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For holiday meals, which of the following is true for you when preparing food dishes and counting carbs for these meals? Select all that apply to you!
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Because of my T1D and my celiac disease, I eat the same types of foods that I usually eat; turkey, vegetables, squash and/or potatoes. I don’t eat stuffing, cranberry sauce or anything unusual. I follow a strict gluten free diet. I don’t want any surprises.
First, it’s a holiday and they are meant for enjoying while keeping tabs. I can’t bolus for over 90 carbs at a time or I will go low before I go high. So, I bolus for 90, raise my basal rate, bolus again about an hour later for about 2 units, and then check it in about 2.5 hours. I host 17 people and everyone brings. I’m usually sick of the smell by the time I get everyone taken care of, so I usually do not overeat (did that one year, had to get on a plane sick as a dog – won’t do that again). But I do have dessert and that alone will do me in. Enjoy everyone! For those with lots of people coming, stay safe. For those of you alone who like it fine that way, enjoy the rest. For those of you alone not out of choice, we send our prayers and blessings and want you to reach out to all of us here. You are never alone when you have us. Stay strong!!
Makes so much sense. Thanks Patrica
I now eat one meral a day and the same few inggredients every day…I no longeroarticipate in eating with anyone else.
There is no one answer that covers the spectrum. At home, I use MyNetDiary(D) to count carbs. When out or at friends, I estimate my best; some folks try to tell you what’s in it, but often don’t know the impacts of various foods the way a person with T1/T2 does. In those cases, I bolus what seems reasonable, then eat more or apply a correction (usually the later) as needed 1-2 hours or so afterward. There’s always enough carbs present that I shouldn’t have to compensate for fat/protein, but I find it impacts me later anyway.
I don’t treat Thanksgiving any differently than any other meal. I estimate carbs, bolus as usual and adjust layer if needed.
I am traveling with my single son, out of state to my daughter’s house today. It is so difficult for me at the age of 73 to be sure I am taking everything that I need, that I have prepared, and that I have planned for in advance. But Thanksgiving was cancelled last year during the pandemic, and I want to be together with my family of 9 people and 2 dogs. We were not meant to live in a cave with T1D, find JOY in each day because we never get that day back. Happy Thanksgiving to my T1D friends 2021
I usually cook for 12, so I always have plain green beans, salad, and turkey as well as all the other stuff . I eat the turkey, green beans, salad and a few sweet potatoes. A tiny slice of pumpkin pie for dessert, no crust as I have celiac too. Works for me! 60 years with T1d. No complications.
In the past, I would just give a large bolus and adjust later. I really don’t count carbs. This Thanksgiving because of the pandemic, we (my husband and I) will be enjoying take out from a friend’s restaurant. There will be plenty of good food and I will be grateful for a lot of things. Recently a family, who are friends, lost both their grandparents and Mom was very sick, all from CoVid. They were antivax and paid a very dear price. Please, anyone reading this, be very careful over these holidays. After my dinner, I plan a long walk all bundled up on the beach near me during low tide. It is so beautiful out there.
With my ultra rapid acting inhaled insulin I just wait till my CGM starts going about 110mg/dl. This stuff works so fast that I rarely top over 160mg/dl.
For me, holidays are for enjoying and for taking a little bit of time to feel stress-free and unburdened by T1D. We usually start around 2 pm and keep eating (appetizers, dinner, dessert.) I’ll give several small boluses throughout as well as bumping up my basal. I put zero pressure on myself to stay perfectly in range on holidays.
Thanksgiving is my favorite. I guess on the carbs and adjust if needed. My only concession to T1D is no second helpings of the stuff high in carbs. Take that back, I also wait a few hours to eat dessert. Pre-T1D, I would eat until I felt like I couldn’t swallow another bite, and for my size, that is a lot.
I’m not a big meal eater and I always stick with protein and vegetables I usually only take a small portion of potatoes and no desserts I usually don’t run into a problem but if I do. it’s not too bad.
I normally bonus for what I can figure out by looking and then readjust later if I need to
In the past we attended large family dinners. I would bring fresh fruit and/or a relish tray of fresh vegetables to add a healthy option. COVID-19 has prevented family get-togethers for us since then. This year it’s just the two of us, and as I’m the cook, it’ll be much easier to guess estimate on the carbs.
I do count the carbs and give bolus, which is “iffy” for Thanksgiving, so I check my BG 2 hrs. later in case I need a correction.
I don’t prepare Any holiday meals. I stick to my normal food intake routine. The stress that comes with the holidays are enough to take extra bolus of and in itself…
Holidays for me are the same as every day – I eat what I want and then spend the next day bringing my BS down. Of course, I conservatively estimate what I need for the fast acting insulin at meal time, and let myself be high and continuing corrections every 2 hours. Probably not the the best way but hey – A1C averages around 6.3 for the last 11 years.
Food is food is food and “holiday” dishes are fairly predictable and easily measured, though holiday fare as a whole meal tends to be higher in carbohydrates than my usual daily fare.
I will plan a walk before and after the meal. Probably eat some stuffing but skip potatoes. Will estimate carbs the best I can and make corrections as necessary.
I always ask what is in a dish no matter how simple it looks as sugar can be added to absolutely anything. In the last twenty some years of diabetes: I eat the foods that are easy to measure with my scale or don’t need to be. We bring our own dishes. If I don’t have my scale, I will still guess at potatoes but can be quite off. My taste buds no longer like desserts and my stomach keeps reducing the size of meals it takes.
I am fairly confident in my ability to count carbs, however, I always add extra insulin because there are going to be extra carbs that I don’t realize are in the food, just as I do when eating at a restaurant.
I do my best to “guestimate” carbs, but rely on my Dexcom & Tandem insulin pump with Control IQ to keep me in range.
I am selective and sensible about what I choose to eat at holiday meals. When eating with others, I often prepare and bring an innovative and healthy dish made with fresh and wholesome ingredients that everyone can enjoy.
What is a holiday meal?
I have always hosted the Thanksgiving Holiday for my extended family. Everyone brings a dish, but I am in charge of the main items. That way there are always quite a few dishes that I can comfortably eat.