Power Choices for the Holidays –

Dining with Diabetes

Presented by: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, FCS, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County

barlage.7@osu.edu

Objectives and Disclosure:

Discover diabetes friendly substitutions for common holiday meal favorites.

Identify the most common recipe staples to keep in stock.

Demonstrate simple diabetes friendly cooking options.

There is conflict of interest to disclose.

The holidays can present special challenges for those with diabetes . . .

Busy schedules

Extra stress

Family gatherings

Eating out

Foods rich in carbohydrates, fats, and

sodium

Foods high in calories

Why worry about diabetes management during the holidays?

• The holiday season goes from Halloween to

New Year’s = 2 months

• With busier schedules, there is less time for

exercise

• Researchers have found that weight gained

during the holidays usually doesn’t come off

later in the year• Increased weight leads to increased difficulty

managing your diabetes

You have the power to manage

your diabetes

and

Enjoy the holiday season!

Cut stress and stay activeStress effects your diabetes

The “fight or flight” effect Continued high stress can lead to difficulty managing your glucose

Staying active can help you manage your diabetes Plan activity into your day Train for and participate in a local holiday run/walk event Incorporate activity into time with friends and family Go for a walk after eating a holiday meal Clear the table after a meal –

this will get you active and prevent mindless munching

Stay on track - plan ahead Your schedule

Think about your holiday gatherings, travel, and events Try to maintain balance – medication, healthy foods, physical

activity

Your meals Stick to your healthy meal plan Plan menus in advance so you are not putting meals together at

the last minute Take diabetes-friendly foods to gatherings

Try these holiday meal tipsSlow down

Focus on friends and family Enjoy the foods you are eating

Remember to keep your carbohydrates consistent Try to have the same amount of carbohydrate you normally would Don’t skip meals or snacks earlier in the day to “save” carbs for

later. This will make your blood glucose more difficult to control.

Keep desserts in check Share Take desserts you have modified to be healthier Politely decline when you know you have reached your limit

Watch your portions

2 stacked dominoes = 1 oz of cheese

Deck of cards = 3 oz. of meat

Baseball = medium potato or fruit, 1 cup cold cereal

Compact disk = pancake

Computer mouse = ½ cup pasta

Diameter of a yo-yo = small cookie

Holiday foods can be high in sugar, fat and calories

Extra calories can sneak in during the holidays . . . And they don’t always come in LARGE portionsChocolate cake, iced 650 calories per 2x2 inch slice

Pecan pie 500 calories per 1/8 pie

Egg nog 342 calories per 8 oz.

Pumpkin pie 290 calories per 1/8 pie

Holiday cookies 150 calories per 2 cookies

Making your holiday favorites healthierReduce the sugar:

Use less Replace with non-nutritive sweetener

Reduce the fat: Ingredient substitution Portion control

Reduce the sodium: Use less Ingredient substitution

Increase fiber: Add fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Dining with Diabetes Holiday Meal Make-OverOn the MenuRoasted Turkey BreastApple StuffingSkinny GravySweet Potato PuffsGreen Beans, Cranberries, and NutsDouble Layer Pumpkin Pie

Let’s Talk Turkey

Turkey is a healthy, low-fat meat, if you choose the right part

Selection (3.5 oz) Fat (g)Turkey skin 39Roast beef 15Turkey wing with skin 12.3Turkey leg with skin 11.5Roasted ham 9Turkey breast with skin 7.3Turkey leg without skin 7.1Turkey breast without skin 0.7Source: USDA database

Make healthy modificationsHoliday Apple Stuffing:

• Use a lower-sodium broth and stuffing mix

• Add fruits and vegetables to increase flavor,

color, and fiber content

• Add whole grains like brown rice, barley,

and wheat berries

Compare

½ Cup stuffing Calories Carbs Fat Sodium Fiber

Home-made 190 22 6 643 1.0

Box mix 170 21 8 520 0.5

Apple Stuffing 78 16 0.7 155 1.0

Fitness Connection:

You would need to walk . . .

60 minutes to work off the home-made stuffing

50 minutes to work off the box-mix stuffing

24 minutes to work off the apple stuffing

“Skinny” gravy

• Use fat free broth or de-fatted drippings as a base

• Skim the fat of meat drippings from the meat

• Use cornstarch in place of a higher fat “roux” made from

flour and fat

Compare

¼ Cup Gravy Calories Carbs Fat Sodium

Home-made 82.5 5 6 340

Commercial 40 3 2.5 420

“Skinny” Gravy 9 2 0 112

Fitness Connection:

You would need to clean . . .

24 minutes to work off the home-made gravy

12 minutes to work off the commercial

2 minutes to work off the skinny gravy

Sweet Potato Options

• Use orange juice or apple juice

• Add spices, such as cinnamon, cloves,

nutmeg, or ginger

• Omit sugar and butter

• Use half the amount of marshmallows or use

raisins instead

• Mash and bake to make sweet potato puffs

Compare

½ Cup Calories Carbs Fat Sodium Fiber

Regular 253 46 7.4 240 2

Sweet Potato 130 23 3 20 2

Puffs

Fitness Connection:

You would need to bike . . .

40 minutes to work off the regular sweet potato casserole

20 minutes to work off the sweet potato puffs

Green Beans with a Twist

• Use fat free half & half in place of cream soup

• Add colorful fruits, like cranberries, or veggies, like carrots or

corn, to add color and give a fiber boost

• Top with minced onion and parmesan cheese instead of fried

onion rings

• Add nuts and seasoning

Compare½ Cup Calories Carbs Fat Sodium Fiber

Regular 125 12.5 7 495 2

Green Beans 79 8.4 5 0 2.2

Cranberries, and Nuts

Fitness Connection:

You would need to jog . . .

20 minutes to work off the regular green

bean casserole

12 minutes to work off the green beans,

cranberries, and nuts

Tips to Make a Delicious, Better for You Pie

• Omit the bottom crust for fruit pies

• Use ground ginger snaps in place of traditional pie crust

• Use a ready-made pie crust – it is thinner than homemade

versions, thus typically contains fewer calories, less fat, and

fewer carbohydrates

• Use egg whites in place of whole eggs

• Use evaporated skim milk

• Cut into 10 servings

• Top with fat-free whipped cream

Crust comparisons

1/8th Crust Calories Fat

Gingersnap 60 1

Graham 109 5.5

Ready-made 120 8

Homemade 160 11

Try our Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

• Use less sugar

• Add sugar-free pudding mix to add

volume without calories

• Spice it up – add cinnamon, ginger,

cloves, or try a prepared pumpkin

pie spice

Compare1/10th Calories Carbs Fat

Homemade Pie 168 24 7

Commercial Pie 169 21.7 8.4

Double Layer 96 13 5

Pumpkin Pie

Fitness Connection:

You would need to rake leaves . . .

35 minutes to work off the home made or commercial pie

19 minutes to work off the double layer pumpkin pie

Cookie Considerations

• Make them smaller

• Make fewer varieties

• Serve cookies with fresh fruit

• Cutting fat doesn’t really save on calories if it is replaced with

sugar and flour – these add carbs!

CompareCalories Carbs Fat

Traditional Holiday Dinner 983.5 109.5 40.7

Modified Holiday Dinner 501 62.4 14.4

You Saved:

482.5 Calories

47.1g Carbohydrates

26.3g Fat

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!

~ Amanda Bradley

Credits

Developed by the Ohio State University Extension Diabetes Education Team

Christine Kendle, OSU Extension Tuscarawas County

Shari Gallup, OSU Extension Licking County

Amy Habig, OSU Extension Adams, Brown, and Highland Counties

Kate Shumaker, OSU Extension Holmes County

2013

Resources:

American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org

Brinkman P, Syracuse C. Modifying a Recipe to be Healthier. Ohio State University Extension

Center for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov

Henneman A. Tiny Tastes can add up to Big Calories During the Holidays. University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension.

Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org