When I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I started to stress about what I was going to eat and if my normal weekly meals would be bad for my blood sugar. With two very active boys, being pregnant, and teaching high school math, this left very little time to think about nutrition and meals. I hope my favorite go-to snacks help you find some good snacks to eat with gestational diabetes.
This information is solely based on my own experiences and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult your doctor for personal guidelines.
Snacks for Gestational Diabetes
I had no clue what types of foods were better to eat when trying to manage gestational diabetes other than the obvious – SUGAR.
Google became my new best friend for tips on how to eat and manage gestational diabetes. However, this was overwhelming because of all the differing advice out there! I found it is important to maintain consistent carbohydrates while pregnant because you still need carbs. You want to make sure you are getting whole grains, fiber, and protein with carbohydrates in order to slow absorption to not spike your blood sugar.
Foods that are low on the glycemic index are less likely to raise blood sugar quickly. I made a point to stay away from simple carbohydrates like sodas and desserts because they break down faster than complex carbohydrates found in vegetables, whole grains, and fruit.
With all of the information I gained in my research, I felt it was important to condense it into goals. I set relatively simple goals when it came to eating meals and snacks throughout the day.
My goals for eating snacks with gestational diabetes:
- Eat 3 lighter meals and 2 snacks
- Aim for 30–45 grams of carbs for each meal
- Aim for 15–30 grams carbs for each snack
- Stay away from simple carbs
- Only drink water or sparkling water
With these goals in mind, it helped me stay focused.
I learned a lot about reading food labels and what to look for in foods to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.
You can use apps like My Fitness Pal to keep track of nutritional information and track your carbohydrate intake. My doctor requested to see my food logs and glucose levels one hour after each meal/snack. It was easier for me to to give my doctor a paper copy.
Check out 9 Things I Wish I Knew About Gestational Diabetes and scroll down for a free printable glucose tracker sheet!
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The Nutritional Facts given below may vary based on brand and serving size. Please review nutritional information for your specific products with a licensed dietician.
Snack 1: Fruit, Yogurt, and Granola
I opted for plain Greek yogurt because of the lower sugar content. Fruits are really good for you and berries are some of the lower glycemic fruits. I really wanted to add some crunch and extra flavors to this snack because I went with plain yogurt.
Not all foods are created equal. Granola is a prime example because of the wide range of nutritional values found in different brands – some had a lot of added sugars!
Read the labels carefully and look at the serving size.
The KIND Cinnamon Oat granola with protein was one of my favorites because of the flavor, super whole grains, and added flax seeds.
- Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt (5.3 oz) – 6 grams carbs
- KIND Cinnamon Oat Granola (2 Tbsp) – 7 grams carbs
- Strawberries (5) – 4 grams carbs
- Blackberries (1/2 cup) – 3.5 grams carbs
- Raspberries (1/2 cup) – 2 grams carbs
22.5 Grams Total Carbs
Snack 2: Hummus and Vegetables
You can never go wrong with a little hummus and veggies. There are so many yummy hummus flavors like everything bagel, spicy, greek, caramelized onion, and spinach artichoke. They all have about 4 grams of carbs per a 2 Tbsp serving.
I really love veggies and I usually keep sweet peppers, carrots, celery, and broccoli on hand. Throw in a few pita chips for added crunch, but feel free to omit them if they add too many carbs.
- Sabra Hummus (3 Tbsp) – 6 grams carbs
- Sweet Peppers (1/4 cup) – 2 grams carbs
- Baby carrots (1/4 cup) – 3 grams carbs
- Celery (1/4 cup) – 1 gram carbs
- Broccoli (1/2 cup) – 3 grams carbs
- Pita Chip/Bread (5 chips/14 grams) – 9 grams carbs
24 Grams Total Carbs
Snack 3: Apples and Peanut Butter
Apples and peanut butter was definitely one of my guilty pleasures. I ate this snack almost daily. Several years ago, I was told I couldn’t have caffeine anymore due to a medical diagnosis. I found that apples provided the perfect natural pick me up in the middle of the day when I was getting sluggish.
Apples have a bit more natural sugars than other fruits, but they are still low on the glycemic scale. Peanut butter is my favorite nut butter, but you can experiment with other nut butters like almond and cashew. The natural nut butters have less added sugar.
- Apple (1 small) – 21 grams carbs
- Smucker’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (2 Tbsp) – 7 grams carbs
28 Grams Total Carbs
Snack 4: Cheese and Crackers
This is a fun snack because of the different combinations of cheeses and crackers you can make with it. The possibilities are endless! You can also experiment with toppings like sliced jalapenos, tomatoes, cucumbers, or even fruits. Your tastebuds are in for a treat.
- Pepper Jack Cheese (2 slices) – 0 grams carbs
- Whole Grain Crackers (8 crackers) – 16 grams carbs (I really like these crackers!)
- Sliced Vegetable topping like jalapeno, tomato, or cucumber (8 slices) – 1 gram carbs
17 Grams Total Carbs
Snack 5: Hard Boiled Egg and Grapes
- Hard Boiled Egg (1) – 0.5 gram carbs
- Grapes (1 cup) – 16 grams carbs
16.5 Grams Total Carbs
Snack 6: Trail Mix and Cheese Stick
- Power Up Protein Packed Trail Mix (1/4 cup) – 18 grams carbs
- Sargento Mozzarella Cheese Stick (1 stick) – 0 grams carbs
18 Grams Total Carbs
Sparkling Water
When I was first introduced to sparkling water, I was not a fan. It reminded me of Alka-Seltzer. Everyone talked about how La Croix Pamplemousse was the best flavor. In 2018, at my son’s first birthday party, I gave it a try.
I could not finish the drink–it was that awful.
It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes three years later that I decided to give sparkling water another try. This time I researched flavors and brands. I really wish sample packs were more common so we can try a little bit of all the flavors instead of going in fully committed with an 8–12 pack of one flavor.
I felt a little crazy buying several cases of sparkling water, but I had to get a good sample.
Out of all the drinks I tried, I found some favorites (listed below) and to my surprise, they turned into my guilty pleasure throughout my pregnancy. I often found my husband and children sneaking a drink!
- La Croix Limoncello
- Bubly Lime
- Perrier Cucumber with a hint of Lime
- Bubly Blackberry
- Waterloo Strawberry
- AHA Peach Honey
I hope you found a snack that will help with meal prep that you enjoy. Snacks helped regulate my blood sugar and keep me energized throughout the day. These snacks were also easy to make and eat without feeling like there was more on my plate (ha! no pun intended).
Be sure to check your blood sugar after snacks also. Once I knew how my body responded to different foods, I felt better about what I was eating.
Free Download: Glucose Tracker
Do you have favorite snacks for gestational diabetes? I would love to hear what they are in the comments.
