Potluck Diet Strategies for People with Diabetes

Potlucks are notorious for having all types of tempting food. As a diabetic, a potluck can be a great time of food and fun, or it can challenge your health. How can you attend a potluck and enjoy yourself, while still managing your diabetes? Learn these diabetic diet strategies, and you can attend a potluck with confidence.

Eat Before You Eat

This may sound a bit silly, but if you eat something at home before you leave for the gathering, you will not be as hungry when you finally get into the food line. Being ravenous and attending a potluck are not good playmates. You'll end up grabbing all the sugar and white flour delicacies you can find, for a quick fix. You know how disastrous that would be.

Slow Your Eating Down

If you eat more slowly, you can stretch your eating over an hour or more, giving your brain time to register that you're full. In addition, if you slow down your eating, you have more opportunity to visit. After all, isn't visiting half the fun of a potluck?

Choose Nutrients Wisely

Not all food is equal when it comes to nutrient content. Vegetables, especially the leafy kind, are loaded with nutrients. If you focus on the greens with a sizeable salad, you'll have less room on your plate and in your stomach for other foods that may not be as nutrient dense.

Take a Healthy Dish

Have you noticed how few vegetable trays or vegetable dishes there are at potlucks? For some reason--maybe because of cost--the vegetables are not well-represented. Since vegetables are a key player in your diabetes management, why not take vegetables to the potluck? When you take a fresh veggie tray or veggie dish that you can eat, you know there'll be something there for your diet plan.

Evaluate Carbohydrates

As you well know, not all carbohydrates are the same. As you move along the potluck food line, choose carbohydrates that will stay with you longer--ones that are whole-grain. Go for a wheat roll, rather than a white roll. Choose barley or brown rice casseroles over white rice dishes. Try to keep your carbohydrate servings to no more than 2-3 half-cup servings for the whole meal.

Because ingredients are expensive and there are many mouths to feed at a potluck, cooks often go for the cheaper carbohydrates--ones that are fiber-deficient or full of white flour. But if you take a dish that's diabetic-safe, you best plan for a crowd. Many health-conscious folks are changing their way of eating, and they'll be glad that you've brought something they can eat with confidence too.

Drink Calorie-Free Drinks

Plan to drink water or bring you own calorie-free drink, just in case. Chances are there will be punch or lemonade at the potluck, but it will most likely be sugar-laden. If you're a tea or coffee drinker, you might find these beverages at a potluck, but if you use sugar substitutes in your hot beverages, you may not find them available. It's wise to carry a few extra packets in a purse or pocket.

With these suggestions, you can attend a potluck with assurance that you'll be able to manage your diabetes while enjoying good food and good company.