| DAY | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEALS | Breakfast: Avocado Toast with Egg ——– Lunch: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili ——– Dinner: Maple-Mustard Salmon Bowls |
Breakfast: Strawberry & PB Overnight Oats ——– Lunch: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili ——– Dinner: Avocado & Chickpea Salad |
Breakfast: Strawberry & PB Overnight Oats ——– Lunch: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili ——– Dinner: Quick Chicken Fajitas |
Breakfast: Strawberry & PB Overnight Oats ——– Lunch: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili ——– Dinner: White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon |
Breakfast: Avocado Toast with Egg ——– Lunch: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili ——– Dinner: Maple-Roasted Chicken & Vegetables |
| DAILY TOTALS | Calories: 1,809 Fat: 77g Protein: 130g Carb: 156g Fiber: 37g Sodium: 2,081mg |
Calories: 1,792 Fat: 75g Protein: 102g Carb: 196g Fiber: 47g Sodium: 1,126mg |
Calories: 1,820 Fat: 68g Protein: 132g Carb: 175g Fiber: 32g Sodium: 1,708mg |
Calories: 1,803 Fat: 74g Protein: 120g Carb: 168g Fiber: 41g Sodium: 1,436mg |
Calories: 1,805 Fat: 73g Protein: 131g Carb: 158g Fiber: 41g Sodium: 2,077mg |
Day 1
Daily Totals: 1,809 calories, 77g fat, 14g saturated fat, 130g protein, 156g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 2,081mg sodium
Breakfast (407 calories, 29g carbs)
A.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbs)
Lunch (408 calories, 42g carbs)
P.M. Snack (168 calories, 15g carbs)
- Serve with 1 cup nonfat strained plain (Greek-style) yogurt and ¼ cup blueberries
Dinner (503 calories, 37g carbs)
Evening Snack (150 calories, 18g carbs)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. and P.M. snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium orange to breakfast and 1 serving Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad with Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette to dinner.
Day 2
Daily Totals: 1,792 calories, 75g fat, 13g saturated fat, 102g protein, 196g carbohydrate, 47g fiber, 1,126mg sodium
Breakfast (331 calories, 37g carbs)
A.M. Snack (301 calories, 35g carbs)
Lunch (408 calories, 42g carbs)
P.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbs)
Dinner (430 calories, 48g carbs)
Evening Snack (150 calories, 18g carbs)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to lunch.
Day 3
Daily Totals: 1,820 calories, 68g fat, 10g saturated fat, 132g protein, 175g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,708mg sodium
Breakfast (331 calories, 37g carbs)
A.M. Snack (195 calories, 14g carbs)
Lunch (408 calories, 42g carbs)
P.M. Snack (321 calories, 20g carbs)
- 1 cup nonfat strained plain (Greek-style) yogurt
- ½ cup blackberries
- 3 Tbsp. chopped nuts, such as walnuts
- 1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
Dinner (413 calories, 43g carbs)
Evening Snack (150 calories, 18g carbs)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Reduce to 2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at the P.M. snack and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Day 4
Daily Totals: 1,803 calories, 74g fat, 12g saturated fat, 120g protein, 168g carbohydrate, 41g fiber, 1,436mg sodium
Breakfast (331 calories, 37g carbs)
A.M. Snack (195 calories, 14g carbs)
Lunch (408 calories, 42g carbs)
P.M. Snack (321 calories, 20g carbs)
- 1 cup nonfat strained plain (Greek-style) yogurt
- ½ cup blackberries
- 3 Tbsp. chopped nuts, such as walnuts
- 1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
Dinner (416 calories, 45g carbs)
Evening Snack (130 calories, 9g carbs)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit P.M. snack
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to lunch.
Day 5
Daily Totals: 1,805 calories, 73g fat, 14g saturated fat, 131g protein, 158g carbohydrate, 41g fiber, 2,077mg sodium
Breakfast (407 calories, 29g carbs)
A.M. Snack (195 calories, 14g carbs)
Lunch (408 calories, 42g carbs)
P.M. Snack (226 calories, 28g carbs)
- 1 cup nonfat strained plain (Greek-style) yogurt
- ½ cup blackberries
- 1 Tbsp. chopped nuts, such as walnuts
- 1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
Dinner (436 calories, 45g carbs)
Evening Snack (130 calories, 9g carbs)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. and evening snacks.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium orange to breakfast and add 1 serving Kale Salad with Balsamic & Parmesan to dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is it OK to mix and match meals if there is one I do not like?Yes, feel free to mix and match meals if there’s one you don’t like. All of the meals were chosen with healthy blood sugar in mind, meaning they’re high in protein and fiber and have about 30 to 45 grams of carbs per meal. You can repeat a meal in this plan or browse some of our other diabetes-friendly recipes for additional inspiration.
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Can I eat the same breakfast every day?You can eat the same breakfast every day if you prefer. Both breakfast options are fairly similar in calories and carbs, so a simple swap should work for most people.
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Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
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What is fiber?Fiber is a type of indigestible carbohydrate found in plants, like legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, nuts and seeds. A high-fiber diet can help support healthy blood sugar, improve heart health, promote digestion and facilitate weight loss.
Health Benefits of this Diabetes-Friendly Plan
- Balanced Carbs: To promote stable blood sugar levels, we aimed for a similar amount of carbohydrates across the day’s meals, with each meal providing about 30 to 45 grams of carbs. Doing this helps support better blood sugar stability, especially when the carbs are from fiber-rich sources. To further support healthy blood sugar levels, we opted for a moderately-low level of carbohydrates, with about 40% of calories coming from carbs. If you have diabetes, you may think you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrates, but that’s often not necessary or sustainable. Reducing carbohydrates too much may result in you missing out on the important health benefits of fiber. That said, individual carbohydrate recommendations vary, so consider reaching out to a registered dietitian or certified diabetes education for personalized recommendations.
- High-Fiber: Each day provides at least 32 grams of fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can help support healthy blood sugar levels. Fiber travels through the digestive system slowly, which promotes better blood sugar stability and a reduced risk of high blood sugar. High-fiber foods include legumes, nuts, seeds, whole-grains, fruits and vegetables. In addition to its blood sugar benefits, a high fiber intake can support heart and digestive health.
- Protein-Rich: Each day provides at least 102 grams of protein, from foods like legumes, poultry, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese and fish. Eating a protein-rich diet can be an effective strategy for blood sugar management as research links it to better blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Heart-Healthy: Because people with diabetes are twice as likely to experience heart disease, we created this plan with heart-health in mind. In addition to a high-fiber level, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease, we capped saturated fat at 14 grams per day. While there is some debate on saturated fat and its role in heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends limiting it to reduce the risk.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
