Bienvenidos, Corredores!

New York City Parenting Blogger Nancy Horn (The Mama Maven) recently found out that her son has Type 1 diabetes. Even as she sprang into action to help her son take on this disease, she knew that feeding him would be a challenge – even for an experienced cook like her. So she immediately began looking for menu ideas that met her son’s new dietary needs without making him feel deprived.

Joining Fidelis Care lifestyle expert Evette Rios at Evette’s home in New York City for Episode 4 of “Live with Evette,” Nancy learned new strategies for helping her son manage his condition while enjoying healthier twists on his old favorites.

As it turns out, many of the strategies Evette shared can also work for people who want to lose weight, or live a healthier lifestyle. Here are Evette and Nancy’s tips for keeping food interesting while working with dietary restrictions:

Snack mindfully. Because of his diagnosis, Nancy’s son can’t just reach into a bag and snack by the handful, due to strict carb limits. To help him snack in moderation, Nancy pre-portions bulk snacks into bags so she can keep a close eye on the carb count. This is a great way to keep calories in check as well. When she can’t get nutrition information for a portion, she uses a digital nutrition food scale to help her get the right amount.

Reduce fat and refined carbs. To better manage his diabetes, Nancy was on the hunt for healthier alternatives to some of her son’s favorite foods, such as salami, white breads, and bagels. Reducing fat and refined carbs in the diet can help people managing chronic conditions stay within acceptable calorie ranges for their needs, and keep carb/protein/fat ratios in check.

Evette offered a twist on a healthier sandwich using pastrami (which offers the salty flavor of salami with less fat; you can also substitute honey ham or hickory smoked chicken), sauerkraut, a touch of low-carb mayo, and spicy mustard -- all on bread made with no refined flours.

Creatively portion food. One misconception about her son’s diagnosis was that he would no longer be able to enjoy favorite foods like macaroni and cheese. It’s not that he can’t have it – he just can’t have so much that he goes over his carb count for the day, Nancy explained. Portioning food in fun ways can especially help kids feel less deprived.

To help Nancy’s son enjoy his favorite mac and cheese in moderation, Evette suggested using a mini-muffin tin to make “mini mac and cheese cups.” She took leftover mac and cheese, added a touch of milk, cream cheese, a sprinkle of whole-wheat flour, and one egg, then mixed to help it all bind together. She then scooped the mixture into each mini-muffin tin and baked at 350 degrees.

For more Lunchology tips and recipes, visit fideliscare.org/lunchology, follow Fidelis Care on Facebook and Instagram, and search for #Lunchology.