Establishing Meal And Snack Times: Part 2

Meal Spacing

Meal spacing is especially helpful for those who have type 2 diabetes and don't take a diabetes medicine. Try to space your meals four to five hours apart. This helps your pancreas to produce adequate amounts of insulin after each meal without over challenging it at any one time. Or, if you take a diabetes medication, spacing allows your diabetes medication, spacing allows your diabetes medication time to work. The goal is to have your blood glucose return to your target range by the time you eat your next meal.

Snacks

Snacks are often not necessary unless you are planning vigorous activity, are a growing child, or are pregnant. Snacks used to be included in most diabetes food plans. Those on insulin usually had an afternoon and evening snack, and everyone else had an evening snack. Today, that is not necessary and your food plan can be designed with or without snacks.

Some of the reasons you may want to include a snack are that you eat small meals, you need a snack before activity, it's a convenient time to eat fruit which you might not like at meals, or you just like a snack at a certain time. Reasons to avoid snacks include that extra food for snacks can mean weight gain or increases in blood glucose levels. Discuss your preferences with your dietitian so your food plan is individualized for you.


GUIDE TO EATING RIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE DIABETES, MAGGIE POWERS, MS, RD, CDE