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Try Diabetic UK : Basic Type 2 usual recommendations are a normal diet (low fat but not fat free) Avoid processed products. Tastes will change - believe me > Dark Chocolate (Lintz or Cote Dor or Supermarket 'Belgian' usually has no/minimum added sugar. )Cakes maybe the odd Eclair. I make my own cakes by slightly reducing the sugar contents and eating in moderation or as part of snack/meal. For the rest your Dad will find out for himself which foods he can tolerate well/small quantities or totally avoid. Each person will be different - I can tolerate small amount honey/maple syrup - my mother cannot?! Again personal natural fructose(fruits) and lactose (yogurts/milk etc) are fine.To start he may like to home test more frequently than maybe will do later when he has established a pattern of being able to 'read' his own body. Also it is important that he eats on a regualr basis - about every 3 to 31/2 hours - this does not mean full meals - say Breakfast/mid morning snack/lunch/midafternoon snack/dinner/evening snack - depends on dinner time and when goes to bed. I would avoid special 'diabetic' products (not so many around these days anyway) as they are high in Sorbitol (Family site but this can affect the bowels!)
Also on market are Fruit Spreads (Jams) No added sugar just fruit and apple or grape juice
Bread - minefield if you read labels different varieties sugar added can be from 5grams to 22grams per 100grams?
Funny one thing always seems to listed to avoid is mashed potatoes - any food that is part processed prior to eating will usually have a higher GI count.
There are loads of books GI Diet currently around (very fashionable) Might help your mum for menu planning.

My favourite 'sweet' is now dried apricots (unsulpherated/E220)

Best wishes to your Dad (and Mum)

Hi

There isn't really anything that a type 2 diabetic can't eat, but as for all of us, everything should be eaten in moderation. Foods high in sugar should be avoided but can be eaten for special treats etc.

Avoid foods labelled as diabetic foods, they are high in artificial sweeteners which can have undesirable side effects if too much is eaten plus they are unnecessary and expensive. When my sister was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic 18 years ago it was very difficult to buy low/reduced/no sugar products but they are widely available now. However these foods are highly processed which means their levels of artificial additives are high and even sweet things have salt added. You are always better off to buy fresh food and prepare it yourself. Make you own cakes, and add less sugar, they still work well. Also remember that low sugar foods aren't always low in fat too and vice versa. Your mum will find she has to read labels very carefully.

If your Dad has a sweet tooth he will find it hard to start off with but he will soon get used to eating less sugar, and my sister actually finds things too sweet now.

Also check out the British Diabetic Association, they will have loads of information about managing diabetes.

Hope this helps

Rachael