookie-loving soon-to-be mama that has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes feels just as keenly.

This blog will document my meals and snacks as sample diets for gestational diabetes as I try to follow the recommendations for gestational diabetes meal plans according to the International Diabetes Center recommendations. Although I have always been interested in nutrition, please keep in mind I am not a nurse or dietician.

These meals and snacks will simply list the foods along with amounts, number of carbs, and carb choices. I hope they will give you some ideas for meals and snacks to keep you and you're little one full and healthy until delivery.

Also - please keep in mind that these are sample diets for gestational diabetes and may not be right for you. Since I am on the petite side, I may not use the total number of carb options for snacks or meals from the general guidelines. You may need more (or less) than these sample meals list.