Place an Enticing Pitcher of Water in the Fridge

Take your prettiest pitcher, fill it with ice, water and lemon wedges, and place it front and centre in the fridge. Whenever you open the refrigerator out of boredom, pour yourself a glass of water. Researchers in Germany studied people’s metabolism after they drank about 17 ounces of water. Within 10 minutes of taking the drink, they burned 30 percent more calories than before they drank the water, and the boost in their metabolism lasted for 30 to 40 minutes. Another bonus: Water flushes impurities from your body, important for people with diabetes, who have a high risk of developing kidney disease.

Keep a Fruit Bowl or Plate on the Counter

Make fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, and kiwis the first foods you see when you enter the house ravenous at the end of the day or swing by the kitchen for a snack. A flatter bowl is better than a deep one because most fruits keep best unstacked.

Stock the Spice Rack

Spices will help you flavor meals without adding fat or calories. Keep dry rubs for meats, Italian seasoning, lemon-herb seasoning, and other favorites in a spice rack on your kitchen counter or tucked in your pantry door for easy access. Some spices—including ginger, cayenne, turmeric, fresh garlic, minced onion, curry, basil, oregano, and rosemary—have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers, both of which help with diabetes. Keep these handy to flavor meats and vegetables.

Save a Special Place for Cinnamon Sticks

Of all of the spices you have on hand, cinnamon should be one that you reach for every day. A study at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland found that consuming as little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon in capsule form can lower fasting blood glucose levels up to 30 percent. Added bonus: The same study showed cinnamon also lowered “bad” cholesterol by up to 27 percent and total cholesterol by as much as 26 percent. Note that the type of cinnamon used in the study was a Chinese cinnamon called Cinnamomum cassia.

Be Sure to Use Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Because extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of olives and contains no refined oils, it has high levels of phenols, antioxidants that help prevent diabetes-related conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease and nerve problems. While you’re at it, toss out any corn oil that you have in the house; corn oil doesn’t come close to olive oil in terms of health benefits.

Trans Fat-Free Margarine

Stock your fridge with trans fat-free margarine. Trans fats, which are made when vegetable oils are hydrogenated and turned into solid fats, are considered deadly by many experts because they significantly increase the risk of heart disease. To keep cholesterol levels in check, opt instead for a spread that contains plant sterols or stanols. They actually block the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the small intestines.

Vinegar

Keep several kinds of vinegar on hand, such as cider, white, rice, balsamic, and red and white wine vinegars. They’ll come in handy for making quick salad dressings and marinades for meat or vegetables. And they bring an extra bonus: Some early research suggests that adding acids to meals (think vinegar as well as lemon juice) blunts the effect of the meal on your blood sugar. Try balsamic vinegar on top of sliced strawberries for an unexpected taste sensation.

Plant Healthy Snacks Within Sight

You know you shouldn’t be eating cookies, so why did you pop one into your mouth the second you walked into the kitchen? Maybe because the open package was sitting in the front of your cabinet, taunting you. Banish the cookies to the back of a high shelf or even the freezer. Put in their place some almonds, walnuts, and peanuts. Also, stash some low-fat yogurt in the front of the fridge, and keep some cut-up carrot sticks or a bowl of cherry tomatoes or sugar snap peas there, too.

Stock Meal Replacement Drinks Made for People With Diabetes

Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day. “Real” food is always preferable to meal replacement drinks, but for those mornings when you really don’t have time even for a bowl of cereal, keep some canned drinks or shakes ready to grab and go. Beverages made by Glucerna and Choice DM are designed for people with diabetes. They contain slow-digesting carbs, and often some fibre, so they don’t cause blood sugar to rise quite as high or as fast as other similar drinks.

Keep at Least One Emergency Meal in the Freezer

Forgot to buy chicken for Tuesday night’s chicken marsala? No sweat. Individual servings of vegetable lasagna await in the freezer. Just heat and serve. When you run out of back-ups, make a double batch of your next meal and freeze the extra. Casseroles, soups and cooked meat can be frozen for up to three months. Use plastic bags and wrap made specifically for the freezer, or store in airtight freezer containers.

By stocking your kitchen with these diabetes-friendly items, you’ll be one step closer to having control over your disease. As an added bonus, you’ll be a shining example of healthy eating for the rest of your family.