Hi my name is Litisha and my sister and I have been newly told by our doctor that we are diabetic. We are going grocery shopping at out local Walmart for the first time as diabetics. What can we get to eat (breakfast, lunch, dinner , deserts and snacks)?
What can we get to drink (milk, juices)? What can we get to season our food (instead of salt)? Will anything there not mess with our new diabetic diets? #Really could use the help before Tuesday evening
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Many of have found that restricting the carbohydrates in our diabetes i really helpful. I avoid grains and other foods that have sugar and high levels of carbs. You can read the nutrition panel on many foods and get an idea of how many carbs are in a serving. I regularly meals that are combinations of meat, seafood, eggs, nuts and all kinds of non-starchy vegetables.
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Welcome to TUD @LitishaB! This is a great resource, full of supportive and knowledgeable people.
A little more information might help us respond to your question. Were you diagnosed as Type 2 (I’m guessing)? What was the basis of your diagnosis (A1C etc.) and what medication are you on?
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You might want to ask your doctor if you and your sister can see a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). A CDE can take the time to go over many aspects of your treatment.
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Thanks but looking at every item to check if you can have it might take a lot of time. We will in there forever.
Never told what type (1 or 2) that we have any the medicine is:
- Metformin HCL & 2. VIT D2
We also was not told what to take it with. We tried it with water . but it made us both seriously gag. We have been taking it with orange juice and it made it go down better.
Cabbage
Broccoli
Carrots
Crisp Lettuce
Tomatoes
Olives
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Asparagus
Radishes
Leeks
Vadalia Onions
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Kale
Fresh Spinach
Brussel Sprouts
Bok Choy
Snow Peas
Squash
Celery
Fava Beans
Artichoke
Mushrooms, various kinds
Yum, yum. This is making me hungry.
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@LitishaB it sounds like Type 2 to me, as metformin is usually the first medication for T2s to try.
You might want to take your Met with a drink lower in carbs than orange juice. Coffee, tea, diet drinks, crystal light.
Are you checking your blood sugar and keeping a log? I know it’s a pain, but it might help you discover what different foods do to your bgs.
Like @Brian_BSC suggests, a plate with a protein (meat, chicken fish) and lots of leafy and low carb veggies (like @Robert17 listed) would make a nice lunch or dinner. A big salad with grilled chicken or leftover steak is one suggestion. and here’s a topic we had on low carb snacks
welcome to our community. we have lots of great folks here who love to help.
Thanks I have most of that on my grocery list already. What about proteins (meat)? Any ideas about that?
Shopping will take longer in the beginning. I suggest that you adopt a tactic called “eat to your meter.” You didn’t say if your doctor gave you a blood glucose meter, but nearly all of us use one to measure our blood sugar level. It’s a critical piece of feedback about how your blood sugar reacts to certain meals.
If you eat to your meter, you will check your blood glucose before eating and then between one and two hours after eating and record those numbers. If the post-meal number is too high, yet in-range before eating, then you need to change the portion size or composition of the foods. Carbohydrates are the main driver of post-meal glucose. Carbs include bread, potatoes, rice, noodles, breakfast cereals, fruit, and many processed foods – those foods that come in a box, can, or jar.
Your body (and your sister’s!) are unique and your response to various foods will be somewhat different than others. That’s why testing with your meter after you eat is so important. You may find, for example, that you can eat rice and not potatoes. Adopting an “eat to your meter” routine will educate you about what to eat, what to avoid, and what you may only eat in limited portion sizes.
Good luck!
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German Bratwurst
Chorizo
American Hotdogs
Liver
Italian Sausage
Jambes de Grenouille
Turkey
Fresh Tilapia
Catfish
Cod
Trout
Swordfish
Chilean Sea Bass (endangered)
Pork Loin
Ham, trimmed
Bacon
Eggs
Veal
Pork Chops
Beef Steaks, trimmed
Beef Roast, trimmed
Sirloin
Filets
Louisiana Sausage
Chicken Breast
Chicken Thighs, trimmed
Chocken Legs
Salmon
Shrimp
Scallops
Now I’m ready for lunch !
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Doctor did not give any kind of blood glucose meter.
You may buy a meter at a local drug store and get a prescription for strips from your doctor. Do that sooner rather than later. A blood glucose meter are your “eyes” to see what direction to head next. Diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate intolerance. You need to know what your numbers are and how they respond to the food you eat.
You’re totally right. Fine-tuning my diet has taken YEARS…and I still don’t feel that I’m an expert.
What I found helpful is thinking of eating as an experiment at times. If I’m going to eat a food that I have intentionally been avoiding, I don’t beat myself up about it…but rather use it as a time to see what that type of food does to my body. Maybe I’ll test before eating it, and then again a couple hours after. Perhaps I conclude that eating that food doesn’t really affect me as much as I had suspected…or maybe it really affects my blood glucose levels and should be cut.
When it comes to diabetes education, I never found an abstinence-only approach to carbohydrates helpful. I do limit my carb-intake, but I’m nowhere as strict as some of the ultra, ultra low-carb folks. I have figured out a balance that allows me to have control over my glucose levels, while also allowing me to stay happy and sane. That balance is unique to the individual…and takes experimentation and trial-and-error to find.
It’s a journey, and I think it says a lot about you and your dedication that you chose an online forum as one of your first stops. Keep asking questions and keep exploring. You are not alone. 
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The thing about glucose meters is the cost of the test strips that they use. That along with their accuracy. Walmart sells their “RelyOn” meter which I am told is very accurate and uses inexpensive test strips. You need a meter. Trying to do this without one is like trying to drive across the country with your windshield painted black.
You asked about food and spices. The important thing about the food you choose is that you understand how it affects your blood sugar. Be patient and experiment using your meter. There are a lot of places to get really good information about different foods and recipes. Find the stuff that you like.
As for spices, the only thing you want to be careful of his commercial blends. Even when you read the label there can be unlisted ingredients that may be problematic. Other than that I cannot think of any herbs or spices used in cooking that you need to avoid. In fact, they are your best friend as they can create more variety of flavor for you on a restricted diet.
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Thanks and I am sure the first trip to the grocery store trying to find stuff that does not affect our diabetic diet is going to be a tough one.
Yeah but if our doctor did not feel the need to give us one or tell us that we need one. Do we really need one?
Your blood glucose metabolism is impaired. Food plays a huge role in how your body controls blood glucose. A meter will light the way toward better food decisions.
You may choose to think that actual blood sugar numbers are not that important. You’ve chosen, however, to seek the experience of your peers by interacting here. My opinion about monitoring blood glucose numbers in people with diabetes is not an outlier. I would be surprised with any disagreement with my position. Perhaps you need to read other’s take on this issue.
Are you fearful to prick your finger for a blood sample? That’s a reasonable fear. We can help with that.
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I agree that a meter is a good thing. How am I doing ? A meter tells you how you are doing.
Here is a list of some of the dangerous things to eat.
Chicken is great, but when they put breading on it, the breading itself is a carb. We count the carbs by estimating the amount of the breading.
French fries are delicious, but we try to eat small portions of them, because potatoes are carbs. If I eat some fries, I do not eat the hamburger bun, rather I eat the burger and it’s accoutrements with a knife and fork. Put the bread on your napkin.
Shrimp are fun, but when they dip it in batter, we have to count the carbs in the batter. And sauces in restaurants are full of sugar. Be careful.
Cokes and Pepsis have loads of sugar in them. Stick to the diet versions of those drinks.
A sandwich for lunch is almost always accompanied by potato chips. Either eat the bread or eat the chips. Do not eat both. A lot of the time, it is a compromise.
Some people use Campbell soups as a base for casseroles or pot pies. The label on the back is for one serving. There are 2.5 serving per can. All those soups have a lot of carbs.
Pancakes are bread. They are full of carbs. The maple syrup is full of sugar. I’m sorry that I have to be the one to tell you to avoid these dangerous foods.
Pumpkin pie is the worst. The crust is full of carbs and the sweet potato is full of carbs. Cakes and pies and pastries are danger traps.
Apples are great, but an apple pie has added sugar. Peaches are delicious, but cobblers have sugar added. Oatmeal with mulled cherries and cream are delicious, but we must count the carbs in the oats and the sugar in the cherries. Small portions may be the idea here.
Mexican restaurants are difficult. Chips and flour tortillas and beans and rice. We have to count all these carbs, because our numbers (the amount of glucose in our blood) skyrockets in a Mexican restaurant.
Don’t be afraid to eat. Just eat intelligently. It is an adventure. We are pulling for you.
I think a meter is extremely important. The more information you have the better. I test anywhere from 10 to 15 or more times a day, to figure out what is going on and determine what foods are less likely to cause a rise in blood sugar. Also it tells you how well the medication is or isn’t working. I wasn’t thrilled about sticking my fingers, but the lancets are very thin and the meters use a small drop of blood. My doctor didn’t seem to think testing was all that important and restricted me to three strips a day. I am on insulin so he was incredibly wrong in my opinion. The Relion Meter at Walmart is great and the strips are $9.00 for 50. Also as many have stated, Carb counting is so important. I wish you every success in managing diabetes.
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