Eat Healthy
Having diabetes doesn't mean you will need to give up enjoyable and delicious food. With a little meal planning, you can find foods you love that will fit into your diabetes diet also help you control your blood sugar. If you sometimes crave foods that aren't in your eating plan, try the Craving Converter™, which will suggest healthy (and tasty) alternatives for you.
Work with your doctor, registered dietitian, or certified diabetes educator to develop a personal meal plan. The Shopping List (PDF Format) will help make your grocery shopping for your diabetes diet easier - just print it and go!
Guide to better fast-food choices
Sometimes you have to eat on the go. Make smart choices and balance your meals out with healthy meals at home. Here's some food for thought next time you're out and about, but still want to maintain a healthy diabetes diet:
- Eat moderate amounts while limiting fat and salt. It's easy to eat an entire day's worth of fat, salt and calories in just one fast-food meal. But it's also easy to make good choices and enjoy a fairly healthy meal.
- When ordering from the menu, stay away from items that are "jumbo," "giant," "deluxe," or "super-sized," since these items tend to have more calories.
- Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with lean meats such as turkey or chicken breast. Avoid toppings such as mayonnaise, and add flavor with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
- Ordering a salad can be a good choice, but watch out for high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, and croutons.
- Stick to soft tacos and other non-fried items when eating Mexican fast food. Choose chicken over beef.
- Feel free to pile on extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa, but go easy on cheese, sour cream, and refried beans.
- Choose the thin-crust pizza with vegetable toppings and limit your portion to 1-2 slices.
- Leave off the meat and extra cheese, since they add calories, fat, and sodium.
A food plan to go
For better options on the run, consider:
- Grilled chicken
- Whole wheat rolls or bread
- Fruit or cottage cheese
- Salad with dressing on the side or fat-free
- Single hamburger, regular or children's size
- Low-fat deli sandwiches on wheat or pita bread
- Wrap or whole wheat tortilla (no dressing)
- Fat-free/low-fat milk or water
- Low-fat or sugar-free frozen yogurt
And stay away from:
- All-you-can-eat buffets
- Fries and onion rings
- Super-sizing
7 ways to make better choices
- Trade a high-fat food for a low-fat choice every week.
- Make your meal look bigger by serving it on a salad or dessert plate.
- Package half of your restaurant meal "to go" before you start eating.
- Curb your appetite by drinking a glass of water 10 minutes before each meal.
- Still hungry right after a meal? Wait 20 minutes-it takes that long for your brain to know your stomach is full.
- People tend to eat more in front of the TV. Turn off the set and try listening to music during your meal.
- If you need extra help creating a meal plan you can stay with, visit a registered dietitian or a certified diabetes educator.