Help have a positive impact on those with health considerations when donating to the food bank!
While many stores have pre-packaged kits for donating to the food bank to make donating easier and more convenient, the foods within those kits may not contain the healthiest choices for those people accessing these donations when they have diabetes. People living with diabetes must ensure they are eating a diet lower on the glycemic level to help prevent their blood sugars from increasing. Below are some ideas of foods you can look for at your local grocery store that will help ensure those with diabetes have the healthiest options available.
Vegetables & Fruit
- Sodium-reduced tomato sauce
- No-salt-added canned vegetables (Fun Fact: Canned spinach is a fantastic way to add extra green to your diet by throwing some into things like chili, soups, and spaghetti sauce!)
- Fruit canned in water
- Fruit cups with no added sugar
- Unsweetened apple sauce
- Low sodium vegetable soups and chilies
Whole Grains
- Oats and unsweetened “regular” or “natural” oatmeal, steel cut oats
- Pot barley
- Quinoa
- Couscous
- Buckwheat
- Whole grain flour
- Whole grain or high fiber pasta
- Bran cereals such as Bran Buds or All Bran (Fun Fact: Bran Flakes are actually high on the glycemic index)
- Whole grain pasta
- Brown rice
- Wild Rice
- Converted or Parboiled Rice
- Rye Crisp Crackers
- Stoned Wheat Crackers
Protein
- Canned tuna, salmon or sardines packed in water instead of oil
- Canned chicken
- Canned no-salt-added chickpeas, lentils and beans
- Dry peas, beans and lentils
- Peanut butter or other nut butters
- Unsalted nuts, seeds or soy nuts
- Skim milk powder
- Evaporated milk
- Soy beverages in tetra pack containers
Other
- Low sodium broths
- Sweeteners like splenda, stevia, sugar twin, etc.
- Canned chicken
- Canned no-salt-added chickpeas, lentils and beans
- Dry peas, beans and lentils
- Peanut butter or other nut butters
- Unsalted nuts, seeds or soy nuts
- Skim milk powder
- Evaporated milk
- Soy beverages in tetra pack containers
