Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1708 Bolus 4 – Sonic Tater Tots
Air Date: December 13, 2025
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Jenny Smith

Episode Overview

This episode in the "Bolus 4" mini-series features Scott Benner and diabetes educator Jenny Smith breaking down real-world strategies for bolusing insulin for a single restaurant food: Sonic tater tots. The pair openly discusses the practical challenges, calculations, and nuances of dosing insulin for this iconic fried snack, with an emphasis on understanding the impact of fat and carbs, bolus timing, and the Meal Bolt framework for decision-making. Their conversation aims to empower listeners to “be bold with insulin” by demystifying the process for handling tricky foods without fear.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Identifying Tricky Restaurant Foods

• Scott surveyed followers online about problematic restaurant foods for diabetes management. Responses included vague categories like fries and pizza, but also specific items, notably Sonic tater tots and regional favorites like Culver’s cheese curds.
• Jenny: “That’s why I was wondering if it was just items like French fries in general or if it was specific restaurants with specific items.” (01:51)

2. Nutrition Facts for Sonic Tater Tots

• The hosts research Sonic’s official nutrition data:
  • Medium Tater Tots: 360 calories, 43g carbohydrates (4g fiber), 19g fat, 3g protein, 890mg sodium.
• Both admit they've never been to Sonic, highlighting many people’s curiosity or nostalgia around tater tots.

3. Assessing Bolus Needs: Focus on Meal Bolt

The Meal Bolt Framework (explicitly reviewed at 20:13+):

• Measure the meal: Assess total carbs, protein, fat, glycemic index/load.
• Evaluate yourself: Blood sugar, insulin on board, activity, stress/illness.
• Add base units: Use your carb ratio.
• Layer a correction: Adjust for blood glucose.
• Build the bolus shape: Standard vs. combo/extended bolus.
• Offset timing: Consider pre-bolus time needs.
• Look at CGM: Watch post-meal trends.
• Tweak for next time: Adjust based on results.

“These episodes are going to be very conversational and not incredibly technical… but this is kind of the pathway we’re considering while we’re talking about it.” — Scott (00:41)

4. Bolusing Process for Sonic Tater Tots (07:00–14:00)

• Scenario:
  Rolling up to Sonic, stable at 120 mg/dL, about to eat only tater tots.
• Calculations:
  • Carb bolus: 43g carbs; with a 1:10 ratio → ~4.3 units.
  • Correction bolus: At 120 mg/dL (target: 80 mg/dL, correction factor = 1:50), add 1 unit.
  • Fat/Protein Adjustment: Fat is substantial (19g); using a fat/protein calculator, they estimate an additional 2 units of insulin via an extended bolus (approx. 40% more insulin).
• Bolus Timing:
  • Significant pre-bolus is advised, but timing can be challenging if eating on-the-go or in the car.
  • Some people might split the bolus: partial dose en route, rest at pickup, checking glucose trend before completing.

“An accurate bolus with a… significant pre-bolus is gonna be the only way to get ahead of these.” — Scott (09:45)

“You’re gonna get hit by the carb part of this sooner than the potential for what will likely be a lingering effect maybe after you eat it… These are processed potatoes… so the glycemic impact is absolutely a heavier, quicker hit.” — Jenny (09:58, 10:17)

5. Risks and Safety Considerations

• Bolusing while driving or on the go is NOT ideal for safety.
• Scott shares a harrowing experience with car bolusing that went wrong.

6. Misconceptions: The Impact of Fat and Sedentary After Meals

• Many believe fried foods’ fat content will “slow down” impact, but with tater tots the carb spike hits quickly; fat causes a lingering, delayed rise.
• Eating fast food is often paired with being sedentary (road trips, car rides, etc.), blunting insulin effectiveness further.

“Teaching about only carbohydrates is false information.” — Jenny (15:36)

7. Complications of Combo Meals

• Adding chicken tenders, sandwiches, sauces, etc., can dramatically raise carb and fat content, requiring even more complex bolusing and a much higher total insulin dose.
• Dipping sauces and condiments (like ketchup) sneakily add carbs and sugars, often overlooked by diners.

8. Emotional and Nostalgic Connection to Tater Tots (17:11–18:13)

• Tater tots are associated with childhood and “pizza day” nostalgia.
• Both reminisce about school lunches and the emotional pull of foods like rectangle pizza and tater tots.

9. Hidden Calories and Sugars in Fast Food Drinks (18:25–19:58)

• Brief discussion on Sonic’s coffee drinks: some sizes have up to 82g carbs (58g sugars).
• Warning against drinking calories, as these don’t promote satiety and can easily be overlooked in bolusing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I always assume people will just know what I’m thinking, but some people are just like, Chinese food, pancakes, pizza, that kind of stuff… Anyway, then some people got more specific. It’s chow mein. I really struggle with honey garlic chicken. But we’ve got some Panera, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, specific Panda Express, Boba.” — Scott (01:24)
• “I have to tell you right now, I don’t understand the whole boba tea thing. I don’t get it.” — Jenny (02:34)
• “Does 890 milligrams of sodium sound like lightly seasoned with salt to you?” — Scott (06:13)
• “You’re gonna get hit by the carb part of this sooner than the potential for what will likely be still a lingering effect maybe after you eat it.” — Jenny (09:58)
• “I think it highlights a lot of the things that need to be considered... We started with the tater tots, obviously...” — Jenny (17:11)
• “The fries are the delivery system for the ketchup.” — Scott (16:58)
• “Teaching about only carbohydrates is false information.” — Jenny (15:36)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------|------------| | Intro & Episode Purpose | 00:00–01:15| | Restaurant Foods Discussion | 01:15–03:49| | Sonic Tater Tots Nutrition | 04:00–06:44| | Bolusing Calculations Begin | 07:00–09:44| | Fat/Protein Bolus Deep Dive | 10:17–14:00| | Combo Meals & Add-ons | 13:46–15:36| | Carbs-Only Myths Debunked | 15:36–16:16| | Emotional/Nostalgic Foods | 17:11–18:13| | Fast Food Drinks Discussion | 18:25–19:58| | Meal Bolt Method Recap | 20:13–End |

Tone and Language

• Conversational, friendly, playful, with moments of humor and nostalgia.
• Straightforward about diabetes management challenges, but empathetic and practical.
• No medical advice; focus is on lived experience and problem-solving framework.

Summary Takeaways

• Bolusing for Sonic tater tots (or similar fried, processed carbs) requires accounting for carbs AND fat—and using extended or split boluses is often necessary.
• Timing matters; a significant pre-bolus is needed to combat the rapid glucose spike, with extended bolus coverage for the lingering fat effect.
• Always consider condiments, drinks, and meal combinations, as they can dramatically change carb and fat counts.
• The Meal Bolt method provides a systematic, adaptable approach for different foods and real-life scenarios.
• Don’t just count carbs: Modern diabetes management must include total nutritional context, activity, and individual response.
• Be ready to tweak your approach—use your CGM data to refine future doses.
• Remember: Safety first—bolusing in the car or on the go can be risky.

For more about the Meal Bolt system and resources, visit juiceboxpodcast.com/meal-bolt.