How To Meal Plan for Type 2 Diabetes

When you have Type 2 diabetes, it’s important to manage your blood sugar levels. And factors like what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat can all play a role.

Eating a well-balanced diet is key. And having a Type 2 diabetes meal plan that’s easy to follow can help you create healthy, tasty options.

Why meal planning for Type 2 diabetes is important

“Meal planning is great for making sure that you have healthy options that will keep your blood sugar better under control,” says registered dietitian and diabetes educator Emma Rueth, RD, LD, CDCES.

Building the right plate

Rueth says she likes to use the American Diabetes Association’s Plate Method when creating a meal plan for Type 2 diabetes.

“You can literally use your plate as a means of portion control,” she notes. “It’s a really easy visual guide for you to understand what a balanced plate should look like.”

When you think about your dinner plate, you want to fill it with:

• One-half of non-starchy vegetables, like spinach, green beans, tomatoes, broccoli or other vegetables
• One-quarter of lean proteins, like chicken, beef, fish or tofu
• One-quarter of carbs, like whole grains or starchy vegetables, like potatoes, beans or fruit

Additionally, you want to choose whole foods when you can.

“Whole foods are minimally processed,” explains Rueth. “Think about it this way: It’s how the food looks when it comes off of the tree, out of the bush, out of the ground or off of the animal.”

Whole foods also tend to have more nutrients — think fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

“Having a balance of nutrients on the plate helps to slow down digestion, which helps keep blood sugar more stable and makes you feel full and satisfied longer,” she adds.

Example meals

Ready to start planning your meals? Here are a few suggestions.

Breakfast

Start off your mornings with:

• Whole-grain toast with avocado and a hard-boiled egg
• Greek yogurt with nuts or nut butter and a serving of fruit
• A veggie omelet with kale, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and spinach
• A smoothie using fruits and vegetables

Lunch

When midday hits, try one of these filling options:

• A Greek salad with tofu, tomatoes and cucumbers
• Red snapper tacos with mango salsa
• Vegetable and turkey stew
• A loaded baked potato with black beans

Dinner

Opt for one of these options any night of the week:

• Pork chops with grilled peaches
• Salmon with lentils and a mustard vinaigrette
• Pan-roasted chicken with cannellini beans
• Stir-fry with vegetables

Dessert

In the mood for a treat? Choose from one of these:

• Warm berry crisp
• Chocolate chia pudding
• Pumpkin bars
• Black bean brownies

Snacks

Look for small portions that have a mix of fiber, protein and fats, such as:

• An apple with nut butter
• Popcorn with nutritional yeast
• Hummus and carrots
• Cottage cheese with blueberries

Tips for Type 2 diabetes meal plans

When it comes time to think about your meals, consider the following:

• Start small. It can be a lot to go from planning none of your meals to planning meals for seven days a week. Rueth suggests starting small. “Start out by making one recipe a week that can last you over two or three meals,” she says. “If you think about doing everything all at once, that’s when you’ll get burned out.”
• Plan with purpose. As you get comfortable with meal planning, set aside time to brainstorm foods you would like to eat over the next four to seven days. Make your grocery list based on what you need for those recipes. “Then, choose what days you’ll do food preparation, which may be washing and cutting vegetables and fruit,” Rueth advises. “The more you can do in advance, the less likely you are to show up to a meal unprepared and hungry.”
• Limit ultra-processed foods. Think of ultra-processed foods as foods that can last a long time on the shelf, in the fridge or in the freezer. Foods like sweetened breakfast cereals, potato chips, pizza and chicken nuggets typically include fats, starches, sugars, salts and hydrogenated oils. “You don’t have to avoid them completely,” clarifies Rueth. “It’s all about what you’re eating them with.” So, watch your portion size and pair with healthier options like a salad or sautéed veggies.

You may want to consider working with a registered dietitian who can focus on your specific goals, needs and wants.

“A dietitian can figure out what the healthiest diet looks like in your life. We consider the food you like and dislike, along with any food allergies or intolerances,” shares Rueth.

“We can talk through what specific recommendations look like for you and then brainstorm meal ideas and snack ideas that would be helpful.”