A menu for YOU
Breakfast Meals
Foods with carbohydrate increase blood sugar, and include starches, fruits, milk and yogurt. To count carbohydrates for meal planning it is important for you and your teen to understand basic food serving sizes and how to read food labels to determine carbohydrate content. Each serving of a carbohydrate-containing food has about 15 g of carbohydrate, such as 1 slice of bread, 1 small apple or 1 cup of milk.
A teen diabetic breakfast with 60 g of carbohydrate would include 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened whole-grain cereal, 1 cup of milk and 1 small banana. Teens can also have a 45 g carbohydrate controlled fruit smoothie made with 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of blueberries.
LUNCH MEALS
A heart-healthy 60 g carbohydrate lunch might include a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato and mustard, served with a 6 oz. container of nonfat sugar-free fruit yogurt and a small apple. Your teen can also try eating a healthy entree salad for lunch with grilled chicken, 4 tbsp. of raisins, walnuts and 1/2 cup of whole wheat croutons with a 6 oz. container of nonfat sugar-free yogurt.
Teens diabetics can eat fast food once in a while, as long as they control their carbohydrate intake. One slice of cheese pizza from a 10-inch pie contains about 30 g of carbohydrate. Teens eating 60 g of carbohydrate at each meal can have two slices of cheese pizza with diet soda or water.