How I eat with gestational diabetes. What I eat in a typical day with GD. Plus, some recommended goodies for those pregnancy cravings.
After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes in the third trimester of pregnancy I was pretty bummed out. Being pregnant had given me cravings for sweets like I had never had before in my life. I actually never really had much of a sweet tooth to begin with. But as soon as that second trimester hit, I found myself in absolute love with cake, brownies, cookies, ice cream, fruit filled waffles and pancakes, sour gummy worms and chocolates. I could simply not get enough. Did I mention how I fell in love with cake?
anyways, after the diagnoses I felt sort of lost. I wasn’t sure how to eat anymore and as I searched online, I couldn’t really find any information on meal ideas, or daily food regimens for pregnant woman specifically. That’s why I decided I wanted to share what I eat in a day with gestational diabetes and my recommendations for satisfying those pregnancy cravings in a safe way.
My GD is completely controlled by diet, and I do not use insulin. Also, I’d like to remind you that I am not a doctor, and I can’t guarantee that what I eat will work for everyone. Always consult with your doctor and dietician about the specifics of what is diabetic friendly and approved for you specifically and always test your blood sugar levels!
Breakfast
Typically, by morning I am utterly starving! Maybe my pregnancy dramatics but I’m way too tired and hungry to cook first thing in the morning. I usually opt for either a cup of grapes in half a cup of low-fat cottage cheese or an apple and two mozzarella cheese sticks. I always drink Metamucil mixed in at least 8oz of water every morning. Not only is that a good GD hack for keeping your blood sugars leveled. But, it’s also a great tactic for staying regular during pregnancy. If you are or have been pregnant you know exactly what I mean!
First Snack
Any fresh vegetables you like munching on make the perfect GD snack. I prefer baby carrots, celery sticks, sugar snap peas, and cucumber slices. You can eat them on their own or with a very small amount of hummus or diabetic friendly dressing. I have the best recommendation for store bought dressing that I’ll share at the end of this post. However, my favorite way to eat my cucumber slices is on a plate soaked in fresh lemon and lime with tajin sprinkled on the tops. If you haven’t tried it, you need to!
Lunch
For lunch I have a basic salad with romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, avocados and canned tuna mixed in. I know dieticians like to talk a lot about homemade vinaigrettes for diabetics. But that sort of dressing just does not suit this pregnant womans fancy at all! Again, I’ll mention the best GD, pregnancy craving worthy dressing at the end of this post. When I don’t choose a salad for lunch, I go with what I call a protein and veggie platter. That is deli meat cooked in the microwave until steaming hot and blotted dry to avoid listeria, cheese slices or string cheese. I have particularly craved sharp white cheddar cheese. then most of the plate veggies and a portion of fruit. Pickles, celery, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, and grapes have been my go-to.
Second Snack
So, if you’ve noticed I still have a tendency for some sweets throughout the day. Even though I am unable to have the baked goods that I crave, I eat fruit. High fiber fruit is what Ill grab for usually by the time of my second Snack of the day. My fruit faves? Watermelon, apple, grapes, or blueberries. Usually about a cup of fruit is a safe bet. When I don’t reach for the fruit, I’ll make a half sandwich. This is going to sound like a weird pregnancy snack but it’s actually a family tradition. Sharp white cheddar cheese, dill pickles, avocado oil mayo, on one slice of hearty whole grain bread. Take or leave that advice, but it is delicious!
Dinner
I think dinners are the trickiest when it comes to planning out what to eat with Gestational Diabetes. It’s usually the meal people tend to want to mix it up a bit more. However, mixing it up can be very hard to do with GD. It’s easiest to stick with what you know works. But as a general rule, I eat cooked and highly seasoned meat like chicken, ground turkey, or occasionally steak. I typically stay away from sauces but go heavy handed on the spices. My partner has always made fun of my extensive spices rack. But it really is key to adding great flavor. I always pair the meat with salad or steamed veggies and cottage cheese. Sometimes I’ll add a small amount of beans or rice. You just have to be very careful with your proportions.
A specific Meal I’ve made for dinner that kept my blood sugars low every time I made it was lasagna made with ground turkey, cottage, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, low sodium pasta sauce, and zucchini sliced ultra-thin instead of pasta noodles. I started to Add a piece a toast with that meal just to make sure I was actually getting enough carb intake.
Best Food Substitutes and Recommendations
Carb Balance Tortillas
These tortillas are the best substitutes for bread when craving a full sandwich. They are so high in fiber that the fiber helps counteract the carb in the tortilla. My best tip for eating these tortillas though, is when you want to order Mexican food. I like to occasionally order a carne asada burrito with just meat, guacamole, onion and cilantro, and the hottest salsa on the menu. The trick is that I transport the burrito contents into the carb balance tortilla and its never spiked my blood sugar. But it is the best eating out treat.
Talking Rain Sparkling Ice Beverage
I bet you miss having flavored drinks, right? until I was diagnosed with GD, I was loving lemonade, limeade, really any sweet or sour fruit juices, and the occasional ginger ale soda. Of course, never skimp on your water intake. Water is absolutely essential for keeping your baby safe and healthy while growing inside your womb! However, when you want a flavored drink, know that Sparkling Ice is still an option. It has zero carbs, is carbonated and has a large variety of actually sweet flavors. unlike other sparkling waters, they actually taste really yummy and help curb that sweet tooth. For more nutritional facts visit Home · Talking Rain.
Bolthouse Farms Dressing
Okay, the salad dressing recommendation I promised you. The reason why I rave about this salad dressing brand is because it’s safe for diabetics because of its Greek yogurt ingredient. They come in all sorts of different creamy flavors. If you aren’t really feeling the vinaigrette like me, Bolthouse Farms is the perfect solution. My favorite is the Cilantro Avocado. I like these dressings so much that I actually don’t even miss my old dressings and just might stick with these after my pregnancy is over.
Yasso Bars
I saved the best GD dessert hack for last. I can’t even with these bars, they are so good! The perfect solution for missing ice cream because they taste exactly the same as ice cream. I tried out a couple different ice cream substitutes before I landed on these. None of them even compare. They are also made out of Greek yogurt, and the carbs are just low enough that I can eat two of them for dessert without spiking my blood sugar levels. I told you at the beginning how I fell in love with cake right? Well, I love these Greek yogurt bars. A definite pregnancy must-have.
I hope you found this content about how I eat with gestational diabetes useful. Let me know if you have any other recommendations for diabetic meals that you love or simply if you liked this post. If you like reading about pregnancy and maternity, please check out some of my other posts on my blogsite Well-Rounded Woman PNW – Various experiences that can inspire, educate, and be a fun read
Great insight on coping with gestational diabetes!