Go SearchAdvanced Search
F.A.C.E. F.A.C.E Diabetes Brochure

E-mail a Friend

Diabetes-Friendly Meal Planning

Having diabetes doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your favorite foods. People with diabetes can substitute ingredients with healthier alternatives in order to manage their disease. Making educated food choices and consulting with a trusted physician or nutritionist will enable you to keep your energy level high and your blood sugar level controlled. Once you become accustomed to new food options, it is likely that you will find the shift to healthy eating to be easier than you think.

To begin your journey to healthy diabetic meal planning, follow these simple guidelines:

Grocery Bag
  • Incorporate a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. When selecting vegetables, it is best to choose from non-starchy ones such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans1
  • Choose whole grain foods instead of processed grain products.1 Switch up your ordinary meals by mixing in brown rice with stir-fry or whole wheat spaghetti with pasta sauce
  • Prior to eating, remove the skin from all chicken and turkey. Also, ask your butcher for lean cuts of beef and pork, such as pork loin and sirloin1
  • Choose water and calorie-free "diet" drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks1
  • Add non-fat dairy like skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese to your diet.
  • Use liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats that can be high in saturated and transfats.1 Remember: fats are high in calories
  • Cut back on high-calorie snack foods and desserts. Chips, cookies, cakes, and full-fat ice cream are loaded with calories and fat
  • Watch your portions and eat in moderation. Eating too much food, even if it is healthy, can lead to weight gain
Diabetes Risk
According to the American Diabetes Association, one in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.

About Portion Control

When you sit down for a meal, draw an imaginary line through the center of your plate. Draw a line to divide one section into two. One-fourth of your plate should be filled with grains or starchy foods such as rice, pasta, corn, or peas. Another fourth should be protein foods like meat, fish, poultry, or tofu. You can fill the last half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, salad, tomatoes, and cauliflower.2

References:

Print Page