Grocery shopping tips
- Make a shopping list of items you need:
- Lots of whole grain products
- Mixture of colorful fruits and vegetables
- Low fat dairy products
- Lean meats (skinless chicken, lean beef) & alternatives
- Variety of foods – try new foods
- Choose healthy snacks from the five food groups (low fat yogurt, low fat granola bars, nuts &
- seeds, dried or canned fruit, whole grain crackers etc…)
- Do not grocery shop when you are hungry
- Read product labels carefully
- Leave the snack food aisle to last
- If you don’t need an aisle, avoid it
| Common nutrition claims | ||
The label says | The label means | Be aware |
No added sugar | No sugar has been added to the product | There may be a large amount of naturally occurring sugar in the product |
Sugar free | Less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving and less than 5 calories per serving |
|
Fat free | Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving | This does not mean calorie free |
Low fat | No more than 3 grams of fat per serving | Check the serving size. The product may not be low in total calories |
Fat reduced | Product must contain at least 25% less fat than the original product | The product may still be high in fat and total calories |
Cholesterol free | No more than 3 mg cholesterol per 100 gram serving | The product may still be high in hydrogenated and total fat |
Trans fat free | Less than 0.2 grams of trans fatty acid per serving | The product may still be high in total fat |
Light or lite | This can mean anything, e.g. light in colour, flavour, taste or fat | The product may not necessarily be low in fat or salt |
Label reading
Choose products with:
- Lower energy (kcal, kilojoules)
- Lower saturated fat and moderate total fat
- Lower sugar
- Lower sodium
- Higher fibre
Label reading tips
Is the food lower in fat, especially saturated fat?
Tip: Healthier options have less than 5g total fat per 100g or 5–10g total fat per 100g if saturated fat is less than 1/2 total fat
Is the food lower in salt (sodium)?
Tip: Healthier options have less than 450mg sodium per 100g. Low sodium foods have less than 120mg sodium per 100g
Is the food high in fibre?
Tip: Healthier options have more than 3g dietary fibre per 100g
Eating out
Pay attention to food choices and serving sizes •
Try to choose meals that:
- are lower in fat
- contain breads, cereals (preferably whole grains), vegetabes and/or fruits
- do not have a large amount of sugar added
- Limit dishes described as creamed, battered, crispy, pan fried
- Try a bread roll without butter
- Request for sauces/dressings on the side
- Order extra steamed vegetables without butter
- Share a dessert or ask for a small serving
- Ask for water before ordering other drinks
- Stay away from fruit juice
Eating on the run
- Plan ahead for snacks to help prevent a low blood sugar and curb hunger • Remember to carry glucose tablets/candies/juice to treat a low blood sugar
- Carry healthy snacks with you:
- Small piece of fruit
- 2-3 digestive biscuits
Blood sugar/glucose monitoring
Checking your blood glucose will:
- Provide a quick measurement of your blood glucose level at a given time
- Show you how your lifestyle and medication affect your blood glucose levels; and
- Help you and your diabetes healthcare team to make lifestyle and medication changes that will improve your blood glucose levels
| Target ranges | |||
| A1C | Fasting blood glucose/blood glucose before meals (mmol/L; mg/dl) | Blood glucose 2 hours after eating (mmol/L; mg/dl) |
Target for most people with diabetes | ≤ 7.0 % | 4 – 7; 70 – 130 | 5 -10; < 180 (5 – 8 if A1C targets not being met) |
Target for children < 6 years | < 8 % | 6 - 10; 110 - 180 | N/A |
Target for children 6-12 years | ≤ 7.5 % | 4 - 10; 70 - 180 | N/A |
Follow-up plan
You will have to…
- Monitor your blood sugar levels using a blood glucose meter
- Have your A1C levels tested every 3 months (or every 6 months if your blood sugar is consistently controlled)
- Regularly test your weight, blood pressure, kidney function, eyes, and cholesterol levels
- Watch for symptoms of low blood sugar (fatigue, hunger, confusion, shakiness, irritability) or high blood sugar (thirst, blurred vision, frequent urination), and note when and how often they occur
- Check your feet every day for cuts, bruises, sores, swelling, or redness
You should see your physician if…
- You are having trouble keeping your blood sugar under control
- You think you may be having side effects from your medication
- You are not sure how to use your medication
- You think you may have a complication from diabetes, such as a foot sore, eye problems, or heart problems
