{SCA} Diabetic gift baskets are a popular way of celebrating holidays, birthdays and other special events, but when a diabetic is on your gift list, most regular gift baskets would not be appropriate or safe to give.
Diabetics should not eat candies, syrups and sauces with sugar in them, and some diabetics also need to avoid refined carbohydrates (such as bread, crackers and biscuits) as well.
Luckily, many gift basket companies have recognized the special needs of diabetics, and offer specific diabetic gift baskets as part of their product line. Also, diabetic specialty food vendors may offer gift baskets with an assortment of their specialty diabetic foods. Another option for a diabetic gift basket would be to make (or buy) one that isn’t food oriented at all.
A diabetic food gift basket may seem difficult if you’re thinking about chocolates, fruitcakes, and other sweets, but it’s not impossible to find or make yourself. A wide variety of sugar-free sweets are available today, so the traditional candy-filled Easter and Halloween celebrations need not make a diabetic feel left out.
However, a lot of people do not like the taste of artificial sweeteners, so many diabetics may choose simply not to eat sweets and candies. But with a little imagination (or careful shopping) you can still make or buy a great diabetic food gift basket without sweets.
Fresh fruits look wonderful, and natural fruit sugars are much safer for a diabetic than refined sugar candies. An ‘all natural’ gift basket with fruits, nuts and cheeses would be very safe for a diabetic, and much appreciated by someone who didn’t like sweeteners. Although some diabetics are also sensitive to refined flours and carbohydrates, whole grain crackers with unsweetened spreads would be another option for the diabetic gift basket.
If you want to avoid worrying about food altogether, personal care gift baskets are also an excellent option for diabetics. However, as diabetics tend to have dry, sensitive skin, and may not be able to use many chemically-based personal care products, try to find gift baskets for sensitive skin, or select natural skin-care products with no artificial ingredients. To make things easier, diabetic supply companies often offer selections of their products in gift basket form, and some companies even specialize just in diabetic and other medical ‘special needs’ gift baskets.
A diabetic foot care gift basket might contain special diabetic foot lotions and hosiery, along with more traditional items like foot massage tools, foot soaks and bath salts, and pedicure tools. If the diabetic on your gift list is comfortable being open about their condition, a gift basket featuring diabetic specialty products can not only be a lovely, enjoyable gift, but a very useful one too.
There are many options for creating sugar-free diabetic safe gift baskets, and an increasing number of gift companies who have already done the work of assembling them for you. If you plan to give gift baskets for an upcoming holiday, or enjoy assembling gift baskets for birthdays and special events, the options for diabetic gift baskets really aren’t as limited as you might first think. Just avoid sugar, keep refined flour baked goods to a minimum, and the rest is up to you.