Better options for diabetes meal planning

One of the most important aspects of diabetes management is eating well. Contrary to popular belief, this does not imply that you have to give up all of your favorite foods. It also doesn’t include introducing you to a ton of unfamiliar cuisine.

Making healthier substitutions when meal planning for diabetes might really help you keep eating some of your favorite foods. Even if they are thought of as healthier options, it’s crucial to pay attention to portion sizes so that the number of calories per serving is suitable for your meal plan.

Choosing foods with more fiber can help you control your blood sugar levels; foods lower in fat can help you manage your weight and cholesterol; and foods lower in salt can help you control your blood pressure.

Foods with higher fiber content or lower sugar, fat, or sodium content than the alternatives listed in the “Instead of this” columns can be found in the “Choose this” columns below. To determine whether you’ll genuinely miss the meal that was substituted, try some of the healthier options. You might be shocked to learn that you really like the healthier choice!

Read Also: Are beans a healthy option for diabetes?

Starches and Grains:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
Rye or whole grain bread	White bread
Sweet potato	French fries or white potatoes
Basmati or brown rice	rice with short grains
cereals made of whole grains without added sugar	cereals with extra sugar and processed grains
Bulgur, quinoa, and barley	rice or pasta
Whole wheat or corn tortillas	tortilla made of white flour

Vegetables:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
Raw, steaming, roasted, or grilled fresh veggies	sautéed veggies with cheese sauce or butter added
veggies from frozen, quickly steam-cooked	canned veggies

Fruits:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
Fresh fruit	Fruit juice
No-sugar-added applesauce	Sweetened applesauce
Frozen fruit or fruit canned in fruit juice	Canned fruit with heavy sugar syrup

Protein:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
Egg whites	Whole eggs
Lower-fat cuts of meat, such as sirloin	Higher-fat cuts of meat
Roast turkey or chicken	Cold cuts or lunch meats
Ground turkey	Ground beef
Low-fat cheeses (less than 20% M.F.)	Regular cheeses (more than 20% M.F.)
Skinless chicken or turkey breast	Chicken or turkey with skin
Salmon, trout, mackerel – baked or steamed	Battered fried fish
Lentils or legumes (chick peas, kidney beans) for taco filling or pasta sauce	Ground beef

Alternatives to Milk:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
1% or skim milk	Whole or 2% milk
Low-fat yogurt (less than 2% M.F.)	Yogurt with more than 4% M.F.

Fats and Oils:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
Non-hydrogenated margarine	Hydrogenated or “hard” margarine, butter
Low fat sour cream on baked potato	Butter or regular sour cream on baked potato
Olive oil or canola oil	Butter or vegetable oil for cooking; use olive oil for dipping bread instead of adding butter to bread

Desserts and Snacks:

Choose this:	Instead of this:
Water, unflavored or flavored soda water	Regular pop
Air-popped or “light” microwave popcorn	Potato chips or pretzels
Sugar-free gelatin dessert or pudding	Ice cream
Sugar-free or “light” hot chocolate	Chocolate bar