7 day meal plan for diabetes

Eating healthy for diabetics is easy, delicious and effective with this 7-day diabetes diet plan that also serves as a meal plan for type 2 diabetes.The meals and snacks that make this plan so simple and realistic to follow feature the best foods for diabetes, including complex carbohydrates (like whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables), lean proteins and healthy fats.

Carbohydrates were balanced throughout the day with 2-3 servings of carbohydrates (30-45g carbohydrates) at meals and 1-1.5 servings of carbohydrates (15-25g carbohydrates) at snacks. I limited refined carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, white rice, etc.) to avoid blood sugar spikes, and I also reduced saturated fat and sodium, which can be negatively impacting health if eaten in excess.

One thing we definitely didn't skimp on was flavor: The meals and snacks on this plan are packed with fresh ingredients and herbs and spices that add flavor without adding excess salt.

Managing diabetes doesn't have to be hard. Choosing a variety of nutritious foods like this meal plan, exercising daily, drinking plenty of fluids, getting enough rest, and managing stress will give you a healthy, sustainable, holistic wellness approach to managing your diabetes.

7 day diabetes diet plan

How to prepare meals for the week:

1. Prepare these Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls and store them in an airtight container to have as a ready-to-eat lunch on days 2-5.Bonus: Check out our step-by-step guide to meal prep for this recipe and two other recipes suitable for diabetics.
2. Make five servings of Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats and store them in a leak-proof container to eat as a quick breakfast on days 2-6.
3. Start making your Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup early on Day 1 so it's ready by dinner time.

First day

Breakfast (281 calories, 33g carbs)

AM Snack (66 calories, 3g carbs)

Lunch (325 calories, 40g carbs)

If you take this sandwich home, store it in a reusable silicone bag.

PM Snack (95 calories, 25g carbs)

• 1 medium apple, sliced ​​and sprinkled with cinnamon

Dinner (428 calories, 47g carbs)

• 2 cups slow cooker vegetable soup topped with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1 slice of whole wheat bread, toasted and drizzled with 2 teaspoons of olive oil

Preparation tips: Reserve 2 cups of the slow cooker vegetable soup and store in an airtight container until days 6 and 7.

Daily total: 1,195 calories, 54g protein, 148g carbohydrates, 37g fiber, 49g sugar, 49g fat, 9g saturated fat, 1,924mg sodium

the 2nd day

Breakfast (276 calories, 43g carbs)

AM Snack (77 calories, 20g carbs)

Lunch (344 calories, 47g carbs)

PM Snack (95 calories, 25g carbs)

• 1 medium apple, sliced ​​and sprinkled with cinnamon

Dinner (411 calories, 41g carbs)

Daily total: 1,204 calories, 37g protein, 176g carbohydrates, 40g fiber, 61g sugar, 45g fat, 8g saturated fat, 1,638mg sodium

Third day

Breakfast (276 calories, 43g carbs)

AM Snack (30 calories, 8g carbs)

Lunch (344 calories, 47g carbs)

PM Snack (62 calories, 15g carbs)

Dinner (483 calories, 53g carbs)

• 1 1/3 cups chicken sausage and bell pepper
• Mix 1/2 cup cooked brown rice with 1/2 teaspoon each of olive oil and salt-free Italian seasoning.
• 2 cups mixed greens with 2 tablespoons of Italian vinaigrette*

*When buying pre-made salad dressings, choose ones that are made with olive or canola oil and have no added sugar.

Preparation tips: Cook an extra 1/2 cup of brown rice for dinner on Day 7. You could also substitute brown rice for farro in the dinner recipe on Day 4, in which case you could cook an extra 2 cups of rice tonight as well to save time tomorrow.

Daily total: 1,195 calories, 45g protein, 166g carbohydrates, 35g fiber, 54g sugar, 44g fat, 9g saturated fat, 1,678mg sodium

Day 4

Breakfast (276 calories, 43g carbs)

AM Snack (77 calories, 20g carbs)

Lunch (344 calories, 47g carbs)

PM Snack (62 calories, 15g carbs)

Dinner (450 calories, 41g carbs)

*If you don't have farro, you can substitute with any other whole grain you have on hand, such as brown rice.

Daily total: 1,209 calories, 58g protein, 166g carbohydrates, 36g fiber, 60g sugar, 40g fat, 7g saturated fat, 1,422mg sodium

Day 5

Breakfast (276 calories, 43g carbs)

AM Snack (30 calories, 8g carbs)

Lunch (344 calories, 47g carbs)

PM Snack (103 calories, 26g carbs)

Dinner (457 calories, 36g carbs)

Daily total: 1,211 calories, 54g protein, 160g carbohydrates, 36g fiber, 63g sugar, 44g fat, 9g saturated fat, 1,635mg sodium

Day 6

Breakfast (276 calories, 43g carbs)

AM Snack (129 calories, 33g carbs)

Lunch (275 calories, 36g carbs)

PM Snack (62 calories, 15g carbs)

Dinner (464 calories, 53g carbs)

Daily total: 1,206 calories, 59g protein, 180g carbohydrates, 33g fiber, 87g sugar, 35g fat, 6g saturated fat, 2,288mg sodium

Day 7

Preparation tips: Tonight's dinner is a slow cooker recipe, so start cooking early so it's ready in time for dinner.

Breakfast (349 calories, 59g carbs)

AM Snack (62 calories, 15g carbs)

Lunch (254 calories, 35g carbs)

PM Snack (95 calories, 25g carbs)

Dinner (444 calories, 48g carbs)

Daily total: 1,203 calories, 59 g protein, 183 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 77 g sugar, 31 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 1,775 mg sodium

You did it!

Congratulations on completing this weekly meal plan for diabetes. Whether you make all the meals in this plan yourself or simply use it as a guide to healthy eating, we hope you've found it inspiring, inspiring and informative.