hours of the morning, in other words three to five hours after injecting the late-night insulin, because in such a case the body makes its own glucose from stored glycogen to prevent low blood glucose levels. It is also important to pay attention to the amount of fat and the type of starch you eat at night, as this can contribute to the high blood glucose before breakfast. If the problem persists, discuss it with your dietitian and doctor so you can find a solution together.
The value of a cycle menu in busy lives
It is a general complaint that there is just not enough time to prepare proper meals.
Fast foods and high-fat dishes are often chosen as quick solutions.
I work full time in my career as a dietitian, which is why I understand this dilemma associated with having to cook at the end of a long working day. The best way to solve this problem is to sit down and plan your family’s meals and menus according to your unique needs and circumstances for a specific period of time, ranging from one to four weeks or one calendar month. When you know what you are going to eat, the next step is to compile a shopping list so that the necessary fresh produce and groceries are available when you start preparing meals.
There are many ways to plan your family’s meals. The example of a seven-day menu cycle is shown below, and is just one method you can use. Once you have planned the basic cycle menu, you can work out another three to four variations for each menu day.
Start by changing the page layout on your computer screen to “landscape” and create a table with seven columns and seven rows for the menu.
EXAMPLE OF A CYCLE MENU FOR 7 DAYS
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 |
| BreakfastMuesliYoghurtFruit | →Seed loafEggTomato | →PorridgeMilkFruit | →Brown breadFishCucumber | →CerealMilkFruit | →ProvitasCheese /eggFruit | →PorridgeMilkFruit |
| In between | → | → | → | → | → | → |
| Light mealProvitasCheeseCucumberCherry tomatoes | →PastaCold meatFruit | →Seed loafRed meatSalad | →ProvitasCottage cheeseFruit | →Pasta salad with legumesLettuceFruit | →PotatoesFishSalad or vegetables | →Rye breadCold chickenGreen salad |
| In between | → | → | → | → | → | → |
| Main mealRed meatBrown riceGreen vegetables | →FishPotatoesBeetroot/carrots | →ChickenBarley/ riceMixed vegetables | →Soup (winter)Quiche /pasta(summer)Green salad | →Red meatSweet potato/potatoGreen vegetables | →ChickenRiceGreen/ yellow vegetables | →Free choice |
| Late evening | → | → | → | → | → | → |
•Choose vegetables and fruit according to the season and availability.
•Plan between-meal and bedtime snacks according to your personal meal plan.
•Provitas can be replaced with any other low-fat, wholegrain crisp biscuit or cracker.
•Sauces, spreads and drinks are not indicated.
EXAMPLE:
VARIATION FOR DAY 3 IN THE CYCLE MENU
| Day 3 | Day 3 Variation 1 | Day 3 Variation 2 | Day 3 Variation 3 |
| BreakfastCooked porridgeMilkFruit | Oats porridgewith oat branLow-fat milkOrange slices | Maize porridge with oat branLow-fat milkStewed prunes | Maltabella porridgewith oat branLow-fat milkFresh apple |
| Light mealSeed loafRed meatSalad | Seed loafHam slicesMustard sauceLettuce | Toasted sandwich with savoury minceSliced tomato | Pita breadMinced meat pattyLettuceSliced tomato |
| Main mealChickenBarley/riceMixed vegetables | Apricot chickenBarley or crushed wheatMixed vegetables with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, baby marrows | Chicken stir-fryBrown riceVegetables in stir-fry | Chicken curryBrown riceGreen beans or peasBeetroot salad |
Shopping list
A detailed shopping list makes food shopping much easier, reduces unnecessary purchases and ensures that the correct ingredients are available for each day’s menu. It also helps to stick a copy of the shopping list on the inside of your grocery cupboard or pantry door so that the supplies can be marked off or listed as they are used up. The shopping list shown below is only a guide and can be adapted according to your circumstances.
INGREDIENTS
Starch
Instant cereals
All-Bran flakes
Bokomo Fibre Plus
Kellogg’s Hi-Fibre Bran
ProNutro Wholewheat
Weet-Bix
Cooked porridges
Maize meal – unsifted
Maltabella – unsifted
Oat bran
Oats – rolled
Grain/starchy dishes
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cocoa powder
Cream of tartar
Crushed wheat
Custard powder
Flour – cake, Sasko bran-rich self-raising, soya, wholewheat
Instant yeast, dry
Maizena (cornflour)
Pasta/noodles – durum flour
Pearl barley
Rice – basmati, brown, maize, white
Bread, crackers
Bakers Digestive Wholewheat Biscuits
Bread – brown, rye, seed, wholewheat
Crackermates Lites
Provitas
Rice cakes
Ryvitas
Dairy group
Buttermilk
Cheese – hard, low-fat (mozzarella, edam, parmesan, In Shape,
Lichten Blanc)
Cheese spread – low-fat
Cheese wedges – low-fat
Cottage cheese – low-fat, fat-free
Evaporated milk – low-fat
Milk – fat-free, low-fat, fresh/carton
Milk powder – fat-free
Ricotta
Yoghurt – low-fat, fat-free,
