Snacks: A Healthy Necessity in a Diabetic Diet Snacks play a very important role in the daily life of a person with diabetes, particularly those with type 1 diabetes and insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes. For these people between-meal and bedtime snacks are essential to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible and to help prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Wherever you go you should always carry a supply of snacks to eat in case of low blood sugar -- we keep snacks in our purse or briefcase, in the glove compartment of our car, in our office desk drawer, and in the sports bag that we carry to the exercise gym. We've provided 37 snack recipes in our James Beard Cookbook Award-Winning Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook (Bantam Books) which you can purchase in our bookstore or borrow from most any library. The recipes run the gamut from Bruschetta to Stuffed Bread Slices, Zesty Corn Chips, Quick Passaladière, Dilled Potato-Cheese Soup, and Soft Pretzels. We also offer creative ways to combine "free foods" for when you are especially hungry and don't want to use your carbo exchanges. Here's a list of snacks that can be purchased at most supermarkets calculated to supply 12 to 15 grams of carbohydrate or 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch) exchange: 1 small apple 8 animal crackers 4 medium fresh apricots or 7 dried halves 1/2 of a banana rolled with 2 tablespoons Grape Nuts cereal 1 cup cubed cantaloupe 12 Bing cherries 2 chocolate mousse bars (Weight Watchers) 1/2 cup chow mein noodles 3 dried dates 2 small dried figs 2 sugar-free fudgesickles 3 gingersnaps 36 Goldfish (adds 1 fat exchange) 3 graham crackers (2 1/2-inch square) 1/2 low-fat granola bar 15 grapes 5 kumquats 3 Lorna Doones (adds 1 fat exchange) 12 loquats 5 slices melba toast 1 small nectarine 1 cup skim milk 3 thin sliced Norwegian Kavli flatbread (2 thick sliced) 1 small orange 1 small peach 3 peanut butter sandwich crackers (adds 1 fat exchange) 1 small pear 16 Mr. Phipps Tater Crisps (adds 1 fat exchange) 2 small plums 24 oyster crackers 3 cups popcorn (popped by hot air, or low-fat microwave) 3 dried pitted prunes 15 fat-free potato or tortilla chips 3/4 ounce pretzels 2 tablespoons raisins 2 rice cakes (4" diameter) 7 Ritz crackers (adds 1 fat exchange) 6 saltine crackers 2 Stella d'Oro Sesame Breadsticks (adds 1 fat exchange) 1 tangerine 15 Teddy Grahams (adds 1 fat exchange) 5 reduced-fat Triscuits 6 Vanilla Wafers (adds 1 fat exchange) 6 Waverly Wafers (adds 1 fat exchange) 12 Original Wheat Thins (adds 1 fat exchange) 13 Reduced-fat Wheat Thins (adds 1/2 fat exchange) 1 cup nonfat fruit-flavored yogurt (sweetened with sugar substitute) 1/2 cup of either I Can't Believe It's Yogurt or TCBY frozen yogurt or Baskin Robbins, Sugar-Free Ice Cream Seasoned Popcorn We love popcorn and wish to share some interesting ways to season it without adding calories or fat. You'll need a hot-air popper to make the popcorn (or you can use a popper that calls for 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of canola oil -- but that adds a fat exchange). Using 3 cups (31 g) unseasoned popped corn, 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch) exchange, you can make these treats: Asian Popcorn -- Preheat oven to 250°F(130°C, Gas Mark 1/2). Spread popcorn on a nonstick cookie sheet and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Mix together 1 tablespoon (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) five-spice powder, 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) garlic powder. Drizzle over popcorn. Toss to coat evenly. Bake 10 minutes, tossing once. Serve warm. Italian Popcorn -- Preheat oven to 300°F(150°C, Gas Mark 2). Spread popcorn on a nonstick cookie sheet and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Mix together 1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried Italian herbs, 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over popcorn and lightly coat again with cooking spray. Toss. Bake for 10 minutes, tossing once. Serve warm. Mexican Popcorn -- Put the popcorn in a large bowl and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried Mexican spiced salad dressing mix with 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) crushed dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) crushed dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) garlic powder. Sprinkle over popcorn. Toss to evenly coat. Lightly coat with additional cooking spray. Toss again and serve. Orange Popcorn -- Put the popcorn in a large bowl and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 ml) orange-flavored powdered drink mix (already sweetened with sugar substitute) and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried orange peel. Toss and coat again with cooking spray. Toss and serve. Spicy and Sweet Popcorn -- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C, Gas Mark 2). Spread popcorn on a nonstick cookie sheet and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 ml) spoonable sugar substitute, 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) dried orange peel. Sprinkle over the popcorn and toss. Lightly coat again with cooking spray and toss. Bake for 10 minutes, tossing once. Serve warm.