Here come the holidays! Check out these tips, tricks and recipes so that gestation diabetes doesn't put a damper on your cheer.
For many of us, the holidays are a mix of joy and stress. Having gestational diabetes can certainly make the stress part more acute, as dietary advice for regulating your blood sugar is often in direct conflict with holiday food traditions. Limiting the foods on your plate can lead to feeling of isolation and depression, while over-indulging in meals can lead to high blood sugars, anxiety and guilt. Lets go through a few tips to try to find a balance and not impact your merriment too much!
Tips & Tricks for Holiday Feasting with GDM
Here's my top 10 tips to help you navigate holiday festivities if you have gestational diabetes:
Avoid liquid calories- Beverages like juice and mocktails can spike your blood sugar before you even sit down to dinner. Try to stick with water, tea or sparkling water before, during and after your meal. Bonus- staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water can also help normalize your blood sugars.
Use almond or coconut flours to create your dessert- Both of these natural flours have less carbs than traditional wheat flours and pie crusts. They also have a great texture and work well with pumpkin and other flavor profiles.
Try using the "plate method"- The plate method is a way of eating that allows you to still enjoy the foods you like while not spiking your blood sugar. Try filling your holiday dinner plate with 50% veggies, 30% proteins and 20% starchy foods. For many folks this ratio works well to keep things in check.
Add something green to your meal- Having foods like salad, collards or spinach add extra fiber and low-carb deliciousness to your meal. Plus, you can load up on them and really feel like you're eating a ton of food without messing with your sugars.
Substitute lower carb veggies like butternut squash and cauliflower for starchy veggies like potatoes and yams. The less carbs in your meal the more stable your blood sugars will be.
Use nuts to add texture to dishes instead of bread crumbs. Nuts are low in carbs but high in protein and fiber, which can help maintain your sugar levels.
Feel good about carb-free fats- Go ahead and indulge in extra butter, lots of olive oil, sour cream, bacon and heavy cream. They can help you enjoy your meal and won't throw-off your blood sugar.
Go for whip cream- Whip cream (especially homemade) is a GDM-friendly choice with relatively few carbs. Try it instead of ice cream with your desert.
Keep your appetizers to veggies, protein and a little fruit. Try to avoid crackers, puff pastries, breads, and other high carb foods before the main meal.
Take a walk - A mellow stroll around the block after a big meal, or a nice brisk walk before you eat can help improve your blood sugar throughout the day.
Hopefully you find these tips helpful during your next holiday meal or party. Next, lets dig a little deeper into some of the social, emotional and logistical obstacles that folks with GDM face around the holidays.
Holiday Travel
If your hitting the road to visit family and friends this holiday season, you might find that limited food options and time constraints challenge your eating patterns and blood sugar control. Make sure to pack snacks for your road trip or airplane travel so you don't need to relay on gas stations and fast food choices. Some great snacks to bring from home include nuts, string cheese, jerky, hard boiled eggs, olives, baby carrots, and of course lots of water. If your stopping in a convince store for a snack, make sure to avoid sugary drinks. Look for high protein options like Greek yogurts, tuna salad, low carb protein bars, cheese whisp crackers or pickles. For some GDM-friendly fast food choices, check out this great post from Tasting Table: https://www.tastingtable.com/850352/low-carb-fast-food-options-that-wont-ruin-your-diet/
Over-Abundance of Treats
The ever present muffins, cookies and baked goods at work, friends houses and stores can really wear-down your will power (especially when it seems like everyone else is enjoying them without restraint). Try to limit your purchases of large amounts holiday treats when you go to the grocery store and instead opt for simple treats like dark chocolate, nuts and fruit. If you feel your self restraint slipping when grocery shopping, try using Instacart, or send someone else to the store for you with a shopping list to stick to. If there's plies of treat on the break table at work that are calling your name, try having just a small amount and walking away. It may also help to bring in your own GDM-friendly treats to work with you so you don't feel deprived. Also, make sure to avoid feeling overly hungry at work and picking up a treat out of hunger by eating a solid breakfast and lunch each day.
Lack of control over the menu
Another common issue that folks with GDM report is not being the one in charge of planning for their holiday meal. If someone else is doing the majority of the cooking, or hosting the party, it can be hard to make sure there will be options of blood sugar-friendly foods to choose from. You can take some control over the situation by bring a dish to share that you'll know you enjoy and that won't impact your sugar levels. Who knows, maybe it will end up being everyone else's favorite dish! Another possible work-around would be having a light snack before arriving so as not to be overly hungry and over-indulge in food that you know will end up spike your blood sugar.
GDM-Friendly Holiday Meal Recipes
Here's a collection of recipe ideas for mains, sides, appetizers and desserts that are low in carbs and added sugars.
Appetizers:
Try to keep your appetizers light with as little starch as possible. Think cooked and raw veggies, small amount of fruit, and plenty of protein.
Baked asparagus wrapped in ham: Recipe & image from Kalyn's Kitchen-https://kalynskitchen.com/recipe-for-roasted-asparagus-wrapped-in
Deviled eggs: Recipe & image from Smitten Kitchen: https://smittenkitchen.com/2021/07/deviled-eggs/
Air fryer shrimp: Yum! Recipe & image from Low Carb Africa: https://lowcarbafrica.com/air-fryer-frozen-shrimp/
Sweet & salty mixed nuts: Mixed nuts make a great addition to any holiday party or table. Plus, they're super blood-sugar friendly. Recipe and image here from Eating Well: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/263086/sweet-and-salty-roasted-nuts/
Low Carb Charcuterie board: Create your own appetizer board with avocado, olives, pickled veggies, cheese whisp crackers, almond flour crackers, nuts, kiwi, berries, pear, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, popcorn, hard boiled eggs, humus and cheeses!
Sides Dishes:
Let the veggies shine in your side dishes. Feel free to use plenty of olive oil, nuts, shallots, garlic, herbs, butter and cream, but limit or skip the bread crumbs, flour, croutons and added sugars.
Green beans with slivered almonds: Instead of the traditional casserole, keep it simple with simple with just a few delicious ingredients. Recipe and image from Minimalist Baker: https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pan-garlicky-green-beans-with-slivered-almonds/
Cauliflower mash: Instead of mashed potatoes, try mashed cauliflower, which has a ton less carbs and a rich creamy texture. Recipe & image from Cafe Delites: https://cafedelites.com/mashed-cauliflower/
Roast Brussel sprouts: Brussel's are absolutely delicious roasted. Try this recipe from the wonderful Ina Garten at Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-brussels-sprouts-recipe2-1941953
Roast butternut squash: Lower in carbs and higher in nutrients that yam or sweet potato, butternut squash also has a great flavor and texture. Recipe & image from Downshiftology https://downshiftology.com/recipes/roasted-butternut-squash-cubes-and-halves/
Collards: Naturally low carb, collards are a great source of nutrition and fiber, plus they go great with turkey! Recipe & image from Divas Can Cook: https://divascancook.com/collard-greens-recipe/
Arugula salad: Adding in a light salad to your meal can help keep things fresh and add a little extra fiber to your plate. Try this lovely arugula salad from The Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/arugula-salad-with-olive-oil-lemon-and-parmesan-cheese-recipe-1943201)
Low carb mac n' cheese: Try making this classic side with cauliflower instead of noodles- you may never go back! Recipe & Image from The Foodie Physican: https://thefoodiephysician.com/keto-mac-and-cheese/
Low carb stuffing: If stuffing is your favorite side, try making it with Keto Bread. Recipe and image from Whole Lotta Yum: https://wholelottayum.com/keto-stuffing-recipe/
Low sugar cranberry sauce: Recipe & image from They Healthy Epicurean: https://thehealthyepicurean.com/cranberry-sauce/
Desserts:
Desserts are an important part of holiday traditions. Here's a few recipe ideas to keep in relatively gentle on your blood sugar levels.
Low carb pumpkin pie: Give it a try using low carb flours for the crust and minimal sugar in the filling. Recipe & Image from Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/keto-pumpkin-pie-7475446
Low carb pecan pie: Another holiday classic, pecan pie is delicious can be a good bet if you have GDM. Recipe & Image from Life Made Sweeter: https://lifemadesweeter.com/pecan-pie/
Apple crisp with almond flour: If you love apple pie, try making a crisp with almond flour. Bonus- apples generally require very little sugar to make a great dessert. Recipe & image from The Bojon Gourmet: https://bojongourmet.com/paleo-apple-crisp-almond-flour/
Whip cream: While most store-bought whip creams are relatively low carb, making your super is easy & economically. Add a big dollop to your desert to make it feel rich without adding many additional carbs. Recipe here from Healthy Recipes Blog: https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/keto-whipped-cream/
Vanilla almond Christmas cookies: If you're looking for a Christmas cookie, try making something with almond flour, which not only has a great taste and texture, but is naturally low carb. Recipe and image from Low Carb-No Carb: https://www.lowcarb-nocarb.com/vanilla-crescents/
Chocolate pomegranate walnut bark: If you're never tried chocolate bark, you're in for a treat! Made with dark chocolate, nuts and a little fruit, it feels very indulgent without being super high in sugar. Recipe and image here from Kale Junkie: https://kalejunkie.com/chocolate-pomegranate-walnut-bark/
Low carb gingerbread cookies: Alternative flours pair great with the ginger and spice profile. Recipe and image here from Sugar Free Sprinkles: https://sugarfreesprinkles.com/keto-gingerbread-cookies/
Sugar-free peppermint bark: With just a few simple ingredients, peppermint bark comes together with minimal time and effort to create a holiday tree everyone will love. Recipe and image from The Big Mans World: https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-peppermint-bark/
Pumpkin muffins: Pumpkin muffins are a special one-a-year treat that can easily be made low carb. Recipe and Image here from Well Plated by Erin: https://www.wellplated.com/almond-flour-pumpkin-muffins/
Chocolate dipped pecans: For a festive and simple dessert that everyone will enjoy, try dipping nuts in dark chocolate. Recipe and image here from Step Away From The Carbs: https://stepawayfromthecarbs.com/chocolate-dipped-pecans/
Holiday Mains:
Turkey, ham, salmon and brisket all the tradition holiday main dishes are great options for GDM. If you're looking for a few other classic centerpiece dishes, here's a few to check out.
Pozole: Low in carbs and high in protein and fiber, Mexican pozole is a great choice for warm holiday dish. Recipe and image here from My Latina Table: https://www.mylatinatable.com/mexican-pozole/
Low carb tamales: If tamales are a holiday tradition in you're house, check out this video on how to make them using low-carb flours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDTBgc5UA1A
Cauliflower zucchini latkes: If you're celebrating Hanukkah this year, don't let GDM get you down! You can make delicious latkes that everyone will enjoy using low carb veggies like cauliflower and zucchini. Recipe here from Keto Mojo: https://keto-mojo.com/recipes/cauliflower-zucchini-keto-latkes/
Happy holidays everyone! I hope you're able to find a few tips in this post to help you fully relax and enjoy the season. Wishing everyone joy and peace.