What Snacks Fill a Craving and Meet Nutritional Goals for a Diabetic Parent?

August 27, 2020 by ·

Your dad’s doctor ran tests and your dad has type 2 diabetes. As a family carer, you often help with his daily meals and snacks. You have meals covered, but what snacks fill his cravings and also meet his nutritional goals? 

 

The basic goals of an aging adult’s diets are whole grains and legumes for fiber, low-fat, low-sodium, calcium, and antioxidants. If you need snacks that meet these needs, try these items. 

 

Vegetable Sticks and Baba Ganoush or Hummus

Caregiver in Mobile, AL: Nutritional Goals for a Diabetic Parent

 

Not all fats are bad. Your dad should have healthy fats in his diet to increase  his intake of omega fatty acids. Serve carrot, celery, cucumber, and red pepper strips or sticks with hummus or baba ganoush for dipping.  

 

Hummus is a dip made from pureed chickpeas, lemon, tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, and herbs. If you’re using canned chickpeas, rinse them or get a low-sodium variety. Place those ingredients into a blender and puree. 

 

Baba ganoush is a dip made from roasted eggplant, garlic, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and tahini. It’s just as easy to make as hummus is. Making it yourself allows you to control the sodium content. 

 

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds 

 

Almonds are a good source of fiber and calcium. Coat raw almonds in egg white. Toss that with a small amount of cinnamon and ginger. Bake them at 300 F for 15 to 20 minutes and let cool. They’ll be sweet and crunchy without adding sugar to the coating. 

 

Cucumber Cheese Crackers 

 

Slice cucumbers and spread a small portion of whipped Neufchatel cheese on top of each. On top of the cheese layer, add favorite herbs or favorite vegetables like thin slices of radish, tomatoes, or peppers.  

 

Mini Quiches 

 

Leave the crust off a quiche and make mini ones in muffin tins. Get a container of egg whites or separate the yolks from egg whites from a dozen eggs. You can freeze egg yolks for use in other recipes. 

 

Mix the egg whites with ½ a cup of low-fat cheddar, chopped kale or spinach, diced red pepper, diced red onion, and chopped mushrooms. Pour the mixture into greased muffin tins and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until set. 

 

Make sure your dad is supported as much as he needs. He might not need caregivers for life, but while he adjusts to a new diet, medications, and exercise routines, caregivers are helpful at keeping him on track. Call a home care agency to make the arrangements for his new diabetes care plan.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering a Caregiver in Mobile, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017. 

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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