Children With Diabetes? 3 Tips for Packing Lunches
As kids make their way back to school over the coming weeks, parents of diabetic children face the challenge of packing healthy lunches each day.
Along with talking to the school nurse to ensure lunch time is a trouble-free affair, you can also take some simple steps to help make meal time easy and fun for your child:
1. Go overboard
It's better to pack more than enough options for your child, especially when it comes to portable carbs like a box of raisins or a juice drink - in case of low blood sugar situations.
By packing many "free" food options, too - snacks that kids can eat without having to taking more insulin - you also allow your child to feel like they have choices when surrounded by other kids with more attractive treats.
If you're worried about your child overeating, you can ask the nurse or your child's teacher to store extra snacks in a safe place.
2. Include a food list
Along with your child's lunch, include a list of the foods you've packed for the day with the number of carbohydrates that correspond to each item. This will not only help your child learn to manage their own meals with more independence, but it can also be useful for situations where the school nurse has to administer insulin and needs to know the appropriate dosage.
3. Get the kids involved
As a parent, it's normal to want to take extra care of your diabetic child, but involving him or her in packing school lunches is a great way to give your child a sense of control.
Offer several choices and give your child the ability to mix and match items to include in the lunch box. Kids who are involved in picking their own foods are more likely to eat lunch and not waste food.
For quick and easy lunch ideas for both kids and adults, visit the American Diabetes Association's website.
Source: US News & World Report
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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