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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Start making your Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup early on Day 1 so it's ready by dinner time.
If you take this sandwich home, store it in a reusable silicone bag.
- 1 medium apple, sliced and sprinkled with cinnamon
- 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
- 1 medium apple, sliced and sprinkled with cinnamon
Daily total: 1,204 calories, 37g protein, 176g carbohydrates, 40g fiber, 61g sugar, 45g fat, 8g saturated fat, 1,638mg sodium
- 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
*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
Daily total: 1,211 calories, 54g protein, 160g carbohydrates, 36g fiber, 63g sugar, 44g fat, 9g saturated fat, 1,635mg sodium
Daily total: 1,206 calories, 59g protein, 180g carbohydrates, 33g fiber, 87g sugar, 35g fat, 6g saturated fat, 2,288mg sodium
Preparation tips: Tonight's dinner is a slow cooker recipe, so start cooking early so it's ready in time for dinner.
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
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.