Here are some easy diabetic diet menus and meal ideas that I especially like! Whether you need to be on a diabetic diet because of a specific medical condition or you just want to eat less and lose weight, you’ll find help with these easy diabetic diet menus!
Diabetic Diet Menus And Meal Ideas
We are often asked to provide diabetic menus and recipes. I have been on a diabetic diet many times just to lose weight and then, as a need, when I had gestational diabetes.
There isn’t anything magical about a diabetic diet. The most important point in a diabetic diet is DON’T EAT SO MUCH!!
You might be thinking, “but it’s not that easy!” Well, after taking a diabetic eating class, reading tons and tons of information on it and practicing it myself I can tell you, “YES IT IS!!”
You just have to stop making excuses and do it! I am including myself in that, too, because I still have 30 pounds to lose or I run the risk of developing it in the next year or so. So maybe I can motivate myself to do it too.
Here are some general guidelines about eating with diabetes.
- Cut your portions. Fill your plate, eat it and then don’t re-fill it.
- One half of the plate should be vegetables and fruit. One quarter grains/brains and one quarter meat.
- Drink all the sugar free coffee and tea you like, but don’t forget to drink water.
- Use low-fat, low-calorie salad dressings, mayonnaise, margarines and jams and jellies. You can still have the flavor but not so many calories. I personally don’t like the taste of anything “diet” so I just eat half the normal serving amount.
- Avoid a lot of high fat foods or fried foods.
Really, that’s about it. I have included some menu ideas to help you get started. Please feel free to share you favorite diabetic menus and tips.
Tawra
Diabetic Breakfast Menus
1 small (2 oz.) bran muffin
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup fat free milk
2 slices whole wheat toast
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 small banana
3/4 cup bran cereal
1 cup strawberries
1 cup fat free milk
1 small orange or 1/2 banana
2 slices whole grain bread or 1 whole english muffin
1 egg/egg substitute or 1-2 oz lowfat cheese/ham/turkey (my favorite is poached egg)
1 tsp. margarine
8 oz nonfat or lowfat milk
1 cup oatmeal
1 Tbsp. raisins
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup skim milk
Four 4-inch pancakes with
1 Tbsp. sugar free pancake syrup
1 sliced orange
1 cup skim milk
Diabetic Snack Ideas
1 toaster waffle with 2 tsp. low sugar fruit spread
1 cup tomato soup with 4 crackers
1/2 sandwich
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
1 cup fat free milk
2 small fig cookies
12 red or green grapes
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 small fruit or 1/2 cup canned fruit with 1/2 cup cottage cheese
Diabetic Lunch Menus
Spinach salad with 2 Tbsp. reduced fat dressing of your choice
1 small whole wheat pita
2 oz. low sodium turkey breast
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
2 tsp. mustard
1 orange
1 cup fat free milk
2 slices whole wheat bread
3 oz. lean roast beef
2 tsp. mustard
1 cup cooked vegetables
1 serving (10 oz.) beef barley soup
1 dinner roll
1 medium apple
2 oz. lean ham
1 cup potato salad
1 cup carrot sticks
1 apple
Tuna Sandwich
2 slices bread
1/2 cup tuna packed in water
lettuce, tomato and dill pickles as desired
1 Tbsp. reduced calorie mayo
1 1/4 cups strawberries
Chef Salad
2 cups lettuce and chopped vegetables
1 oz. turkey, ham or chicken
1 oz. cheese
2 tomato wedges
2 Tbsp. reduced calorie salad dressing
3 Rye Crisp crackers
1 1/4 cup strawberries
3 oz. frozen low fat yogurt
Diabetic Dinner Menus
1/4 lb. shrimp, grilled or sautéed in small amount of olive oil
3/4 cup whole wheat pasta
1/2 cup black beans
1 cup steamed broccoli
3 oz. chicken breast, sautéed with
1 cup of vegetables of your choice
1 Tbsp. olive oil (for cooking)
2/3 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup fat free milk
1 medium pork chop
1 dinner roll
2 tsp. margarine
1 small salad
1/2 cup fresh fruit salad
1 serving (10 oz.) beef barley soup
1 multi grain dinner roll
1 medium apple
2 slices bread or 2 corn tortillas or 2/3 cup rice or 1 medium potato
3-5 oz meat, chicken or fish (not fried or breaded)
Vegetable and/or green salad (no limit)
1 Tsp mayonnaise or vinaigrette dressing if desired
2/3 cup pasta or 2/3 cup rice
3-5 oz fish, meat or chicken (not fried or breaded)
1-2 cups vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, pepper, spinach)
Salad greens with lowfat dressing (if desired)
1 Tbsp sour cream or diet margarine
Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!
Great to see this post especially now, since I just got a “ pre diabetes” diagnosis! My dr told me if I don’t watch what I eat I would be on medicine for diabetes in a year! Scared me so I am going to get out of my mind that I can eat anything I want and worry about it later and start cutting back on portions and take control!
Oh sorry to hear that Susan but glad you found out early. You know I think you are right on target because most people start out by saying I am going to cut out this or that or go on a strict diet which is hard and usually doesn’t work as well but you said the magic words- portion control. I was making some chicken and noodles today and saw the bag said 1 portion was 1/2 cup. I happened to have this little tiny plastic container in my hand and found it was 1/2 cup. I looked at that thing and realized I and most people put at least 4 times that amount on our plate for a normal serving of noodles. Oh my!
The positive side to all of this is that if you are watching your portions just think of the money you will be saving on groceries. If you cut them by 50% you will be saving 50% on your portion of the grocery bill – nice savings and if you get it under control you will be saving money by not having to go and meds. I think you are headed in the right direction. Hang in there.
It all looks great i will have to try this, thank u 😊 for all info on diabetes
You are so welcome Theo. Glad they are helping.
Also exercise is also important for a diabetic..
I love the typo “one quarter grains/brains” It made my day! You couldn’t pay me enough to eat brains, lol!!! Seriously, one of the things I love most about your family is that you are such real people – never fake or phony – just really down to earth. Please just keep being you!
Oh thank you Tammy. We always need the words of encouragement. I always say we have the sweetest and best readers
I’m from Missouri and I first wondered where she got brains. ?
Ooooh, so good. I got hungry reading these suggestions.
please be careful in giving out medical advice. I would hate to see you get sued, it’s like not being able to make medical chains about soap. This diet would put me in the hospital, if not a diabetic coma. All people react differently but all carbs turn to sugar in the body. I’ve learned this and many other things over the last 20 years of being a diabetic.
No need to worry Ramona we have disclaimers all over but even besides we have faith that most of our viewers who have serious medical issues would know what they can or can not have and would use common sense. I must admit I do get a little concerned with what is happening with people no using common sense when they have to put disclaimers on toasters and things telling people not to use them in the bathtub because it could cause death.But like I said we do have disclaimers all over.
Toasters in the bathtub! Yeah, that reminds me of the Ground Hog movie!!
You always as a diabetic need to test your blood sugars and how many carbs you should eat and adjust your insulin. You can’t just dive in just cause it’s on a diabetic diet. I’m a type 1 and test constantly. I have had diabetes since I was 8 and now 64. No matter how you try blood sugars love to go above what they should. Lol
Thank you so much for this informative and realistic aid to managing my diabetes type 2
I have been in denial about my Diabetes for 20 years, refusing to learn about it (too complicated) or strictly adhere to any kind of diet. But now, after having had a wake up call, I have suddenly woken up
I still find Diabetes complicated but your simple terms and helpful article has opened my eyes and brain and hopefully I can eke a few more years out of my life without having a heart attack, stroke or going blind
You are welcome Thelma. My grandma lived with diabetes for many years without making a big deal out of it. Most didn’t even know she had it. She just quietly and simply watched her diet and a few things and did great that way. Living with the fear of having it will probably cause more people to have physical problems than the illness itself. So glad we were able to help.