Practical guidelines and national minimum standards exist of the provision of meals in residential and nursing homes. These guidelines are relevant and should be applied to the resident with diabetes too. 

Consideration should be made, for example, to timing of medication and meals, the availability of snacks, and flexibility and frequency of meals.

Breakfast

All breakfast cereals are fine. More filling choices include porridge, All Bran or fruit and fibre.  Adding fruit helps to notch up a portion towards the five-a-day target early in the day. Any kind of fruit can be used and it can be fresh, frozen, stewed, canned or dried. 

A small glass of unsweetened fruit juice or smoothie can count too, but no matter how much is drunk, fruit juice can only count as one portion in any one day. Some people find it affects blood glucose levels quickly so it’s not the best choice for quenching thirst.

Bread, toast, bread muffins and crumpets are a good alternative to cereal. All are fine, but wholegrain and granary versions are better for helping people with diabetes feel fuller for longer. Ordinary jams and marmalades or reduced sugar versions are okay too.

Main meals

Using the plate as a rough guide will help you to provide foods in the recommended proportions (see below).

Light meals

Ensuring that residents also have a light meal helps to control appetite as well as diabetes. Lean meat, fish, eggs, beans, pulses, soups and salads are all good choices. Provide these with granary bread, toast, pitta bread, jacket potatoes, pasta or rice. For a better balance, add some extra salad and follow lunch with a piece of fruit or a low fat or diet yogurt.

Snacks

Remember that extra snacks can pile on extra calories so make fruit or a diet/low fat yogurt the choice of snack wherever possible. For some people with diabetes on certain diabetes medication, snacks are essential – check with your resident’s healthcare team about whether this applies to them.

Reviewed March 2010
Next review September 2011