Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
I just do my best to estimate (generally on the lower side) and make a correction at about 2 hours.
Anything I eat I adjust my dose for the carbs. Anywhere any time.
Plant based foods – fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans
I eat low carb burger w/cheese and adjust insulin as needed 2 hours later
I usually skip the bun so I can enjoy the other carb heavy foods. I estimate and add some insulin on top of my pump suggested dose, plus I use the extended bolus option to get that extra in insulin a couple hours later. I do a separate bolus for any dessert I may eat.
Of the foods listed, burgers – no buns. Otherwise I hang out at the raw veges and green salads if there are any.
Burgers and hot dogs…. No buns.
I selected hot dogs and burgers. Just read the package and you know the carb content. I see others chose the same, but didn’t use buns. That’s an option, too. All the other foods involve carb guessing.. One single corn on the cob can be reasonably estimated, but you still have to guess the size.
steak, chicken, beef if available. some watermelon for dessert.
Grilled chicken. Grilled veggies: zucchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers – all on a skewer.
I can no longer eat any “normal” food. I have about6 items I can cover with the insulin for one meal a day.
I indicated hotdogs and hamburger but of the healthy variety and without a bun. Apart from that the rest on that list are carb laden so I stay away from those.
Thankfully with the modern technology anything can be eaten within moderation. The key is portion control and insulin adjustment and if you have a pump using the tools to extend the bolus or whatever works for you
Personally I skip the buns for a grilled hotdog or hamburger. At home I make my own coleslaw and potato salad (including the dressings) with lots of fresh herbs & veggies, and lower carb pasta in a mac salad. If going to someone else’s cookout I bring a salad with fresh vegetables or fruit and other wholesome ingredients.
I listed corn and burgers, all the other foods can vary so much because of the recipe used. The fresh corn on the cob that’s available at farmers’ markets and local groceries I guess estimate at 24 to 26 g of carbs. It’s a wonderful seasonal treat. The 3 oz. ground chuck burgers that I make are just the right size, no added ingredients necessary. It’s a totally different story if the food is already prepared (restaurant, deli) or made by one of my sister-in-laws who adds butter, cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream to almost everything. If the buns come in packages, I read the carb count and keep in mind portion size. My confidence level all depends on the source of the food, the way it’s prepared and the time it’s served.
None. T1D with dkd. No burgers or hotdogs for me, or any of the carbs listed. Doesn’t matter how I bolus, all those listed will spike me, eventually returning to my range. Grilled chicken and veggies.
Cheeseburger and coleslaw were the only things listed that I would eat. I don’t have any problems with a bolus to cover the bun, I use ketchup that’s sugar free.
I was uncertain what cookout referred to; outside in the backyard or at a restaurant. I chose coleslaw as it has the least amount of carbs.
If I were eating in my backyard or at a picnic with my own food, I would also be good with potato salad and corn as these are part of my diet, I know the ingredients/ or their carbs can be measured with an accessible scale.
The easy ones at the top of the list are simply not liked.
I can estimate hot dog and burger buns, and corn on the cob pretty accurately for my bolus. Coleslaw depends on the first bite…how sugary is it? Too many people add raisins and other sugary stuff, in which case I don’t eat it. Everything else is too risky. I keep an eye on my BG and correction bolus as needed! Plus there may be physical activity–badminton, swimming etc.
Since I also have Celiac disease, I would just have a hamburger patty and some potato salad and possibly some cole slaw.
If I ever eat red meat again, it’ll have to be free range and grass fed with no cancer-causing nitrite preservatives. Usually I just bring my own food to potlucks and barbecues. Restaurant food is just too high in sodium and hidden sugars and hydrogenated fats. Even ethnic restaurants sometimes adapt their healthy cuisines to American taste by adding sugars and/or too much salt.
I still read the food labels and have the Calorie King icon on my phone.