Summer eating and diabetes

When the weather’s nicer and the evenings are longer, we’re often eating and drinking outside – enjoying barbecues, picnics, parties, festivals and days out at the beach with family and friends.  

But if you live with diabetes, you might have some worries about summer eating and drinking – from how to navigate less healthy food options, how to manage how much you eat and drink, and dealing with fluctuations in your blood sugar levels caused by the heat. 

Having diabetes doesn’t stop you from enjoying parties, barbecues, picnics and festivals and our top tips and healthy swaps will help you feel more confident in your diabetes management while enjoying the summer season.  

On this page:

• Diabetes and the heat 
• Changes in activity levels 
• Changes in routine 
• Keep hydrated 
• Top eating tips
• How to make healthier swaps 
• Picnic recipe ideas 
• Barbecue recipe ideas 

Diabetes and the heat 

If you use insulin, it will be absorbed more quickly from the injection site in warm weather. This increases the risk of hypos, so check your levels more often. 

Insulin is damaged in the heat, so keep it in the fridge or a cool bag, making sure it doesn’t freeze. You can buy portable insulin protectors from our online shop. 

The heat can also affect your blood glucose meter and test strips. Keep them as close to normal room temperature as possible and out of direct sunlight. Don’t keep them in the fridge as cold temperatures can also lead to misleading results. 

If you have neuropathy, you may not be aware when your feet are burning, so apply sunscreen and wear flip-flops on hot ground. 

Changes in activity levels 

If you’re sitting around at the beach or by the pool, and are normally active, this could affect your diabetes management and make your blood sugar levels higher than usual, So, check regularly and be ready to adjust what you eat or the amount of insulin you need to take. 

Changes in routine 

If the timing of a barbecue or picnic means you’ll be eating later or earlier than usual, you might need to adjust the timing of your insulin dose and have a carb-containing snack, such as a piece of fruit, a pot of yoghurt or slice of bread to prevent a hypo. Speak to your diabetes team if you are unsure about how to manage your blood sugar levels.   

Keep hydrated 

In hot weather, there’s a higher risk of dehydration, so drink plenty of water or sugar free soft drinks. If you are drinking alcohol, keep to safe alcohol guidelines, alternate with non-alcoholic drinks and use sugar-free mixers. 

Top eating tips

1. Be careful of falling into the habit of grazing all day long. You are less likely to feel satisfied and may end up eating more than you planned to.  
2. Take a plate and pile half of it with tasty salad veg and dress with a lower-sugar dressing. One option is to divide the other half in two between protein – in the form of lean meat, or vegetarian meat alternatives, fish, beans and pulses - and carbs, such as wholemeal pasta or wholemeal bread. You can purchase a plate from our online shop, which gives you guidance on portion sizes.    
3. If you have type 1 diabetes and are carb counting, you may find it useful to read up on the carb content of carb-containing foods that are likely to be served at the party. Check the food labels when you get there, but if food is not packaged, resources like our Carb and Cals Guide – or an app on your phone might be useful. This advice is also helpful for people with type 2 diabetes who are keeping an eye on diet, too.  
4. Don’t forget that food high in fat such as some dips, mayonnaise, crisps and sausage rolls, can slow down the absorption of carbohydrate into your blood stream, so take this into consideration when working out your insulin doses and when to inject. Speak to your diabetes healthcare team if you are unsure how to manage your blood sugar levels.  
5. Keep portion sizes in mind. Some people find it useful to gauge their portion sizes using their hand. As a guideline, a suggested portion of cooked meat would be the size of your palm or for fats like oil or butter the size of your thumb.  
6. Occasional treats such as ice cream, cakes or crisps shouldn’t affect your diabetes management too much, but over time too many of these foods can affect your blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol, making it more difficult for people to manage their diabetes. If you do eat these foods, keep portion sizes small and try to only have them occasionally.  
7. Try making dishes from scratch at home, so you know what ingredients your dish contains, and you can be sure there will be something healthy at the party. Why not make a large colourful salad or a healthy coleslaw with a little reduced-fat mayo and unsweetened natural yogurt to take with you? Try these tasty, healthy recipes and tips for barbecues and picnics. 

How to make healthier swaps 

We’ve compiled 8 tips for healthy picnic and barbecue food, to make it easier to enjoy healthier options and keep your food choices on track:

1. Choose wholegrain varieties of starchy carbs such as brown rice or wholewheat pasta in salads and wholegrain bread for sandwiches. Leave the skin on new potatoes for some added fibre too.  
2. For cold meats, try leaner options such as chicken or turkey breast rather than salami or ham. 
3. Add crunch to sandwiches with extra veggies such as pepper, carrot, cucumber and lettuce. 
4. Use beans and pulses in a salad to up the protein content and to make it more filling. 
5. Swap treats high in sugar and fat such as cake and crisps for healthier alternatives – mixed nuts, fruit, popcorn and unsweetened yoghurts make great replacements. 
6. Sip on water flavoured with mint, lemon or fresh fruit like berries to stay hydrated. 
7. Make your own dips, dressings and marinades from scratch at home to avoid the potentially high fat, sugar and salt content from shop-bought varieties. 
8. From playing games to going for a walk, combine your picnic with some physical activity to maximise the health benefits. 

Picnic recipe ideas 

Why not try something new for your next picnic? Our recipe suggestions below have all been nutritionally analysed by dietitians, and are great options for a healthy, balanced diet. 

Try these recipes:

• Scandinavian pickled cucumber and salad sandwich
• Vegetable crisps
• Harissa tomato tarts 
• Healthy hummus 

Picnic safety tips 

• Reduce the opportunity for bacteria to multiply by keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Salads, dairy foods, cooked meats and rice-based salads, in particular, should be kept cool until needed. Be careful they aren’t left in direct sunlight. If you haven’t yet got one, invest in a cool bag and maybe some ice blocks too - they can be bought from most supermarkets. Be mindful about how long items are kept out of the fridge.  
• Keep the number of times a food bag or container is opened to a minimum to reduce contamination as the temperature will rise. 
• Rinse fresh fruit and veg under running tap water at home before packing them. 

Barbecue recipe ideas 

Meat and veggie kebabs 

Salmon, monkfish, scallops, large prawns, chicken pieces and tofu are ideal for skewers or kebabs as they stay intact. They cook quickly and are a healthy barbecue choice. Intersperse with chunks of vegetables for different texture and taste. 

TIP: To stop your bamboo skewers burning, soak them in water for an hour before threading with food. 

Try these recipes:

• Smoky chicken kebabs 
• Marinated tofu kebabs 
• Smoky tofu kebabs 

Fish 

Any seafood with delicate flesh, e.g. white fish, such as cod or haddock, may fall apart on a barbecue so make foil parcels and add veggies or beans for a complete meal. Whole sardines or mackerel are great barbecued or try mackerel fillets. 

Try these recipes:

• Fish parcels 
• Mackerel salsa wrap 
• Marinated monkfish 
• Squid skewers 

Vegetables 

Add lots of vegetables to your barbecue for that wonderful smoky taste and boost your five-a-day. 

Vegetables that need pre-cooking: 

• Butternut squash, carrots, beetroot, and cauliflower and broccoli florets. 

TIP: Boil or blanch until almost cooked, then plunge into cold water, drain and reserve. They’ll take just a couple of minutes to heat and get that lovely charred, smoky flavour. 

Vegetables that can go straight on the barbecue: 

• Aubergine and courgette slices, red onion wedges, fennel slices, asparagus spears, celery sticks, quarters of red, yellow or green peppers, baby corn, radicchio, mushrooms will all cook in under 10 minutes. 
• Once cooked, toss in either: chopped herbs and balsamic vinegar or; plain unsweetened yoghurt mixed with coriander, lemon juice, oregano and a little olive oil. 
• Corn on the cob is great, too. Either peeled or cooked in the husk, the outside leaves char but the inside kernels steam in their own juices. 

Starchy foods 

These include potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams and plantain. Pre-cook potatoes and sweet potatoes before barbecuing. Plantain and yams can be sliced and put straight on the barbecue. 

Try this recipe:

• Portobello mushroom burger 

Salads 

For a barbecue or picnic you’ll need some side salads. Try offering some of our tasty salads as a side dish to the grilled meats and veggie options. Of course, you can always make them into larger, main meals too. 

Try these recipes:

• Tabbouleh 

• Spinach, lemon and feta salad 

• Tomato, olive and asparagus salad 

• Citrus dressing 

Dips, dressings and marinades 

Shop bought dips and dressings can be high in salt, saturated fat and often have added free sugars. Here are some healthier dressings to drizzle over your favourite salads or to marinade lean meats and fish, which are easy to whip up. You just need something acidic like plain unsweetened yoghurt, lemon juice or vinegar, to combine with your favourite spices or herbs. 

TIP: Marinate in plastic food bags in the fridge for an hour, or overnight if you have time.  

Try making these simple marinades and dressings: 

• Mix 2 tbsp plain unsweetened natural yogurt with 2 heaped tsp curry powder (hot or mild). Great for chicken or lamb. 
• Mix together a dash of lime juice, a little chilli, some crushed garlic and grated fresh ginger. This works with any meats, fish or tofu. 
• Lemon mint vinaigrette: mix the juice of a lemon with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp freshly chopped mint leaves. 
• Light Caesar dressing: mix 2 heaped tbsp plain unsweetened yoghurt with 1 tsp Dijon mustard, a dash of lemon juice and 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan. 

TIP: Remember, if you’re packing them for a picnic, take the dressing in a separate container and drizzle over just before serving so the salad does not get too soggy.  

Desserts 

For desserts, bananas cooked in their skins and slices of pineapple are perfect for barbecues and can be popped straight on, to cook in a few minutes. Try experimenting with various combinations of fruit. If you are marinating fruit or wish to cook it in a sauce or with spices, simply wrap in tin foil. We've also included summer desserts for inspiration. 

Try these recipes:

• Apricot crunch 
• Barbecued fruit 
• Blackcurrant and raspberry ice cream 
• Rhubarb fool 

Top tips for a safe barbecue 

Barbecues are fun, but it’s wise to be aware of the potential risks.   

Regulating heat and temperature 

• Choose leaner types of meat, if you eat meat, with a lower fat content and be careful that fat can drip onto the coal and cause flames to flare up and burn the food. 
• Coals should glow red with a powdery grey surface before you start cooking – this means they’re hot enough. 
• Have an indoor plant water spray handy. This is useful to regulate heat and prevent food from burning if you get flare-ups. 

Food poisoning 

This is often caused by undercooked food, so follow this advice: 

• Always ensure your meat and poultry are cooked through. If it’s getting dark, use a torch, so you can check food is cooked properly. 
• You can serve steaks or joints that are pink in the middle as long as the outside is evenly cooked. The exception is if it’s been minced, so burgers, sausages or meatballs must always be cooked through. 
• Never put cooked food on a plate or surface that has had raw meat on it. Turn food regularly to ensure even cooking. If your tongs touch raw meat, they must be washed before picking up cooked food or held over the coals to burn off any bacteria. 
• Make sure frozen meat is properly thawed before you cook it. 
• Always cut into the thickest part of meat or poultry to make sure it’s cooked through. 

Cross-contamination 

This happens when raw meats come into contact with cooked meats or foods, such as salads. Always store raw meats separately and use different utensils and chopping boards and wash your hands regularly. Don’t baste cooked food with a marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.  

Fire safety 

Ensure you never leave the barbecue unattended and make sure children are kept away.