Table of Contents
Meal Planning Breakfast/Snack Lunch/PM Snack Dinner/Evening Snack Egg Scramble/Cottage Cheese Cheese Bowl Chicken Sandwich/Yogurt Parfait Salmon Bowl Oatmeal Bar & Cherry Chop Salad/Cottage Cheese Cheese Jar Sheet Pan Chickpea Beans and Vegetable Oatmeal Bar/Nuts & Nuts Chop Salad/Buffalo Chick Earrings Shrimp Oatmeal Bar/Cucumber Nuts and Berries
Day 1
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Lauren McCannelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Breakfast (339 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (170 calories, 14g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (374 calories, 35g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (301 calories, 35g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (421 calories, 31g carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
¼ cup unsalted dry roasted shell pistachio
Daily Total: 1,781 calories, 79g fat, 14g saturated fat, 115g protein, 164g carbohydrates, 30g fiber, 1,556mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit PM snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: increase 1 cup sliced strawberries at lunchtime and add 1 serving of Cacio E Pepe Kale Salad to dinner.
Day 2
Photographer Victor Protasio, food stylist Chelsea Zimmer, and prop stylist Hanna Glenwood.
Breakfast (443 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (222 calories, 33g of carbohydrates)
1 cup of edamame, ½ cup of pod blueberries
Lunch (451 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (219 calories, 23g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (459 calories, 36g carbohydrates)
Daily Total: 1,794 calories, 67g fat, 13g saturated fat, 146g protein, 174g carbohydrates, 33g fiber, 1,525mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit the am snacks and change the PM snacks to a cottage cheeseberry bowl.
It will bring in 2,000 calories. Add 1/4 cup of unsalted dry roasted almonds as an evening snack.
Day 3
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Breakfast (443 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (109 calories, 18g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (437 calories, 38g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (219 calories, 23g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (591 calories, 44g of carbohydrates)
Daily Total: 1,799 calories, 75g fat, 13g saturated fat, 126g protein, 163g carbohydrates, 34g fiber, 1,958mg sodium.
To 1,500 calories: Reduce to 1 tablespoon. Chop the chopped walnuts at breakfast and omit the PM snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 apple with cinnamon almond butter.
Day 4
Photographer: Robbie Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Josh Hoggle.
Breakfast (443 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (254 calories, 20g of carbohydrates)
¼ cup unsalted dry roasted almond ½ cup cherry
Lunch (437 calories, 38g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (219 calories, 23g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (431 calories, 51g of carbohydrates)
Daily Total: 1,785 calories, 75g fat, 14g saturated fat, 117g protein, 173g carbohydrates, 37g fiber, 1,455mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit snacks at lunchtime and Clementines.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 apple with cinnamon almond butter.
Day 5
Breakfast (443 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (279 calories, 26g of carbohydrates)
¼ cup unsalted dry roasted almonds ¾ cup cherry
Lunch (466 calories, 45 carbohydrates)
PM snacks (109 calories, 18g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (500 calories, 37g of carbohydrates)
Daily Total: 1,797 calories, 82g fat, 13g saturated fat, 110g protein, 167g carbohydrates, 33g fiber, 1,781mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit AM snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 apple with cinnamon almond butter.
Day 6
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Breakfast (443 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snack (156 calories, 11g carbohydrates)
½ cup sliced cucumber ¼ cup hummus
Lunch (388 calories, 36g carbohydrates)
PM snacks (219 calories, 23g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (416 calories, 45g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
¼ cup unsalted dry roasted shell pistachio
Daily Total: 1,798 calories, 89g fat, 13g saturated fat, 104g protein, 165g carbohydrates, 41g fiber, 1,421mg sodium.
To 1,500 calories: Reduce to 1 tablespoon. Chop the chopped walnuts at breakfast and omit the PM snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cermet Brussels sprouts Caesar salad to dinner.
Day 7
Photographer: Ali Redmond.
Breakfast (339 calories, 41g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (101 calories, 7G carbohydrates)
Lunch (388 calories, 36g carbohydrates)
PM snacks (301 calories, 35g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (431 calories, 44g of carbohydrates)
Evening snacks (216 calories, 18g carbohydrates)
¼ cup unsalted dry roast shell with pistachios ¾ cup sliced strawberries
Daily Total: 1,775 calories, 79g fat, 16g saturated fat, 107g protein, 182g carbohydrates, 35g fiber, 1,752mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit PM snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup of non-fat plain kefir to your breakfast and change the snacks to a serving of cottage cheese snack jar.
FAQ
If there's something I don't like, is it okay to mix and match the food?
If you have a meal you don't like, you can eat it over and over again on this list or browse diabetes-friendly recipes for additional inspiration. We aimed to have a protein-rich diet, with about 40 grams of fiber-rich carbohydrates. If you are creating swaps, we recommend choosing your diet with a similar nutritional profile.
Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?
Yes, if your routine is easier, you can eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. Each breakfast has 41 grams of carbs, 339 and 443 calories. Each lunch offers 35-45 grams of carbohydrates and 374-466 calories. These ranges are pretty similar, so easy swaps should work for most people.
Why is there no change in 1,200 calories?
The meal plan no longer offers changes to 1,200 calories days. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low to meet their nutritional needs for most people, and even unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
How does diabetes affect heart health?
Over time, hyperglycemia levels can cause damage to blood vessels. Damage to blood vessels increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
Health benefits of this diabetes-friendly plan
Moderately Low Carbohydrates: This diet plan is moderately low in carbohydrates, with around 40% of total calories coming from carbohydrates, and between 45% and 65% of carbohydrates being recommended by American dietary guidelines. It also spreads all the total carbohydrates quite evenly between your daily meals and snacks. This helps to promote a more stable blood glucose level. If you have high blood sugar levels, you may think you need to significantly reduce your carbohydrates, but that is often not necessary or sustainable. For many people, focusing on protein and fiber, along with slight carbohydrates and other lifestyle changes, can help support healthy blood sugar levels. The number of carbohydrates you should eat in a day can depend on several factors, including body size and activity. If you are struggling to manage your blood sugar levels, consider reaching out to your healthcare provider for additional guidance. Fiber Rich: Provides at least 30 grams of fiber every day. Fiber can improve gut health, feel full and also lower cholesterol levels. Fiber is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.High protein: Provide at least 104 grams of protein every day. Proteins help you feel full and reduce blood sugar spikes by lowering the body's absorption of glucose. We've tried combining protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts and chicken with foods that contain carbohydrates. Protein and carbohydrate pairing helps stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent extreme highs and drops. Heart-Healthy: People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease as people without diabetes, so I created this diet plan with heart health in mind. Saturated fat was covered with 14 grams per day. The upper limit is 20 grams per day that includes fatty fish such as salmon. Saturated fats can raise LDL, often called “bad” cholesterol, which can increase your risk of developing heart disease.
How to create a meal plan
Registered nutritionists will carefully create thoughtful meal plans for compassionate meals, easy to use and tasty. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the targeted health and/or lifestyle goals and analyzes accuracy using the nutritional database, ESHA food processor. Nutrition needs vary from person to person, so it is best to use these plans as inspiration and adjust them appropriately.
I'll dig deeper
According to the nutritionist
According to nutritionists, nine items to add to your grocery list to improve your blood sugar stability
