Meal Planning, Healthy Food choices, and Everyday Menus

We all know that the foods we eat – and how much we eat – can affect our weight, blood sugar (glucose), and blood fats. That’s why it is so important for us diabetics to eat a healthy diet even if we are taking some diabetes medication.

A lot of books and articles had been written about diabetic diet and meal planning. In this article I would like to make a general comment on the need for meal planning and the need to have a healthy eating. Bayer Corporation educational service has provided us with some basic information about this.

1. Use a meal plan as your guide

A meal plan lets you know when to eat, how much to eat and what kind if food to eat for meals and snacks. Meal plan help you eat a variety of foods from one day to the next…and that’s what healthy eating is all about.

2. Team up with a dietitian

A dietician can help you develop a meal plan that includes a variety of foods. To make sure your meal plan is one you can live with, let the dietitian know which foods you enjoy – and don’t enjoy – as well as your usual schedule for eating meals. Plan to visit with your dietitian several times to “fine tune” a meal plan to best meet your needs.

3. Set your sights on a healthy weight

Rather than worry about “dieting” or unrealistic weight goals, think about a healthy weight. Small amounts of weight loss can often make a big difference to your health – blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol can all improve.

4. Healthy eating

Healthy eating doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of food you enjoy. It just means you have to follow your meal plan for the amount of carbohydrate, fat, and protein to eat. If you want to reach for a sweet now and then, you can. Ask your dietitian how you can work treats into your meal plan. Remember, it’s your total meal plan that counts.

Related to our meal planning, the Joslin Diabetes Center has also provided us with information about making healthy food choices. Basically, what this is all about is simply eating the right types and right amounts of foods which can help us control our diabetes and achieve a weight that is healthy for us.

There are four(4) important considerations for healthy eating, according to this information:

1. Eat a variety of foods from all food groups.
2. Eat meals at the same time each day and don’t skip meals.
3. Eat about the same amount of carbohydrate foods each day.
4. Eat less if you want to lose weight.

Here are some tips to make a healthy meal:

1. Fill ½ of your plate with non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, green beans, carrots)
2. Fill ¼ of your plate with carbohydrates (bread, potato, rice, pasta or starchy vegetables)
3. Fill ¼ of your plate with protein foods (3-4 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish)
4. Use 1-2 tsp. of tub margarine or a heart-healthy vegetable oil.
5. Add a small piece of fruit or 8 ounces of skim/low-fat milk.

How many carbohydrates should I eat?

Until you see a dietitian, aim to keep the amount of carb you eat the same at each meal.

Breakfast
Eat 2-3 carb choices (30-45 grams carb). Include a low-fat protein source like milk or yogurt.

Lunch and Dinner
Eat 3-4 carb choices (40-60 grams carb). Include fruit and non-starchy vegetables. Choose small portions of low-fat protein foods.

Snack
If needed, eat 1-2 carb choices (15-30 grams carb).

A good resource book entitled “ The Everyday Meal Planner For Type 2 Diabetes” written by Kristen L. Caron and Aaron Henry provides a sample of everyday menus.

Sample( A Week Schedule):

DAY 1

Breakfast:
3 egg-white omelette with ½ cup green pepper and mushrooms
1 cup raspberries

Snack:
1 ounce nuts

Lunch:
1 cup vegetable soup
Turkey sandwich on 100% whole-grain wheat bread (Orowheat Light)

Snack:
½ cup cut vegetable, raw
1 ounce cheese

Dinner:
Green Salad
Chicken Florentine
1 cup vegetable, such as steamed cauliflower

Dessert:
1 small pear, cored, cut, with a dash of cinnamon
½ cup nonfat yogurt, plain

DAY 2

Breakfast:
½ cup steel-cut oats, cooked
1 slice sourdough toast
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Snack:
1 small apple
½ cup cottage cheese

Lunch:
Gorgonzola, Walnut, Pear, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Whole grain roll, small

Snack:
1 mozzarella string cheese stick
1 cup low-sodium broth
½ cup cut vegetables, raw

Dinner:
Shrimp Etouffe
½ cup brown rice (optional)
1 cup broccoli, steamed
Green salad

Dessert;
Sugar-free Popsicle
12 cherries

DAY 3

Breakfast:
½ cup bran cereal (All-bran or Bran Buds)
½ cup skim milk
½ cup strawberries, sliced

Snack:
½ cup nonfat, fruit flavored yogurt or plain, with artificial sweetener
1 peach

Lunch:
Greek Salad for One

Snack:
½ whole wheat pita
1 ounce spreadable light cheese (Laughing cow0

Dinner:
Stuffed Green Pepper
½ cup brown rice (optional)
Green salad

Dessert:
½ cup nonfat cottage cheese
½ medium peach

DAY 4

Breakfast:
3 egg-white omelette with ½ ounce feta cheese, ½ cup mushrooms, and spinach
½ cup mixed fruit

Snack:
1 slice pumpernickel toast
1 tablespoon cream cheese, low far
1 thin slice tomato

Lunch:
2 cups Lentil Soup
Green Fiesta Salad

Snack:
1 cup soy milk or nonfat milk
1 cup strawberries (blend for smoothie)

Dinner:
Grilled Portobello Mushroom and Asparagus Salad
Basic Marinated Chicken on the Grill

Dessert/Snack:
Sugar-free Jell-O
1 tablespoon nonfat whipped topping (Cool Whip)

DAY 5

Breakfast:
2 slices 100% whole-grain wheat bread (Oroweat Light)
½ cup nonfat cottage cheese
Dash cinnamon and sweetener
(broil to create mock pastry)

Snack:
1 ounce nuts
1 plum

Lunch:
Turkey Chili
Green Fiesta Salad
1 small apple

Snack:
1 cup cut vegetables, raw
1 ounce cheese

Dinner:
Avoacado and Spinach Salad
Broiled Salmon or other favorite fish
1/1 cup rice, converted or parboiled

Dessert/Snack:
Sugar-free Popsicle

DAY 6

Breakfast:
1 cup steel-cut oats, cooked
½ cup soy milk or ½ cup nonfat milk
½ cup berries

Snack:
½ medium apple
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Lunch:
½ cup cooked pasta (linguini, fettucini)
15-ounce chicken breast, grilled
11/2 cups cooked vegetables (sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil)

Snack:
½ medium grapefruit

Dinner:
Shark Fillet in Wine and Dill Sauce
1 cup steamed green beans
Large green salad

Dessert/Snack:
Sugar-free Jell-O
1 tablespoon nonfat whipped topping (Cool Whip)

DAY 7

Breakfast:
1 cup soy milk or 1 cup nonfat milk
1 scoop protein powder of choice (low carbohydrate variety)
½ medium peach
½ cup raspberries (blend for smoothie)
1 slice pumpernickel bread, toasted

Snack:
1 ounce nuts

Lunch:
Stir-Fried Beef Salad
Whole grain roll, small

Snack:
1 mozzarella string cheese stick
1 cup cut vegetables, raw

Dinner;
Steamed Fish in Lime Essence
½ cup brown rice
Ratatouille

Dessert/Snack:
15 cherries


(Source for Every Day Menus: Caron, Kristen L., and Aaron Henry. The Everyday Meal Planner for type 2 Diabetes. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.)