Diabetes snack ideas: Smart snacking keeps your blood sugar in check

It can be hard to keep your blood sugar in check when food is everywhere — it seems like there are snacks at every meeting, social event and corner you pass by. It's tempting to snack all the time, but constant snacking could lead to poorly managed blood sugars.

No need to fret! We've got you covered. Here are some strategies for smarter snacking and tasty diabetes snack ideas.

Plan ahead to snack smarter

Chances are, the person in charge of your next meeting or party won't be thinking about counting carbs when they decide on the menu. Most snack foods (like chips, popcorn and crackers) are high in carbohydrates and can wreak havoc on your blood sugar if you're not careful.

You never know whether you'll find donuts or a veggie tray on the buffet, so it's up to you to take your health into your own hands and plan your snacks ahead of time. Try bringing along a few healthy options whenever you're out and about.

Choose the right snacks

The "right" snack depends on your personal situation. If you're an active person whose blood sugar tends to run low, then you'll need to choose carbohydrate-rich snacks like dried fruit, peanut butter and crackers, or energy bars.

If you tend to run high, you'll need some lower carbohydrate diabetes snack ideas that won't cause your blood sugar to skyrocket. Vegetables and small portions of fresh fruit and nuts work well. Once you've identified the right foods to eat, it will be easier to navigate any kind of snacking situation you find yourself in!

The right time to snack

We are a society of snackers — almost everyone snacks at some point during the week, according to the International Food Information Council. But when is the right time to snack? There are two times when a snack is really needed: when you're physically hungry and when you have low blood sugar.

True hunger tends to build slowly over time and is satisfied by eating almost any food. Meanwhile, cravings usually happen fast.

Cravings might be triggered by the sight or smell of food, by boredom or other emotions, or even by watching food commercials on TV. When people crave food, they usually want something specific, such as chocolate or potato chips. If you're craving something but you're not really hungry and your blood sugar is right where it should be, try to take your mind off of eating by going outside, reading or catching up with a friend.

Treating low blood sugar with the "Rule of 15"

When you have low blood sugar, you probably don't feel your best, so it's natural to want to feel better right away. In this situation, some people with low blood sugar eat without really thinking about how many carbohydrates they're taking in, and then they end up with the opposite problem — high blood sugar! The person ends up on a blood sugar "seesaw," riding ups and downs without finding balance.

If your blood sugar is low (less than 70 mg/dL), think about following the "Rule of 15." The Rule of 15 says you need to eat 15 grams of carbohydrates and wait 15 minutes for it to take effect. Then, check your blood sugar to make sure it's above 70. If not, repeat the process so you can get your blood sugar back in balance without creating a high blood sugar problem, too.

Tools for predicting when to snack

If you have diabetes, you know the value of keeping your blood glucose meter handy so you can check your blood sugar level anytime you need to. A blood glucose meter is a great tool for measuring your blood sugar at a certain moment in time.

But what if you had a tool that could predict low blood sugar and let you know ahead of time that you need to have a snack? A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can do just that. CGM devices monitor your blood sugar around the clock and alert you when your blood sugar is falling (or rising) too quickly. When your CGM lets you know that your blood sugar is falling, you can have a snack and avoid having to deal with low blood sugar at all.

Snack smarter with diabetes

It's true that, as a person living with diabetes, grabbing a snack takes some consideration — but with a little planning, you can snack alongside everyone else! Snacking can be a regular part of your diet and an important way to keep your blood sugar in check at all times.

Make an effort to choose snacks with the right amount of carbohydrates for your body and activity level, carry them with you, and keep an eye on your blood sugar before you decide to snack. You can successfully snack with diabetes, it just takes a little more thought!

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