A lot of special occasions are centered around food, to name a few: birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Most people will anticipate the eating and the celebration of these holidays. But when you are diagnosed with diabetes, these can be stressful times because you want to partake in all the good foods, but most of the times the menus aren’t developed with a diabetic in mind. But there is good news: you can adjust your diabetic menu for special occasions so you can enjoy some of the treats as long as the frequency of the events is not too often.

The most difficult part when you are preparing for one of these occasions is not knowing what will be served. If you find yourself in this position you can make a call to your host or hostess. They won’t mind you asking, especially with the dietary needs you need to take into consideration. When you know what will be served you can plan the meals for that day accordingly. You might like to have fewer carbohydrates with your breakfast and snacks so you can enjoy the extra ones you will be having at the birthday party where pizza is served.

Another possibility is offering to bring a dish everyone can enjoy. Make something that’s a treat for you, but follow the guidelines of your diabetic menu.

Be creative when you are making family favorites and traditions with less fat or sugar. Substitute regular sugar for sugar substitutes or use whole wheat flour instead of white for extra fibers.

Be sure to closely monitor your blood sugars during the holidays. Even with taking extra care you can have a blood sugar that is too high or low because of the changes in your diet.

Recipe for Diabetic Egg Nog

1 1/2 c. milk
5 sucaryl tablets
4 eggs, beaten well
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix these ingredients well together.