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While the new year is traditionally a time for hope, the ongoing cost of living crisis and challenges faced by the health service continue to cast a long shadow. Diabetes is a serious condition that affects one in 15 people in the UK, including approximately 850,000 with undiagnosed type 2. If you have diabetes, your body is unable to use glucose effectively for energy, resulting in dangerously high levels if not diagnosed and well managed. There are lots of myths about diabetes, but it’s certainly true that a key part of managing of the condition is healthy eating.

In what ways has Diabetes UK noticed rising food costs impacting people with diabetes?

Most sectors of society have been impacted by the cost of living crisis, and the diabetes community is no different. We have received messages via our diabetes support forum indicating that it is more expensive to buy healthier foods, while availability issues and food quality are also topics causing concern.

It’s also worth remembering that diabetes doesn’t affect everyone equally. Social factors like poverty have a contributing effect on health. Sadly, levels of type 2 diabetes are over twice as high for people living in the lowest income households when compared to those on the highest incomes, resulting in many individuals with type 2 diabetes being particularly vulnerable to rising costs. There is a very real risk that the increasing cost of groceries may leave people with diabetes with no choice but to turn to food that is unhealthy but affordable.

Does Diabetes UK have any tips to help save money on food shopping and reduce food waste?

The first thing to remember is that there is no such thing as a specific diet for people with diabetes. It can sometimes be difficult to know what to eat, and your choices may be even more complicated by the rising cost of food. If you, or someone in your family has type 1, type 2 or another type of diabetes, there is help available from Diabetes UK on how to get the most out of your food choices.

One way to save money on food shopping and cut down on food waste is to follow Diabetes UK’s budget-friendly weekly meal plan. It's both delicious and nutritious, while also providing calorie and carb counts so that you can see at a glance, some of the key nutritional information about the meals. You can also download budget-friendly recipe cards which have been developed and reviewed by in-house dietitians. Everyone requires a slightly different amount of nutrients each day, so it’s best to speak to your diabetes health care team before making significant changes to your diet.

For Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday), is there any advice you can give to make the traditional pancake a little healthier?

The perception that people with diabetes can’t enjoy treats like pancakes is wrong, although consideration about portion sizes and how often you have them are sensible. It can also be helpful to make them yourself, so that you’re in charge of what goes into the mix.

Wholemeal flour is a healthier option, so people with diabetes should think about swapping white flour for it in many recipes. Switching butter to a teaspoon of oil for frying is also a healthy switch, or even better if you have a non-stick pan try not to use any oil or fat at all. Rapeseed or sunflower oil are good replacements, because they lack a strong flavour and have a good mix of healthy fats.