Ep. 11: Sweets, snacks and special occasions

Ep. 11: Sweets, snacks and special occasions

If you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, one of the first things that can feel scary is the idea that you have to say goodbye to anything sweet, fun, or spontaneous when it comes to food. Easter eggs, baby shower spreads, a sneaky piece of chocolate after dinner - suddenly it all feels off limits. But does it have to be? Spoiler: not really.

In this final episode of our four-part food series, Celia is back with Megan from Joy Nutrition Studio to tackle the stuff that doesn't always come up in the clinical setting - the real, everyday moments where food is about more than blood sugar. Think holiday treats, baby showers, work conferences, and yes, even the great Coke craving debate.

Megan brings her usual warm, no-nonsense approach to all of it. The big message throughout? GDM management is about overall patterns, not one-off moments. A hot cross bun at Easter or a cupcake at your baby shower is not going to derail your pregnancy - and you shouldn't have to spend that time feeling guilty. What matters is having the knowledge and the tools to navigate these moments with confidence.

This episode also gets into the practical stuff - what a balanced snack actually looks like, how to handle situations where the food is out of your control, and the somewhat surprising role a bedtime snack can play in your fasting levels. Whether you're newly diagnosed or a few weeks in and still finding your feet, this one is worth a listen.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Why a one-off glucose spike from something sweet is not the end of the world, and why overall patterns matter so much more than any single food choice.
  • The best time to have something high GI (like chocolate) to minimise the impact on your blood sugar levels.
  • Whether Diet Coke or other zero-sugar alternatives are a reasonable swap - and why the answer is more nuanced than you'd expect.
  • How to approach Easter, Christmas, and other holiday periods without piling food guilt on top of everything else you're already managing.
  • Why skipping breakfast before a big holiday meal is actually counterproductive, and what to do instead.
  • How to navigate your baby shower without it becoming a source of stress - and why one day of celebration food is genuinely fine.
  • What to do when food timing is completely out of your hands, like at a wedding or work conference, including smart snacks to keep in your bag.
  • What a well-balanced daytime snack actually looks like, with plenty of easy, real-world examples.
  • How bedtime snacks can influence your fasting levels in the morning - and why the right choice might not be what you'd expect.
  • An Instagram account worth following if you want visual, practical GDM meal and snack inspo.

Resources & links mentioned:

About the guest

Megan is an accredited dietitian and the founder of Joy Nutrition Studio, where she supports women through gestational diabetes with evidence-based, personalised nutrition advice. You can find her at joynutritionstudio.com.au or over on Instagram at @joy.nutrition.studio. She also offers virtual consults if you're looking for one-on-one support.

Transcript

This transcript was auto-generated and lightly edited for clarity.

Celia (00:27) So you are still allowed to enjoy your life with gestational diabetes - but what does that look like when it comes to sweet treats or special moments like your baby shower? I'm joined again by Megan from Joy Nutrition Studio to talk about how to navigate these moments in a way that's realistic and guilt-free. We'll also cover what makes a balanced snack, and how to think about things like bedtime snacks for fasting levels.

Megan, let's start with the big one - can we still have sweet treats with gestational diabetes? Please say yes.

Megan (00:58) Yes! Yeah, of course. I think it's really important to remind women who have gestational diabetes that they are not on a really strict diet, and to just still try and enjoy your life - because food, contrary to a lot of advice out there on the internet, is more than fuel. It's social, it's celebratory, it's important for your family moments. So you can definitely still enjoy a sweet treat, or all types of foods. It's about learning what types of foods spike your blood glucose levels, so that you have the knowledge of what's happening in your body and you don't have to feel guilt or shame about it.

Like we talked about in the very first episode, there's background insulin resistance from pregnancy hormones, and it's very complex - so it's not like you've caused gestational diabetes through food. So if you have a special occasion or a sweet treat every now and then, we're not really worried about a one-off glucose spike. We're looking more at the overall pattern - daily patterns, and whether levels are constantly running high throughout the day. I'm hoping to reassure people: try not to stress about a one-off occasion when you know your blood sugar is going to spike because of some high GI food. We're looking at the overall pattern.

Celia (02:32) Are there general ways to approach it? Like, is it better to have it after a meal? I guess in saying that, the timing would probably be something to consider so it doesn't impact your reading. What would be your advice on when to kind of sneak in a chocolate, or whatever it might be?

Megan (02:49) Yeah, so if you have an empty stomach and you have a high GI food - like a chocolate, a lolly, or a soft drink - it will hit you quite quickly because your stomach is empty. That means the glucose can get to your small intestine and bloodstream quite quickly, which will lead to a glucose spike when you test your levels. So I would just advise: try not to have it on an empty stomach, because you're going to get a bit of a spike and a drop, and feel a bit crappy as well from that.

A handy time to have it - if you want to have some chocolate or that type of thing - is after a good quality balanced meal. Last time we talked about pairing your low GI carbs with protein and fibre with each meal. While all of that is digesting, if you have some high GI food like a bit of chocolate afterwards, it's going to take a long time to get through to your small intestine because everything is breaking down together. So yeah, after a main meal can be a handy time. Just be conscious of your testing times if you're about two hours away from testing.

Celia (04:13) Okay. And is that kind of the same approach if you wanted to have something really indulgent out of nowhere? Let's say you're really craving a can of Coke - is that a ridiculous idea?

Megan (04:31) Ha! It's not something I would recommend during gestational diabetes, just because it would really impact your blood glucose level and require a lot of extra insulin to be released from your pancreas. All your insulin rushes out to deal with the glucose - trying to get it into the cells. So if there's insulin resistance, your blood glucose level will probably stay high for a while. But again, like we said at the start - if every now and then you're like, "oh my god, I'm craving a can of Coke so badly," then yeah, it will affect you, but it's not going to ruin your whole pregnancy or your GDM. It's just a one-off occasion. If that was happening every day, then yeah, we'd need to look at some more personalised strategies.

Celia (05:23) Yeah, okay. Some people will switch to like zero-sugar Coke or other zero-sugar alternatives. Is that okay to go down that path, or does that create other issues?

Megan (05:37) It can be a good stepping stone for sure. Diet soft drinks - like Diet Coke - can be useful for someone who genuinely has Coke as a big part of their life and would really struggle to cut it out. I've used that as a stepping stone for people before. Diet Coke is still not great for you, to be honest - there are lots of additives and artificial sweeteners, and we don't love those in large amounts every day because they can affect your gut health. But it would be a good stepping stone for someone who needs to cut back their high GI glucose from something like Coke, because Diet Coke doesn't actually have glucose that spikes you. So it's really personalised - it would depend on the person and their situation.

Celia (06:28) Not asking for me personally, because I actually can't really tolerate anything bubbly at the moment. I just cannot deal with it! I'm asking for all of my soft drink girlies out there who are craving it.

Megan (06:40) Ha - disclaimer noted! Yeah, I think that's a common one.

Celia (06:44) Easter is just around the corner, and there are hot cross buns at every corner you turn in the supermarket. There's chocolate Easter eggs everywhere. Do you have any tips for approaching these typical holiday times where there's lots of delicious food that is absolutely not low GI?

Megan (07:00) Yeah, I think firstly - try not to stress about it. We don't want women, especially women who are pregnant with gestational diabetes, carrying any extra food guilt around this time, or feeling shame, or making themselves feel bad for just participating in normal social activities like Easter, Christmas, birthday parties, or baby showers.

I think that's easier said than done, but try not to make yourself feel bad. Easter is once a year, and if you have family and kids, you just want to enjoy that time together. Like we said before, if you're eating a hot cross bun or some chocolate over Easter, of course it will spike your glucose level - that's what happens with high GI carbohydrate foods. But again, if it's just a couple of days out of your whole pregnancy, we're not that worried, because we're looking at overall patterns and not one-off glucose spikes.

In terms of what strategies would actually be helpful practically - movement. If you're already in an exercise routine that's working for you and your pregnancy, whether it's just going for a walk every day, the gym, or swimming, just try and keep that up. Your body will have a chance to increase its insulin sensitivity and break down that glucose more easily. We know that exercise helps for around 24 to 72 hours after you do it - it improves your insulin sensitivity - so you don't have to go crazy and think you need to exercise more over Easter. Just keep your current routine. And if you're having a bigger meal or some chocolate, a little walk after that would help to break down the glucose in your bloodstream, because your muscles will uptake any extra glucose floating around. So the timing of exercise - even just a little walk after eating - can really help.

Celia (09:19) That sounds nice actually, rather than everyone sitting on the couch and passing out after stuffing themselves.

Megan (09:25) I mean, that has its place too!

Celia (09:28) Ha - that's true! And I guess like we mentioned, having sweet things following a meal if possible - I guess that would be the same for a hot cross bun or whatever it might be.

Megan (09:37) Yeah, it will affect you less if you have it after a nice balanced meal. But yeah, don't stress too much about it.

The other thing to mention is breakfast - we talked about how a good breakfast has a flow-on effect for the rest of the day. I do hear some people say they're not going to eat breakfast because they've got a big Christmas or Easter lunch later in the afternoon. I would say still have breakfast, because it will really help with your blood sugar control throughout the morning and your insulin sensitivity for the meals that follow. If you're having a big meal later in the day, having breakfast in the morning will actually help with the insulin response for that later meal. So yeah, keep having breakfast.

Celia (10:22) That's a really good point. Noted.

So I guess this is probably going to be similar for baby showers. I think it can create a little bit of panic when you're like, "oh, can I still do the whole spread I was thinking of?" It can kind of take the joy out of it in some ways when you suddenly have to rethink how you were going to approach the food. What would you suggest to women facing that dilemma?

Megan (10:51) The same message really - your baby shower should be a beautiful, enjoyable time for social connection, for feeling really supported, and for celebrating your pregnancy. The last thing you need to be doing is stressing about what you're eating. It's one day in your pregnancy. If you get high glucose levels after eating a cupcake your friend brought over, please don't stress. Like we said, we're looking at overall patterns, not one-off spikes.

Celia (11:24) Yeah, definitely. But it sounds like those same tips apply - still make sure you have a good breakfast, eat regularly throughout the day. And I'm sure you could nudge your friends and family to include some healthier options so you can balance it out.

Megan (11:34) Yeah, and no one wants to make your baby shower all about "healthy food only" - we don't want to shame food or say we can only have healthy options. You still want it to feel as normal and enjoyable as possible. Food isn't evil or bad for you - it's there to be enjoyed as well.

Celia (11:45) Yeah, true. Have some carrot sticks. Yay!

What about a slightly different situation - like going to a wedding, or a work conference, where the food and the timing of food is completely out of your control? That can create a bit of anxiety when you're walking into the unknown. Do you have suggestions for people figuring that out?

Megan (12:30) Yeah, it's tricky when you go out of your routine, because our blood glucose levels love routine. They love regular meals, because we're aiming for a steady, balanced day where our eating keeps blood sugar levels moving up and down gently - not skipping, then having a really big meal, then skipping again. I can see how changing your environment can create a shift in routine and some worry.

I guess just focus on whatever is within your control. If you're somewhere and they've put on breakfast, go back to what you've learned from your diabetes team or dietitian - think, "okay, I know that protein and fibre at breakfast will really help for the day," and just put that on your plate with whatever's available. If you have an opportunity to pack extra snacks - whether you're travelling, going to an event, or at a work conference - definitely keep some things in your bag so you've always got an option and don't have to go without food.

Celia (13:39) Do you have suggestions for handy snacks to keep on you?

Megan (13:44) Yeah! A muesli bar can go a long way if you're just popping something in a bag. Something like a protein and nut-based muesli bar - Carman's have some that are around 10 grams of carbs. That's really handy because you've got a balance of carbs and protein in one. If you have access to a cooler bag, you can do things like yoghurt. But if it's just a handbag, then a muesli bar, some fruit, nuts, or packets of beans - that type of thing.

Celia (14:15) Good tips. Okay, let's talk about snacks more broadly.

So for daytime snacks, the recommended carb target is generally around 15 to 30 grams - if I'm remembering correctly?

Megan (14:30) Yeah, that's a good place to start. Everyone will be a bit different depending on their activity levels. It's not a strict rule that you have to hit a specific carb amount, but 15 to 30 grams is a helpful place to start.

Celia (14:45) And what would a balanced snack look like for those morning tea or afternoon tea times?

Megan (14:52) Same as with our main meals - we want to pair the carbohydrate with some protein, fibre, or fat. A really simple example is a piece of fruit, which is around 15 grams of carbohydrate, paired with nut butter or a handful of nuts. Then you've got your carb, your fibre, and your protein all in one. Easy - it might be a little bit boring, but easy. And we like easy!

Yoghurt is another one I've recommended a lot throughout these episodes, just because it combines carbohydrate, protein, and fat in one food. To bump up the fibre, you could add some chia seeds, nuts, other seeds, or some berries on top. A yoghurt-type snack is really handy.

If you wanted something a bit more savoury - crackers with some cheese, avocado, or tomatoes. With your crackers, try and choose a high-fibre, grainy, seedy one that will break down slowly. Or even if you're at home - just a piece of toast. A piece of toast with some nut butter or cottage cheese on top is about 15 grams of carbs, with a little bit of protein and fat alongside. And again, the muesli bar - just an easy option that already comes in a packet. Try and choose the lower added sugar, higher protein and fibre option.

So there are a few common examples to work with.

Celia (16:34) It's good to hear, because I don't know that I've seen as much advice about still incorporating those ratios into the snack part of your day. But now that we've talked about it, yeah - it makes sense to do it at every step of the way. Otherwise you're just giving yourself a little carb hit.

Megan (16:53) Yeah, exactly. Which, before exercise or something, can be useful if you just need carbs - but with GDM we want nice steady levels. So try and think: whenever you have carbs, pair them with protein, fibre, or fat, and the carbs won't spike you on their own.

Celia (17:12) And is that the same for bedtime snacks and fasting levels? I understood the goal of that being to reduce the window you're fasting for, but I'm guessing there's more to it than that - including what you actually decide to eat.

Megan (17:24) Yeah, there's a couple of different ways to look at it. When someone has higher fasting levels, one of the first things I look at is whether they're having enough carbohydrate throughout the day, and how long their fasting window is overnight. Are they having a snack after dinner to help shorten that fasting period? Like we talked about right back at the start - without that, our liver can end up dumping glucose back into our system overnight to keep us going.

So shortening the fasting window by having something just before bed can work for some women. But it's important to mention that you might be trying all of these things - eating well, having a supper just before bed - and your fasting level might still be high in the morning. That's not because you're doing anything wrong. It's just those background hormones causing insulin resistance.

In terms of what the bedtime snack could actually be - some women will try something carb-containing, like a yoghurt with fruit, or a glass of milk, because liquids can be a bit easier just before bed if you don't want a full meal. But if that's not making a difference to the fasting levels in the morning, you might actually try a non-carb snack for a few days and see what that does - something like a few slices of cheese or a handful of nuts.

So it's going to be very individualised, and these are all just ideas. People listening really do need to talk to their team about their specific levels and what's going on with their fasting reading, and what strategies they've already tried.

Celia (19:26) Yeah, interesting. I hadn't thought of trying no carbs at bedtime - I didn't know that was an option. I'm one of those people who tried all those things and my fasting level still didn't change.

Megan (19:36) Yeah, it can be so frustrating for sure.

Just talking through all those snacking ideas - if you're listening and you have Instagram, which I feel like most people do these days, if you aren't following a woman called Robyn Compton yet, I would definitely go and give her a follow. She is a gestational diabetes dietitian and I love her approach - it's evidence-based, and she has lots of visuals on her page about snack and meal ideas. Pretty much everything we've been talking about across these last few episodes, just laid out in a really visual, easy-to-understand way.

So hop on Instagram and give Robyn Compton a follow. I think her handle is @gestationaldiabetes_dietitian. You'll get lots of handy snack and meal ideas from her.

Celia (20:30) Yeah, I'll drop a link in the show notes as well - we've definitely included her in our resource roundup. She's got so many great specific product call-outs. She'll do the legwork for you and just say "this one, these are your options," which I found really helpful.

Megan (20:47) So handy. It takes away so much mental energy - you can just go to the shops with your phone, pull up a few of those posts, and choose those products as your snack option.

Celia (20:56) Yes! We all need a bit of that.

Okay, that's a wrap on our food series. I hope across these episodes you're feeling a little more confident in how to approach food day to day. We did cover a lot, and we'd love to hear what's worked for you. If you try anything different after listening, drop a comment and let us know how you go.

A really big thank you to Megan from Joy Nutrition Studio for guiding us through these episodes. And just a gentle reminder - this is all general advice, and nothing can beat personalised support for your own situation. If you'd like some additional support, Megan does offer virtual consults, so check the show notes for more information on those.

Thank you, Megan - it's been a pleasure to chat with you. Hopefully we get to have you back for some more topics down the line!

Megan (21:44) Thank you, Celia. I think it's great how much you're helping women with gestational diabetes. There's so much to know and it can be overwhelming at the start, so I'm more than happy to help out. Thank you.

Celia (21:55) So glad to have you. Thanks!

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