Free Diabetes Meal Plans and Meal Samples

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Breakfast Options

Eggs are a smart breakfast choice on low carbohydrate diets, because they are carb-free and low in fat. If you want a fat-free option, use liquid egg whites. You can incorporate lean ham or turkey bacon into your breakfast, which provides protein without much fat.

An asparagus omelet with goat cheese is a healthy breakfast option you can make at home that only contains 6 g carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. This recipe calls for liquid egg whites, eggs, fat-free milk, chopped scallions, chopped fresh thyme leaves, chopped parsley, salt, ground black pepper, asparagus, crumbled low-fat goat cheese and chives for garnish. You can substitute the goat cheese for fat-free cheddar cheese if you wish to further reduce the fat content.

Another alternative for breakfast is to make homemade sausage by blending together raw, extra lean turkey with 1 tsp. of fennel seeds, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. Cook on the stove-top or under the broiler and serve with a low-carb wheat wrap for a breakfast with 11 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of sugar.

Other Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Breakfast Options

Yogurt with Berries: A healthful low-carb breakfast can include fruit, and berries are a solid choice because they are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Choose plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt and add your own fresh or frozen berries to avoid the added sugar found in flavored yogurts. Strawberries, raspberries and cranberries all have around 2 g of carbs per quarter-cup serving.

English Breakfast: A traditional English breakfast includes fried eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled mushroom and tomato, baked beans and fried bread, according to Project Britain. You can turn this into a healthy, filling, low-carb feast by omitting the toast and replacing it with extra tomato and mushroom. If you are concerned about fat, swap bacon for turkey bacon and substitute a veggie sausage for meat sausages.

Baked Apple with Cottage Cheese: Apples are low-calorie and may help protect against heart disease and promote digestive health, according to the University of Illinois, and a baked apple makes a simple, nutritious hot breakfast. You should always eat apples with the skin on to get the maximum amount of fiber, which will help you feel full for longer, and to take advantage of most of the apple's vitamin C content, which is just under the skin. Try topping your apple with low-fat cottage cheese and a sprinkling of cinnamon to add calcium, protein and vitamins A and D to your breakfast.

Diabetes Meal Planning Low-Carb Lunch Options

Salads can actually be filling low-carb lunch options if you load them with protein. Use spinach in your salad to obtain iron and top it with your choice of protein such as tuna, salmon, chicken or shrimp. Toss in more fruits and vegetables for extra vitamins and minerals such as asparagus, tomatoes, sprouts and avocado, which provides healthy fat. Vegetables are sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber that won't spike your blood glucose levels.

Buffalo chicken bites are another lunch option you can make at home with cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, hot-pepper sauce or barbecue sauce, trans fat-free margarine, canola oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and celery stalks on the side. This tasty lunch supplies 16 g of protein and only 1 g of carbohydrates.
Lean turkey wraps are a good low-carb lunch option because they are low in fat and carbs as well as quick and tasty. Spread honey mustard or your low-fat sauce of choice on a slice of turkey. Place a reduced-fat slice of Swiss cheese on top and add spinach, which is packed with vitamins A and K, and potassium.

Salads also make healthy low-fat, low-carb lunch options, such as a tuna salad on spinach or grilled chicken salad on watercress and kale. Feel free to load up on nonstarchy vegetables when you make a salad because on many low-carb diets, vegetables are your main source of carbohydrates. Add nutrient- and antioxidant-rich vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and brussels sprouts.

You could also make a lunch of 4 oz. of steamed shrimp with ¼ cup of brown rice and ½ cup of broccoli for 17 g of carbs with just 1 g of sugar. Vary your protein choices if you tire of shrimp or chicken. Choose from seared pork tenderloin, lean steak, turkey cutlets, white fish or salmon.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Dinner Options

Fish is a healthy low-carb dinner option because it supplies your body with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain and heart function. Make five-spice wild salmon on a bed of spinach with finely grated lime peel, fresh lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped fresh ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, sugar substitute, salmon steaks, fresh baby spinach leaves and pressed garlic. This salmon dinner contains just 5 g carbohydrate and supplies 24 g protein.

Lean meats, such as sirloin steak, turkey breast, ham, duck and chicken are excellent low-fat, low-carb options for the main dish at dinner. Fish is another healthy option and the fat in fish has essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which support heart health.

Steak au poivre is a tasty dinner option you can prepare at home, that only contains 7g of fat, 8g of carbohydrates and provides 21 g of protein. The ingredients for this warm, diet-friendly dinner include crushed garlic, crushed peppercorns, beef tenderloin steak that is trimmed of all visible fat, olive oil cooking spray, chopped onion, strips of bell peppers, minced garlic, beef-flavored bouillon granules, ground paprika and fat-free evaporated milk for a saucy finish when mixed with water, bouillon granules, paprika and peppercorns.

Another option is to make tacos by wrapping broiled, extra lean ground beef mixed with chili powder and chopped garlic in leaves of romaine lettuce. Top with a few slices of avocado for 4 g of carbohydrates and less than 1 g of sugar.

Another low-carb, low-sugar option is a thinly pounded chicken breast wrapped around 1 oz. of soft goat cheese and chopped chives. Serve with 10 asparagus spears for 2.5 g of carbohydrates and only trace amounts of sugar. If you need a quick option, simply broil any fish, poultry or lean meat and have it with 1 to 2 cups of green beans, sautéed bok choy, steamed cauliflower or mixed greens for 10 g or less of carbs and 5 g or less of sugar.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Snacks

Keep your blood sugar low throughout the day by minimizing carbohydrate and sugar consumption. Snack on foods that are low in simple carbohydrates such as vegetable sticks and hummus, cheese or nuts.

Stuffed baked tomatoes make a yummy after work snack and contain only 4 g of carbohydrates. The recipe calls for plum tomatoes, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, roughly chopped fresh basil leaves, minced garlic, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Dessert Options

Believe it or not, you can indulge in desserts and still adhere to your diet. Just refrain from commercial and restaurant desserts because they are generally loaded with unhealthy fat, sugar and simple carbohydrates. Make healthy desserts at home such as fruit smoothies made with mixed berries, unsweetened almond milk, ice and sugar-free vanilla pudding or nonfat plain yogurt.

If chocolate is your guilty pleasure, chocolate meringue cookie kisses should satisfy your craving and only contain 1 g of fat and 2 g of carbohydrates. The recipe calls for egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar substitute, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract and light whipped topping.