I have what is known as late-onset, Juvenile Diabetes, often referred to as Type 1 Diabetes or T1D. Diagnosed in adulthood, the signs can often be missed and altogether misunderstood. Looking back prior to my second pregnancy, when I was originally diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I definitely was exhibiting signs. I was thirstier than usual, and I became shaky and symptomatic of hypoglycemia after exercising. My doctors thought it was due to nursing my first baby. Diabetes was never a thought or a concern, given no one in my family had diabetes.
As moms and dads of young children, our bags and cars are usually overflowing with snacks! This is especially important as a Type 1 diabetic or as a caregiver of a Type 1 diabetic. I try to be careful not to leave the house without a sugar source. I usually have multiple options, including fast-acting sugar such as glucose tablets, candy, or a juice box, as well as snack items like granola/cereal bars or peanut butter crackers that will last a bit longer. I have heard horror stories of people stuck on airplanes for hours without food or drink for one reason or another, and as a Type 1 diabetic, I never wanted to be caught without a sugar source to raise my blood sugar back to a normal level.
During the 2020 pandemic (by then, my children were older), the kitchen became our playground. Sometime during those pandemic years, I picked up my head and wrote Bakery Babies. I was at home baking with my own babies, so it was only fitting that I wrote a nursery rhyme about adorable baking babies! It flowed out of me in about the same amount of time it took to bake a cake!
As a Type 1 diabetic, I can still enjoy homemade treats with my family; I just need to take insulin before enjoying those treats and manage my blood sugar levels before and after eating. Further, baking and cooking your own food as opposed to eating out is oftentimes better for Type 1 diabetics as it allows you to control the amount of sugar and white flour used, both of which raise blood sugar. There are now many sugar and flour substitutes available at most grocery stores that are easier on blood sugar levels, such as stevia or monk fruit sweeter to replace cane sugar and almond or cassava flour to replace white flour.
There are so many recipe resources online, and you can try substituting ingredients a little at a time to see if you like the finished results. I have used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour for cookies and crisps, and they are delicious. White flour alternatives are easier on my blood sugar, and my family doesn’t seem to notice the difference. Additionally, almond flour-based chocolate chip protein balls are on a regular rotation in our fridge and are a huge hit in my household. I would suggest starting with switching out one or two ingredients from your regular recipes and seeing how it goes with your family. They might not even notice you made a “healthy” treat. But, always beware the peanut gallery!
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MEREDITH NEWMAN is the author of the children’s books The Lost Umbrellas of Lexington and Bakery Babies. She writes books with lovable, whimsical characters that incorporate beautiful, detailed illustrations to delight young and old audiences alike.
Meredith graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Penn State University with a Bachelor’s degree in English, and she completed a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She taught early elementary school before starting her own family.
Meredith married her high school sweetheart, and they have two children and two dogs, Ralphie and Stuie. They are the inspiration behind many of her stories.
