Check out new recipes in cookbooks and magazines
It can help to search for a variety of foods—different fruits and vegetables and different grains—as well as cookbooks and magazines that offer recipes geared toward people with diabetes, says LuAnn Berry, RD, a certified diabetes educator at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
"The other advantage to the cookbooks and magazine recipes," says Berry, "is that they will have appropriate serving sizes, and likely be lower in fat and sodium than other recipes might be."
People tend to eat the same foods all the time. Try not to get caught in a rut, she recommends.
Does your town have an Asian or organic market? Try out new vegetables and fruits and search out recipes to use them in online. Try different grains—or wild rice, that will help stave the boredom.
In fact, a shopping trip may be just what you need, says Nora Saul, a certified diabetes educator and a dietitian for the adult diabetes division at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston
Supermarkets such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods often have fruits, vegetables and crackers to taste (make sure you count up what you've eaten, or go at lunch time and make a meal of the tastes, plus a green salad and fat free dressing).
Or, go when you're not hungry, but feeling adventurous and spend some time looking at grains, fruits, even sushi to see what tastes satisfy your craving and your eating plan.
Plan meals and snacks ahead of time
"We recommend planning ahead—perhaps a week's worth of food and snacks—figuring out what you'll have and even doing most or all of the shopping before hand," says Berry, "That way, the thinking part is done, and when it's time to eat you can look at your list and eat the foods you've designated."
Williams plans her snacks, which consist of almonds with cashews and potato chips made from baked slices of sweet potatoes.
"It's my version of a Pringle and I'm not unhappy. That's key. I can't be unhappy," Williams said. "What we really want is flavor and texture. It's my right for it to be flavorful and fun."
Saul recommends a treat now and then—such as child size scoop of ice cream, or a single cookie as a reward for having stuck to a food plan. But you need to know yourself, says Saul. If you can't "eat just one," you might need other reward options, such as a shopping spree, massage or movie night with a friend.
Instead of ice cream, Williams has a low-calorie lemonade, fresh from the freezer so it's frosty and has the consistency of ice cream. Or she combines berries, a bit of heavy cream and a lot of ice.
"I tell myself this is ice cream, and I'm very happy," she says.
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