Managing Blood Sugar When the Work Won’t Wait

It’s easy to skip breakfast and hit the ground running.  I see you with that coffee [or your beverage of choice] in hand, and out the door you go.  But then 10am hits - how are you feeling?  Getting hungry, but by the clock, lunch is coming very shortly.  What about 3pm, are you feeling sluggish?   The food choice you make first thing in the morning makes a BIG impact for the lion’s share of your day.

Here’s the reality: meal skipping can cause your blood sugar to spike and crash, leaving you feeling foggy, sluggish, sleepy, or, might I say,….irritable (also disguised as hangry) — not ideal when you’re making BIG decisions, whether they’re about logistics, finances, or your family.

Big (& small) decisions need a fueled brain.

A simple strategy? Pair protein + carbs at each meal & snack. It’s a match made in metabolic heaven — steady energy, stable blood sugar, and fewer crashes.  It’s even more ideal if those carbs are fiber-rich carbs.

Need ideas that are portable and accessible in rural Oklahoma?
Let’s pack up that ice chest & snack bag:

• Overnight Oats, made with greek yogurt
• Peanut butter on whole grain crackers
• Hard-boiled eggs and a fruit cup (yes, canned fruit in juice is a thumbs UP)
• Beef jerky and a granola bar
• Greek yogurt and a banana
• Cheese stick and apple slices
• Beef Jerky Trail Mix
• Tuna packet with crackers
• Cottage cheese cup and cherry tomatoes
• Applesauce pouch and almonds
• Fairlife Core Power Shake and banana
• Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Quick reference tip:

*Meals: 20-30g protein & 5-8g fiber per meal; *Snacks: 5g protein & 2-3g fiber per snack

Aim to fuel consistently throughout the day, not just when you can squeeze it in. Because the work won’t wait — but neither should your health.

-In health,

Sheri Glazier, MS, RDN/LD - The Dirt Road Dietitian

*These are generalized recommendations.  For a more personalized nutrition plan, please seek out the services of a registered dietitian (we would LOVE to help) or contact your doctor/health provider.

Sheri Glazier is a registered dietitian, 5^th generation agriculturalist, and founder of Dirt Road Dietitian, LLC.  She is passionate about serving rural & agriculture clients, helping them make sense of the overwhelming world of nutrition and simplifying it into practical and sustainable solutions that work for them, in their environment and community. 

She has been named Oklahoma’s Dietitian of the Year and awarded the Rising Star award from her alma mater, the Oklahoma State University College of Education Human Sciences.

Instagram & Facebook:  @dirtroaddietitian & @glazierfarms.