Cheating on Your Diabetes Diet: How to Splurge Safely

Following a diabetes-friendly eating plan can feel overwhelming, particularly when you’re first diagnosed. But whether you’re tweaking the way you eat for a couple weeks or you've been on a plan for 20 years, it's natural to crave foods you’re not supposed to be having. A diabetes diagnosis doesn’t mean you must forever cut yourself off from all restaurant meals, your favorite snacks, or the occasional dessert.

“People with diabetes don’t need to avoid their favorite foods,” says Grace DeRocha, RD, CDCES, who is based in Detroit. “Focus on being more intentional with your food choices, not restricted.”

Instead of labeling splurge meals and snacks as cheating, DeRocha says to flip the script: Focus on how to make fun foods fit into your plan in a balanced, positive way. Here’s how to get started.

Foods that have historically been considered splurges tend to be higher in carbohydrates and fat, such as pizza, desserts, burgers and fries, and snacks like potato chips.

“When someone with diabetes eats a large meal that’s high in carbohydrates, blood sugar levels typically rise as those carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream,” says Amy Kimberlain, RDN, CDCES, founder of Amy’s Nutrition Kitchen in Miami.

“This is why portion size, meal composition, and timing — along with medications or insulin when prescribed — all play a role in helping manage blood sugar after meals,” Kimberlain says. The following strategies can help you do just that.

If you’re thinking about having a carb-heavy meal or snack, DeRocha recommends pairing higher carb foods with foods that also contain protein or fiber. So if you want a slice of pizza, eat it with a side salad instead of garlic knots. For pasta, cook a whole-grain variety with lean protein (such as chicken or shrimp) and fiber-filled veggies. Even eating dessert after a balanced meal is more blood-sugar friendly than eating it on an empty stomach.

Smaller portions of any food — including more indulgent ones — contain fewer carbohydrates, which helps lower its impact on your blood sugar, says Kimberlain. Keep carbs in check by ordering a kid-sized ice cream cone, boxing up half your pasta entreé to take home, or ordering a side of pancakes with a veggie-filled omelet rather than a full stack.

Kimberlain also recommends looking at carbohydrate portions across an entire meal. For example, if you’re craving dessert, skip the bread you may normally serve with a piece of lean protein and a side of vegetables.

It’s not just what you eat — when you consume guilty-pleasure foods has a big impact on your blood sugar levels, too.

“Some people find it helpful to enjoy these types of meals earlier in the day when they’re more likely to be active afterward,” says Kimberlain.

If you’re heading to an office party where you know you’ll indulge in the spread, consider building a 10- to 15-minute walk into your schedule afterward.

Staying in tune to how your body reacts to food can help you figure out how and when to enjoy indulgent foods in the way that works best for you, says Kimberlain.

“Keep in mind that what works for you might not work for someone else,” she says. “Nutrition in diabetes management is so individualized.”

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you go off your plan with a snack or meal. However you define a cheat meal, higher-carb food choices don’t need to automatically come with guilt or shame.

“I often remind people that diabetes management isn’t about perfection — it’s about patterns over time,” says Kimberlain. “Everyone has meals that are a little more indulgent or don’t go exactly as planned, and those moments don’t mean you’ve failed or ruined anything.”

Embrace your failures and low points: The splurges you couldn’t resist can help inform your future habits. “I encourage people to approach those situations with curiosity,” says Kimberlain, who recommends asking yourself the following questions the next time this comes up:

• What did I enjoy?
• How did my blood sugar respond?
• Is there anything I’d do differently next time?

Kimberlain notes that learning from your own behavioral patterns makes healthy eating more sustainable. By prioritizing realism over restriction, you're more likely to achieve long-term success.

You should also be especially careful of other factors that can affect your sensitivity to insulin in the hours before and after your meal, such as alcohol, sleep patterns, and exercise.

• It’s natural to want to splurge and eat carb-heavy and fatty foods from time to time. If you’re living with diabetes, moderation may be the best strategy and may even help with long-term dietary success, since it prioritizes realism over restriction.
• Rich high-carb foods like pizza, burgers, fries, and desserts can cause significant blood sugar spikes and physical lethargy, and they also contribute to your long-term health risks.
• To splurge safely, pair carbohydrates with protein or fiber to slow digestion, choose smaller portions, and exercise after eating to help your body more efficiently process glucose.
• People who use mealtime insulin should plan their splurges ahead so they’re able to monitor and manage their blood sugar levels after the meal.