Snacks That Keep You On-Track to Prevent Diabetes

Finding healthy snacks for preventing diabetes can be challenging, especially when trying to find foods that can help you maintain a healthy A1c, prevent blood sugar spikes, follow your diabetes prevention diet, and feel full until dinner. That's why Lark has assembled this printable guide for prediabetic snack ideas for the morning, afternoon and evening, so you can find the best snacks for diabetics. 

Morning

Goal: Your morning snack can keep you going until lunchtime as you take advantage of what are often the most productive hours of the day.

Strategy: This might be a good time to focus on fiber and protein to help maintain that productivity. Oatmeal with a small amount of fruit is a good choice, you can also go the savory route and have a cooked egg on top! This may also be a good time for a square of 90 to 100% dark chocolate to give yourself a treat and allow plenty of time for the caffeine to wear off before bedtime.

Snacks:

• 3/4 cup peach slices mixed into 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup strawberries with 1/2 ounce of nuts
• 1 cup of carrots or other vegetables with 2 tablespoons of hummus
• 1 ounce of dark chocolate, (optional) melted and spread on a whole-grain mini bagel
• 1 ounce of dark chocolate, melted and blended with fat-free cream cheese, with apple slices dipped in it
• Egg salad with 1 hard-boiled egg, plain yogurt, dill, mustard, and chopped onion, and bell peppers
• 1 slice whole-grain toast with hummus or fat-free cream cheese, lettuce, and tomato

Afternoon

Goal: Whether you are trying to stay awake during high-powered work meetings or being a chauffeur and personal assistant to four children, your afternoon snack needs to keep you at the top of your game.

Strategy: Too many carbs and unhealthy fats can weigh you down and make you sleepy, but healthy fats can boost your brain function and powers of concentration. Add a bit of protein and some fiber from healthy carbs to stay full and satisfied and keep your blood sugar even, which is great for those watching their blood sugar.

Snacks:

• 1/2 cup fat-free refried beans with 1 oz. melted cheddar or jack cheese and/or 2 slices of avocado
• Celery sticks with tuna salad made with plain yogurt, sliced olives, chopped celery, and lemon juice
• 1/2 to 1 cup of bean salad with green beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, black beans, chopped onion and green pepper, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and olive oil
• 1 orange and a string cheese stick
• Baked carrot or sweet potato fries drizzled with olive oil
• 1 piece of whole-grain bread with canned salmon and chopped tomato

Evening

Goal: A good evening snack for diabetics can help prevent overnight hypoglycemia, or unhealthy drops in blood sugar. Some carefully-chosen foods can also help you feel sleepy as the evening wears on towards bedtime.

Strategy:  Have a few low-glycemic carbs to prevent sugar from dropping overnight, but not too much. Avoid anything too heavy or greasy because those foods can interfere with sleep. Include a bit of protein, and consider walnuts, peanuts, bananas, oats, and tomatoes, since those foods may boost your body's production of melatonin and may help you sleep better.

Snacks: milk/dairy

• Portobella mushroom pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese
• 1 packet plain oatmeal with 1/2 ounce of walnuts
• 1/2 to 1 banana with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded wheat or bran flakes in 1 cup milk

It is not so difficult to have filling snacks on hand that can save calories and improve your nutrition. Eating well can be the most important step you take in preventing diabetes, so do what you can to eat well. Lark DPP can give you tips and keep you aware of what you are eating so good choices become habits.