carb-counting kids

Hey! Welcome to Carb-Counting Kids.

I started this blog in 2013, soon after my son, then aged 10, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. We were suddenly faced with the new challenge of counting carbohydrates for every meal to match his insulin doses. Luckily we already ate pretty well as a family, but when scouring the web for carb-counted, family-friendly food, I drew a bit of a blank.  Most diabetes recipe books and websites seemed to be focused on Type 2 and weight loss, while I needed to prepare robust, crowd-pleasing food for my two hungry, active boys, their equally hungry (and almost as active) dad, and me.  So I started to log my favourite recipes down here, all carb-counted and ready to go.

A few years on, and my carb-counting kid is now a fully-fledged carb-counting teen, a good few inches taller than me, playing high level sport and raiding the fridge constantly. I’ve learnt so much in that time. While eating well and carb-counting plays a big part in managing blood sugar levels, there are so many variables. What he eats one day can have a completely different effect on his blood sugar the next: sport, hormones, growth spurts, sickness, travel, stress and, yes, even the weather – there’s an endless puzzle to piece together. You can only do your best and treat each day as it comes. And most importantly, continue to enjoy food.

I wanted to create this website so that I could share our food experiences with others in the same situation. I’m not an amazing cook, and I’m always pushed for time, so I’m all in favour of short-cuts whenever possible. I’ll also be sharing some of the brands and products I’ve been discovering that make life with Type 1 taste better.  I’ll never endorse ‘diabetic’ food or fad diets – both of which you need to avoid at all costs. Oh, and all my recipes are peanut-free, sesame-free and kiwi-fruit-free (yep, we have allergies in this family too!) 

I really hope you enjoy browsing my site and find some recipes that you’d like to try. I love hearing your comments and I’m always open to new ideas, so please sign up to be notified of new recipes, and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter too.

Disclaimer: I’m not a dietitian,  so while I’ve done my best, I can’t guarantee the accuracy of my carb-counting and I don’t give any dietary advice. Always consult your diabetes team.