Suggested meal plan for diabetics:* always consult your physician
Monday
Breakfast: One poached egg and half a small avocado spread on one slice of Ezekiel bread, one orange. Total carbs: 39.
Lunch: Mexican bowl: Two-thirds of a cup low sodium canned pinto beans, 1 cup chopped spinach, a quarter cup chopped tomatoes, a quarter cup bell peppers, 1 ounce (oz) cheese, 1 tablespoon (tbsp) salsa. Total carbs: 30.
Snack: Twenty 1-gram baby carrots with 2 tbsp hummus. Total carbs: 21.
Dinner: 1 cup cooked lentil penne pasta, 2 oz ground lean turkey, 1.5 cups veggie tomato sauce with garlic, mushrooms, greens, zucchini, and eggplant. Total carbs: 35.
Total carbs for the day: 125.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Three-quarter cup of blueberries, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 oz almonds, 1 teaspoon (tsp) chia seeds. Total carbs: 34.
Lunch: Salad: Half a cup chickpeas, 2 cups fresh spinach, 2 oz grilled chicken breast, half a small avocado, half a cup sliced strawberries, one-quarter cup shredded carrots, 2 tbsp dressing. Total carbs: 52.
Snack: One small peach diced into one-third cup of 2% cottage cheese. Total carbs: 16.
Dinner: Mediterranean couscous: Two-thirds of a cup whole wheat cooked couscous, half a cup sautéed eggplant, four sundried tomatoes, five chopped jumbo olives, half a diced cucumber, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, fresh basil. Total carbs: 38.
Total carbs for the day: 140.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Three-quarter cup blueberries, two-egg veggie omelet with spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, avocado, and a half cup of black beans. Total carbs: 34.
Lunch: Sandwich: Two regular slices of 100% whole wheat bread, 1 tbsp plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp mustard, 2 oz canned tuna in water mixed with a quarter cup shredded carrots, 1 tbsp dill relish, 1 cup sliced tomato, half a medium apple. Total carbs: 40.
Snack: 1 cup unsweetened kefir. Total carbs: 12.
Dinner: Half a cup succotash, 1 tsp butter, 2 oz pork tenderloin, 1 cup cooked asparagus, half a cup fresh pineapple. Total carbs: 34.
Total carbs for the day: 120.
Thursday
Breakfast: Sweet potato toast: Two slices of toasted sweet potato topped with 1 oz goat cheese, spinach, 1 tsp sprinkled flaxseed. Total carbs: 44.
Lunch: 2 oz roast chicken, 1 cup raw cauliflower, 1 tbsp low fat French dressing, 1 cup fresh strawberries. Total carbs: 23.
Snack: 1 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt mixed with half a small banana. Total carbs: 15.
Dinner: Two-thirds cup of quinoa, 8 oz silken tofu, 1 cup cooked bok choy, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil, one kiwi. Total carbs: 44.
Total carbs for the day: 126.
Friday
Breakfast: One-third cup of Grape-Nuts or similar high fiber cereal, half a cup blueberries, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk. Total carbs: 41.
Lunch: Salad: One-quarter cup tomatoes, 2 cups spinach, 1 oz cheddar cheese, one boiled chopped egg, 2 tbsp yogurt dressing, one-quarter cup grapes, 1 tsp pumpkin seeds, 2 oz roasted chickpeas. Total carbs: 47.
Snack: 1 cup celery with 1 tbsp peanut butter. Total carbs: 6.
Dinner: 2 oz salmon filet, a medium baked potato, 1 tsp butter, 1.5 cups steamed asparagus. Total carbs: 39.
Total carbs for the day: 133.
Saturday
Breakfast: A cup of low fat plain Greek yogurt sweetened with half a mashed banana, 1 cup strawberries, 1 tbsp chia seeds. Total carbs: 32.
Lunch: Tacos: Two corn tortillas, one-third cup cooked black beans, 1 oz low fat cheese, 2 tbsp avocado, 1 cup coleslaw, salsa as dressing. Total carbs: 70.
Snack: One cherry tomato and 10 baby carrots with 2 tbsp hummus. Total carbs: 14.
Dinner: Half a medium baked potato with skin, 2 oz broiled beef, 1 tsp butter, 1.5 cups steamed broccoli with 1 tsp nutritional yeast sprinkled on top, three-quarter cup whole strawberries. Total carbs: 41.
Total carbs for the day: 157.
Sunday
Breakfast: Chocolate peanut oatmeal: 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 scoop chocolate vegan or whey protein powder, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp chia seeds. Total carbs: 21.
Lunch: One small whole wheat pita pocket, half a cup cucumber, half a cup tomatoes, half a cup lentils, half a cup leafy greens, 2 tbsp salad dressing. Total carbs: 30.
Snack: One small grapefruit, 1 oz almonds. Total carbs: 26.
Dinner: Half a cup cooked beets, 2 oz boiled shrimp, 1 cup green peas, 1 tsp butter, 1 cup sautéed Swiss chard, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar. Total carbs: 39.
Total carbs for the day: 116.
1,600 calorie plan
Monday
Breakfast: One poached egg and half a small avocado spread on one slice of Ezekiel bread, one orange. Total carbs: 39.
Lunch: Mexican bowl: One-third cup brown rice, two-thirds cup home-made baked beans, 1 cup chopped spinach, a quarter cup chopped tomatoes, a quarter cup bell peppers, 1.5 oz cheese, 1 tbsp salsa. Total carbs: 43.
Snack: Twenty 10-gram baby carrots with 2 tbsp hummus. Total carbs: 21.
Dinner: 1 cup cooked lentil penne pasta, 2 oz ground lean turkey, 1.5 cups veggie tomato sauce with garlic, mushrooms, greens, zucchini, and eggplant. Total carbs: 35.
Snack: 1 cup cucumber, 2 tsp tahini. Total carbs: 3.
Total carbs for the day: 141.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Three-quarter cup blueberries, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 oz almonds, 2 tsp chia seeds. Total carbs: 39.
Lunch: Salad: Half a cup chickpeas, 2 cups fresh spinach, 3 oz grilled chicken breast, half a small avocado, half a cup sliced strawberries, a quarter cup shredded carrots, 2 tbsp low fat French dressing. Total carbs: 49.
Snack: One small peach diced into one-third of a cup of 2% fat cottage cheese. Total carbs: 16.
Dinner: Mediterranean couscous: Two-thirds cup cooked whole wheat couscous, half a cup sautéed eggplant, four sundried tomatoes, five jumbo olives chopped, half a diced cucumber, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, fresh basil. Total carbs: 38.
Snack: One apple with 2 tsp almond butter. Total carbs: 16.
Total carbs for the day: 158.
Wednesday
Breakfast: One cup blueberries, two-egg veggie omelet with spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, avocado, half a cup of black beans. Total carbs: 43.
Lunch: Sandwich: Two regular slices 100% whole wheat bread, 1 tbsp plain Greek nonfat yogurt, 1 tbsp mustard, 3 oz canned tuna in water mixed with a quarter cup of shredded carrots, 1 tbsp dill relish, 1 cup sliced tomato, half a medium apple. Total carbs: 43.
Snack: 1 cup unsweetened kefir. Total carbs: 12.
Dinner: Half a cup succotash, 1.5 oz cornbread, 1 tsp butter, 3 oz pork tenderloin, 1 cup cooked asparagus, half a cup fresh pineapple. Total carbs: 47.
Snack: Twenty peanuts, 1 cup carrots. Total carbs: 15.
Total carbs for the day: 160.
Thursday
Breakfast: Sweet potato toast: Two slices of toasted sweet potato topped with 1 oz goat cheese, spinach, and 1 tsp sprinkled flaxseed. Total carbs: 44.
Lunch: 3 oz roast chicken, 1.5 cups raw cauliflower, 1 tbsp salad dressing, 1 cup fresh strawberries. Total carbs: 23.
Snack: 1 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt mixed with half a small banana. Total carbs: 15.
Dinner: Two-thirds cup quinoa, 8 oz silken tofu, 1 cup cooked bok choy, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil, one kiwi. Total carbs: 44.
Snack: 1 cup celery, 1.5 tsp peanut butter. Total carbs: 6.
Total carbs for the day: 132.
Friday
Breakfast: One-third cup Grape-Nuts or similar high fiber cereal, half a cup blueberries, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk. Total carbs: 41.
Lunch: Salad: A quarter cup tomatoes, 2 cups spinach, 1 oz cheddar cheese, 1 boiled chopped egg, 2 tbsp yogurt dressing, a quarter cup grapes, 1 tsp pumpkin seeds, 2 oz roasted chickpeas. Total carbs: 47.
Snack: 1 cup celery with 1 tbsp peanut butter. Total carbs: 6.
Dinner: 3 oz salmon filet, a medium baked potato, 1 tsp butter, 1.5 cups steamed asparagus. Total carbs: 39.
Snack: Half cup vegetable juice, 10 stuffed green olives. Total carbs: 24.
Total carbs for the day: 157.
Saturday
Breakfast: 1 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt sweetened with half a mashed banana, 1 cup strawberries, 1 tbsp chia seeds. Total carbs: 32.
Lunch: Tacos: Two corn tortillas, one-third cup cooked black beans, 1 oz low fat cheese, 4 tbsp avocado, 1 cup coleslaw, salsa as dressing. Total carbs: 76.
Snack: One cherry tomato and 10 baby carrots with 2 tbsp hummus. Total carbs: 14.
Dinner: Half a medium baked potato with skin, 2 oz broiled beef, 1 tsp butter, 1.5 cups steamed broccoli with 1 tsp nutritional yeast sprinkled on top, three-quarter cup whole strawberries. Total carbs: 48.
Snack: Half a small avocado drizzled with hot sauce. Total carbs: 9.
Total carbs for the day: 179.
Sunday
Breakfast: Chocolate peanut oatmeal: 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 scoop chocolate vegan or whey protein powder, 1.5 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp chia seeds. Total carbs: 21.
Lunch: One small whole wheat pita pocket, half cup cucumber, half cup tomatoes, half cup cooked lentils, half cup leafy greens, 3 tbsp salad dressing. Total carbs: 30.
Snack: One medium apple, 1 oz pumpkin seeds. Total carbs: 26.
Dinner: 3 oz boiled shrimp, 1 cup green peas, 1 tsp butter, half cup cooked beets, 1 cup sauteed Swiss chard, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar. Total carbs: 39.
Snack: Sixteen pistachios, 1 cup jicama. Total carbs: 15.
Total carbs for the day: 131.
Fruits to limit
Fruit is highly nutritious and can generally fit into a balanced diet for people with diabetes. However, people should be sure to consider the carbohydrate content of fruits and adjust their diet as needed.
According to the American Diabetes Association, a person should opt for fresh, canned, or frozen fruits. They should also look for those that are free of added sugars where possible.
While people can also enjoy dried fruit and 100% fruit juice in moderation, these may not be as filling as whole fruits.
Certain fruits may also have a higher glycemic index, including:
pineapples
ripe bananas
some dried fruits, such as dates
watermelon
Though a person can include these in a healthy diet plan for diabetes, experts recommend monitoring portion sizes to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.