A Meal Plan that Works

Published: 2019
By Jeanette Allday

With the diagnosis of Type II Diabetes and Prediabetes on the rise, community members are eager for information to help them control and manage this potentially deadly disease. In the fall of 2019, Sanders County Extension in partnership with Clark Fork Valley Hospital provided a 4 week Dining with Diabetes series. The goal of this series was to help participants who have Diabetes, Prediabetes or are caretakers for someone with Diabetes to learn strategies to manage their Diabetes through meal planning, carb counting, portion control and label reading. A collaboration among Extension Agents, Registered Dietitians and Diabetes Educators resulted in an in-depth series where participants learned skills to help control their Diabetes and plan appropriate, nutritious meals. Each week, participants were able to prepare meals in class, sampling a variety of foods and leaving with recipes tailored to a Diabetic lifestyle. As well, a reunion lesson held 2 months after the conclusion of the series allowed students to reacquaint and share the positive diet and lifestyle changes they have implemented since taking the course. Due to the popularity of the course and the health benefits participants have reported, Sanders County Extension plans to continue offering the series several times per year.