If you have diabetes you should follow a special diet. Here’s a sample diabetic meal plan that is about 1,600 calories and 220 grams of carbohydrates. Remember to drink two 8-ounce glasses of water with each meal.
Breakfast
(360 calories, 52.5 grams carbohydrate)
1 slice toasted whole wheat bread with 1 teaspoon margarine
1/4 cup egg substitute or cottage cheese
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 small banana
Lunch
(535 calories, 75 grams carbohydrate)
1 cup vegetable soup with 4-6 crackers
1 turkey sandwich (2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 ounce turkey and 1 ounce low-fat cheese, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise)
1 small apple
Dinner
(635 calories, 65 grams carbohydrate)
4 ounces broiled chicken breast with basil and oregano sprinkled on top
2/3 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked carrots
1 small whole grain dinner roll with 1 teaspoon margarine
Tossed salad with 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing
4 unsweetened canned apricot halves or 1 small slice of angel food cake
Snacks
(Each has 60 calories or 15 grams carbohydrate. Pick two per day.)
16 fat-free tortilla chips with salsa
1/2 cup artificially sweetened chocolate pudding
1 ounce string cheese plus one small piece of fruit
3 cups light popcorn

Breads, Grains, and Diabetes
Best Choices Worst Choices
Whole-grain flours, such as whole wheat flour White flour
Whole grains, such as brown rice Processed grains, such as white rice
Cereals containing whole-grain ingredients and little added sugar Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar
Whole-grain bread White bread
Baked potato or baked steak fries French fries
Whole-grain flour or corn tortillas Fried white-flour tortillas

Diabetes and Vegetables
Best Choices Worst Choices
Fresh vegetables, eaten raw or lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled
Frozen vegetables, lightly steamed Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium
Vegetables cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or sauce
Fresh cucumbers Pickles (only if you need to limit sodium; otherwise, pickles are a good choice)
Fresh shredded cabbage or coleslaw Sauerkraut, (same as pickles; limit only if you have high blood pressure)

Diabetes and Fruits
Best Choices Worst Choices
Frozen fruit or fruit canned in fruit juice Canned fruit with heavy sugar syrup
Fresh fruit Chewy fruit rolls
Sugar-free or low-sugar jam or preserves Regular jam, jelly, and preserves (unless portion is kept small)
No-sugar-added applesauce Sweetened applesauce
100% fruit juice or low-carb juices Fruit punch, fruit drinks, fruit juice drinks, sweetened soda

Diabetes, Meat, and Other Protein
Best Choices Worst Choices
Baked, broiled, grilled, or stewed meats Fried meats
Lower-fat cuts of meat, such as top sirloin Higher-fat cuts of meat, such as ribs
Turkey bacon Pork bacon