Have you or a loved one recently been diagnosed with Diabetes? At first, it can seem like a death sentence, but the key to managing Diabetes is to have good control over your eating habits. An effective way to do this is by getting into meal planning.
With a good meal plan, you’ll know exactly how and when you’re fueling your body so that it gets a good balance of all the nutrients it needs. Get your meal planning right, and even people living with Diabetes can live a happy and fruitful life.
In this article, we will help you get started with setting up a healthy and manageable meal plan.
How to Get Started with Diabetes Meal Planning
Once you’ve received the diagnosis, it can seem frightening, but this is the time to get things organised. You’ll need to start making some healthy adjustments to your current eating habits, but this, of course, is easier said than done. But be patient with yourself and start with small steps.
Instead of cutting out all things sugary in one go, start decreasing the number of sugar-filled drinks and eats and gradually swapping them out for water and more sugar-free alternatives. Or if you are used to eating large portions of food and get take-out often, slowly try decreasing the amount you eat day by day instead of cutting down all in one go. This way, your changes will be attainable, and eventually, you won’t crave as much sugar in the long run.
Key Components to Creating a Healthy Meal Plan for Diabetes
When setting up a diet to manage diabetes, you know that you need to be making healthier choices. However, sometimes, things that we think are healthy are unsuitable for a diabetic diet, and then there are some things your diet may be lacking. Here are some key components that every diabetic diet should include:
Drink More Water
The first and one of the most important things you should be incorporating into your meal plans for diabetes is to limit your sugar intake. It’s absolutely shocking how much sugar is packed into everyone’s drinks, not just your fizzy drinks but in ice teas and fruit juices, too.
The best thing you can do is increase your water intake and limit the other drinks. Set yourself reminders and a daily goal, and if you really don’t like the taste of water, then try adding some flavouring, but be aware of the ingredients.
More Fibre
Fibre is one of the superheroes in a diabetic diet. This type of carbohydrate isn’t digested and does wonders to help improve your blood sugar levels. It takes a long time to be broken down by your digestive system and prevents blood sugar spikes.
Some fibre-rich foods that you should be incorporating into your diet include whole grains (like whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta and quinoa), as well as beans, lentils and, of course, fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables.
More Low-Fat Protein
Protein is also another food group that slows down the rate at which your body will digest carbohydrates and absorb glucose; therefore, it is wonderful in preventing sugar spikes. It also increases satiety, which means eating protein-rich meals will help you feel fuller for longer. Try aim to include a protein with every meal that includes a carbohydrate food.
However, it’s important to realise that some sources of protein are going to be better for diabetes, so the better options for getting your intake of protein will come from:
- Poultry (chicken and turkey)
- Plant-based protein (Beans, hummus, falafel, lentils, peas, soy nuts, nuts and spreads, tempeh and tofu)
- Fish and seafood (fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, shellfish and other fish like flounder and tilapia)
- Cheese (reduced-fat cheese, cottage cheese and regular cheese in small portions)
- Eggs
- Game (venison, rabbit, duck)
- Red meats (choose the leanest options which are trimmed of fat)
Limit Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates are the food group that can be broken down quickly by your body and used as energy, so eating things like white flour products, white pasta, and sugar will cause sugar spikes. So, it’s best to limit your simple carbohydrates.
Have a Regular Meal Routine
One of the prime enemies of a diabetic meal plan is inconsistency. Skipping meals will lead to overeating on even the best of days, which can cause you to feel lethargic.
Keep your meals as regular as possible and snack on high-fibre foods in between meals. This should prevent you from getting too hungry and help you manage your portion sizes well.
Exercise Regularly
Getting regular exercise is just as important as watching the food you eat when it comes to diabetes.
Steps to Create a Diabetic-Friendly Meal Plan
The first thing you need to realise when setting up your diabetic meal plan is that everyone is different, and it’s important that meals are prepped for your individual needs. You know the foods you like and dislike and if you have any sensitivities or intolerances. So, while you could follow a strict diet to the tee, don’t feel afraid to swap certain things out with other diabetic-friendly alternatives.
Also, keep in mind that not all standardised meal plans will have the correct amount of calories for your lifestyle. For example, if you’re very physically active, a meal plan with 1200 calories per day will not suffice, and you will need to adjust it to ensure you’re getting an appropriate caloric intake.
Here are some steps to help you put together a healthy, diabetes-friendly 7-day meal plan:
- Keep your daily targets for carbohydrates and calories in mind
- Calculate how many portions of carbohydrates and other foods you need in order to meet your targets
- Divide your calculated portions into the meals and snacks you’ll have throughout the day
- Use exchange lists to see what foods can be swapped out with diabetic-friendly foods to fill out your meals.
- Plan the meals to maximise ingredient use, such as by having roast chicken one day and chicken soup the next.
- Repeat the process for each day of the week
- Monitor blood sugar levels daily
Final Thoughts
Meal prepping is a key to helping anyone with diabetes gain control of their condition and living a healthy life. It’s always best to visit a licensed dietician and healthcare provider to ensure you’re on the right track with your diet. If you’re the kind of person who is passionate about making others aware of diseases like diabetes and wants to make a difference, consider taking your passion one step further and take a graduate certificate in public health, which can enable you to pursue a career as a public health officer, or health promoter.