Any food is OK if you have diabetes. The secret is to keep track of quantities, balance your diet, and consume roughly the same amount of carbohydrates at each meal. Diabetic care plans are made specifically by dieticians if a senior suffers from multiple health issues.
Along with recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, these four-pointers can get you going.
- To find out how various foods affect your blood sugar levels, take a blood sugar test.
- Limit the grammes of carbohydrates you consume at each meal. This typically amounts to 45–75 grammes three times per day.
- Each meal should have a healthy balance of protein, fibre, and carbohydrates. If you employ the plate method, this is simple. Put veggies on half of your plate, carbs like brown rice, black beans, or whole-wheat pasta on the other quarter, and a lean protein like chicken breast, fish, lean meat, or tofu on the other quarter. Depending on your meal’s carb goal, include a small piece of fruit and some low-fat or fat-free milk or yoghurt.
- Consume healthy fats like those found in avocados, nuts, seafood, olives, and other plants. Steer clear of saturated fats found in dairy products like cheese, butter, and pork. Although it comes from a plant, coconut has saturated fat.
- If any of the recipes included below call for fewer carbs per serving than your diabetic care plan, add more carbs to the meal as a whole. This could be a tiny piece of whole-grain bread, a fruit or vegetable, nonfat yogurt or milk, or both. ConsidraCare provides home care for seniors in Ontario. The caregivers can make changes to the recipes as needed.
Healthy Meals for Diabetic seniors recipes
Breakfast Wrap
In a small nonstick frying pan with cooking spray, scramble 1 egg and 2 egg whites (or 1/4 cup egg substitute). Spread the scrambled eggs along the middle of a multigrain or low-carb flour tortilla on a microwave-safe platter. Add desired garnishes, such as 1/8 cup shredded low-fat cheese, 1/4 cup shredded avocado, 1/4 cup diced tomato, or 1/4 cup chopped green onion. For about 20 seconds on high, microwave the filling and tortilla to warm them up. Finished? Enjoy.
30 grammes of carbohydrates, 18 grammes of protein, and 6 grammes of fibre are estimated.
Berry Yogurt High-Protein Bowl
Fill a cereal bowl with 1 cup of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt. If preferred, add a dash of ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of honey. Add 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen berries and your preferred whole-grain morning cereal on top. (Select a cereal with at least 5 grammes of fibre and 15 grammes of carbohydrates per 1/2 cup.)
estimated: 47 grammes of carbohydrates, 22 grammes of protein, and 10 grammes of fibre.
English muffin, PB&J
Toast a whole wheat English muffin before spreading 1 spoonful of natural peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of jam with reduced sugar on each side. Enjoy a whole fruit, like an orange or banana, alongside your meal. Estimated: 47 grammes of carbohydrates, 10 grammes of protein, and 7 grammes of fibre.
Upscale cereal bowl
Put 1 cup of your preferred whole-grain cereal in a large bowl. It should have at least 5 grammes of fibre and 30 grammes of carbohydrates. Add 1/8 cup toasted nuts and 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries, banana slices, or both to the top (almonds, walnuts, or pecans). Pour and whisk 3/4 cup nonfat milk or soy milk.
Estimated: 48 grammes of carbohydrates, 22 grammes of protein, and 15 grammes of fibre.
French Toast
Make a bit of extra French toast on the weekends to freeze. When you want a special weekday breakfast, microwave it. Blend 1 large egg, 1 egg white, or 2 tablespoons egg substitute, 1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half or nonfat milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for one serving. About three or two large pieces of whole wheat bread should be soaked in the egg mixture. Then, in a nonstick frying pan sprayed with cooking spray, lightly brown the ham. Add 1/2 cup of berries or other fruit, fresh or frozen.
60 grammes of carbohydrates, 21 grammes of protein, and 10 grammes of fibre estimated.
Lunch Ideas:
Simple tuna salad
3 tablespoons of light Italian vinaigrette salad dressing should be combined with one 6-ounce can of tuna that has been drained. Next, include 1/8 cup of nuts or sliced olives and 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes or finely diced tomatoes. Serve over 2 cups of tightly packed spinach leaves. ressing should be combined with one 6-ounce can of tuna that has been drained. Next, include 1/8 cup of nuts or sliced olives and 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes or finely diced tomatoes. Serve over 2 cups of tightly packed spinach leaves. Have an ounce of whole-grain crackers with it.
35 grammes of carbohydrates, 54 grammes of protein, and 6 grammes of fibre estimated.
Sandwich with grilled tomato and cheese and soup
Cooking in a spray-coated non-stick frying pan heated over medium heat. Add three slices of vine-ripened garden tomatoes, 1 1/2 ounces of reduced-fat cheese, and a slice of whole wheat bread. Spread canola cooking spray over the top of the second slice of whole wheat bread before placing it. Flip the sandwich over and lightly brown the second side once the underside is golden. Serve with a soup or broth that has a tomato base and roughly 10 grammes of carbs per cup.
60 grammes of carbohydrates, 27 grammes of protein, and 8 grammes of fibre estimated.
Bean and Cheese Burrito in 3 Minutes
A low-carb or multigrain flour tortilla should be placed on a paper towel. For about 30 seconds, or until soft, microwave on high. On top of the tortilla, scatter 1/3 cup of shredded, low-fat Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. Spread 1 tablespoon of salsa, 1 tablespoon of fat-free sour cream, and 1/2 cup of no-fat canned refried beans (or other beans) evenly across the center. Add some finely chopped green onion or tomato on top (as desired). Place in a burrito and microwave for one minute to reheat.
50 grammes of carbohydrates, 24 grammes of protein, and 10 grammes of fibre estimated.
Salad or pasta for lunch
Pasta made with many grains from today’s dinner can be used for tomorrow’s lunch! Toss 1 cup of cooked pasta with 1 cup of your preferred cooked green or cruciferous veggies (like broccoli, kale, or cabbage). Add 1/2 cup leftover grilled seafood, chicken, or lean beef, along with 1 ounce cubed or shredded part-skim mozzarella, chopped green onions, tomatoes, and sliced olives (if desired). Add 1 tablespoon of roasted pine or walnut nuts. About 2 teaspoons of mild vinaigrette should be added, then tossed. If you’re bringing this to work, it keeps well. Place in the fridge to store.
Estimated: 54 grammes of carbohydrates, 21 grammes of protein, and 10 grammes of fibre.
Avocado and Turkey Wrap
Add 1 tablespoon of basil, sun-dried tomato pesto, or olive tapenade to the top of a multigrain or low-carb tortilla, flatbread, or naan bread (available in jars). Add some slices of roasted turkey, 1 ounce of reduced-fat provolone (or a comparable cheese), around 4 slices of avocado, some spinach leaves, and tomato slices, if you like, to the top. Wrap with foil or plastic wrap after rolling. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
30 grammes of carbohydrates, 32 grammes of protein, and 8 grammes of fibre estimated.
Dinner suggestions:
Simple salsa and chilli or vegetarian meals
Brown 1/2 pound of lean ground turkey or 1 pound of sliced mushrooms with 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1 teaspoon minced garlic in a medium nonstick pan covered with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Add one 15-ounce can of black or kidney beans (drained), one cup of prepared or canned salsa, one cup of canned marinara sauce, and, to taste, chilli powder, oregano, and ground cumin. Cover and heat until boiling. For 20 minutes, simmer over a lower heat. has three servings. With a cup of fruit salad, please.
Estimated: 43 grammes of carbohydrates, 22 grammes of protein, and 12 grammes of fibre.
Fruit and Walnut Salad for a Chicken Dinner
You can use leftover grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast or buy pre-sliced, seasoned chicken breast from the store. Combine the chicken with 3 to 4 cups of dark green lettuce, 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries, sliced apples or pears, 1/4 cup of toasted walnuts or pecans, 2 tablespoons of blue cheese, and 2 tablespoons of light balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette.
Protein, 37 grams; carbohydrates, 27 grams; and fiber, 12 grams, are all estimates.
Dinner of Teriyaki Salmon (substitute another fish or skinless chicken if desired)
Steam brown rice in a pot (available in the frozen food section in some grocery stores). Heat the broiler on your oven or toaster oven while it cooks. Salmon fillets are added to a pie plate that has been lined with foil. 2 teaspoons of bottled teriyaki sauce should be drizzled over each fillet. For around 4 minutes, broil something 6 inches from the broiler. When the fish is completely done, flip it over, drizzle 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce over each piece, and broil. Serve each serving with 1 cup of steaming green or cruciferous vegetables and 3/4 cup of cooked brown rice.
Estimated: 42 grammes of carbohydrates, 29 grammes of protein, and 5 grammes of fibre.
Pasta with mushrooms for dinner
Following the instructions on the package, boil whole-grain spaghetti. In a medium non-stick saucepan, sauté 1 cup sliced mushrooms, of any kind, with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil per person as the dish cooks. Each individual should add 3/4 cup of marinara sauce, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes at a simmer after lowering the heat. Serve 3/4 cup of cooked pasta with about 1 cup of mushroom marinara. Serve alongside a garden salad: Add a tablespoon or two of mild vinaigrette to 2 cups of spinach or romaine lettuce, 1/4 cup of kidney or garbanzo beans, a few olives, and other veggies, such as sliced cucumber and carrot.
Estimated: 60 grammes of carbohydrates, 18 grammes of protein, and 9 grammes of fibre.
So these are some healthy fitness meals for seniors that are quick and simple. Some of these can be cooked by the seniors themselves while others can be made by the live-in caregivers from ConsidraCare. The caregiver can make minor changes to the recipes above so that they are in line with the diabetic care plan as well.