Whether you’re cooking for a loved one, providing at-home care for seniors, or are searching for diabetic-friendly treats to serve your senior center residents—the sweet treats below are perfect.



Sugar-Free Candy

The selection of sugar-free candy is quite impressive. You can find everything from hard candies to gummy candies and even gourmet chocolates. These candies are most often made with artificial sweeteners that the body doesn’t absorb as sugar, allowing diabetics to enjoy something sweet without throwing their blood sugar out of whack.

Sugar-Free Baked Goods

Splenda and other sugar alternatives, such as applesauce, have made baked goods easier for diabetics to access. Although Splenda is often mixed with sugar when used for baking, and apple sauce contains unrefined sugar—the content is often small enough that a single serving is okay for most diabetics. Also check with your local bakeries to see what diabetic-friendly desserts they provide.

Fruit Salad

Just because a senior is diabetic doesn’t mean they’ve lost their sweet tooth. Fresh fruit salad is an excellent way to curb sugar cravings without adding artificial sweeteners. Serving size should be around ¾ of a cup per person.

Diabetic-Friendly Mocha

Some diabetics enjoy black coffee, but many diabetic seniors crave a more café-style coffee. The good news is, you can create a diabetic-friendly mocha in a matter of minutes. Simply prepare black coffee as usual, then stir in:

• 1T of cocoa powder
• 1-2T of half-and-half
• 2-3 teaspoons of Truvia OR 1/8 teaspoon Stevia

The Truvia or Stevia will sweeten it up a bit, the half-and-half will make it creamy, and the cocoa powder will provide a chocolate fix. You can even add this to a shaker and serve as an iced mocha. For even more chocolaty flavor, use a larger portion of sugar-free cocoa powered—and omit the Truvia or Stevia.

Diabetic Sweet Treats Perfect for a Large Group

If you are looking for a diabetic-friendly sweet treat perfect for a large group, such as the residents of your nursing home—any combination of sugar-free gelatin, sugar-free pudding, and sugar-free whipped topping are crowd pleasers. You can even garnish with a couple of slices of seasonal fresh fruit.
Even though the sweet treats above are diabetic-friendly, keep in mind that it’s best to check blood sugar prior to eating—and that portion control must still be top of mind. Head over to Reader’s Digest for some more diabetic-friendly recipes.