Dinner Table Talk: Creating a Healthy Food Culture at Home
If you’ve ever sat down to a family meal and found yourself asking, “Did you bolus for that?” or “How many carbs are in your mash?” before anyone’s even had a bite- trust us, you’re not alone.
Food and Type 1 Diabetes go hand in hand, but it’s a delicate dance. For some children and teens, food becomes less about enjoyment and more about maths, restriction and pressure. And when diabetes is always the main course at dinner, it can take a toll on mental health and their relationship with eating.
So how can families talk about food in a way that’s helpful, not heavy? Let’s explore how to keep mealtimes positive, supportive and dare we say- enjoyable.
1. Food is Fuel….and Fun
Let’s start with the basics: all foods have a place. Yes, even the biscuits and chips.
Type 1 Diabetes doesn’t mean giving up favourites- it means learning how to manage them. Framing food as something to enjoy rather than control is key to helping children build a healthy long-term mindset.
Try this: Instead of saying “That’s not good for your blood sugar,” try “Let’s work out how to enjoy that and keep things steady.”
Tip: Avoid labelling food as “good” or “bad”- use words like “everyday foods” and “sometimes treats” instead.
2. Avoid the Carb Count Commentary at the Table
We get it-counting carbs is important. But if every dinner feels like a maths lesson, it can really drain the joy out of eating.
Instead of: “Are you sure you counted the right carbs for that?”
Try: “Want any help double-checking the carbs later?” or even better, wait until after the meal.
Save most of the diabetes talk for before or after the table- and keep mealtime as normal as possible.
3. For Teens, Food Talk Can Be Extra Tricky
Let’s be real: adolescence is hard enough without having to scan, inject and explain every time you pick up a fork. Many teens with Type 1 struggle with body image, food anxiety or even disordered eating behaviours.
Being overly focused on food, weight or numbers (glucose or otherwise) at the dinner table can make it worse.
Signs to watch out for:
Skipping insulin for meals
Avoiding food altogether
Sudden weight changes
Secrecy around eating or injections
If you notice any of these, speak to your diabetes team- judgement-free support is out there.
Pro Tip: Make meals about connection, not correction.
4. Let Them Lead the Food Chat
As children get older, let them take more ownership of their food choices and diabetes decisions. That could mean asking them to plan part of a meal, guess the carbs in a dish, or talk through their bolus strategy- with you in the listening role.
Say: “You’ve got a good handle on this- want to teach me how you worked that out?”
5. Make Room for Normal
Have meals without any diabetes talk at all. No bolus breakdowns, no CGM buzz commentary, just a chance to connect.
Whether it’s a full Sunday roast or a takeaway pizza night, letting your child (and the rest of the family) feel normal around food is a gift.
6. Celebrate What Matters Most
Perfect blood sugars are not the goal. Confidence, comfort around food and a positive relationship with eating are. That goes for you as well- if dinner’s a bit chaotic, carbs are a guesstimate and pudding happens on a school night…that’s real life.
And you’re doing brilliantly.
Final Thoughts: Food First, Diabetes Second (Sometimes)
Mealtimes can be a minefield or a moment of joy- it all starts with how we talk about food. By focusing on connection, curiosity and kindness (and keeping the pressure low), you’re helping your child build a relationship with food- and with diabetes- that will serve them for life.
So go ahead, pass the potatoes- and the insulin pen- and remember: you’ve got this.