Updated March 17, 2015.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
2. Plate Method
Most of my newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic clients prefer to start out with the Plate Methodof meal planning. It is a little less overwhelming, and doesn't require adding up carbohydrates. It does require that you learn what foods belong in what category. Using a standard dinner-sized plate, for breakfast, make half of the plate starch, and the other half fruit & lean protein. For lunch and dinner, make half the plate non-starchy vegetables, and the other half starchy foods and lean proteins.
For lunch and dinner, then add a non-fat milk, low-fat milk, or another starch plus one serving of fruit.
Starchy Foods
Fruit - (For Lunch & Dinner - 1 piece or 1/2 cup)
Non-Fat or Low-Fat Milk - (For Lunch & Dinner - 1 cup)
Non-Starchy Vegetables
Lean Protein Foods
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
2. Plate Method
Most of my newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic clients prefer to start out with the Plate Methodof meal planning. It is a little less overwhelming, and doesn't require adding up carbohydrates. It does require that you learn what foods belong in what category. Using a standard dinner-sized plate, for breakfast, make half of the plate starch, and the other half fruit & lean protein. For lunch and dinner, make half the plate non-starchy vegetables, and the other half starchy foods and lean proteins.
For lunch and dinner, then add a non-fat milk, low-fat milk, or another starch plus one serving of fruit.
Starchy Foods
- bread
- tortillas or pita bread
- English muffin or bagel
- hamburger or hotdog buns
- rice or pasta
- oatmeal or unsweetened dry cereal
- crackers
- baked or mashed white or sweet potato
- winter squash
- peas, corn or baked beans
Fruit - (For Lunch & Dinner - 1 piece or 1/2 cup)
- apple
- banana
- grapes
- oranges
- peaches
- pears
- pineapples
- strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
- watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew melon
- unsweetened fruit juice
Non-Fat or Low-Fat Milk - (For Lunch & Dinner - 1 cup)
- fat-free or 1% milk
- fat-free plain or low-fat fruited yogurt
- fat-free or low-fat soy milk
Non-Starchy Vegetables
- asparagus
- green beans
- broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- carrots
- cauliflower
- celery
- cucumber
- eggplant, summer squash or zucchini
- salad greens
- mushrooms
- peppers
- tomatoes
Lean Protein Foods
- chicken or turkey with the skin removed
- lean beef such as round, sirloin, flank steak, tenderloin or ground round
- lean pork such as ham, Canadian bacon, tenderloin, or center loin chops
- fresh or frozen cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, trout, tuna, or tuna canned in water, or salmon
- fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese
- low-fat deli meats like turkey
- low-fat cheeses
- egg substitute or egg whites
- low-fat sausage or hotdogs
- low-fat peanut butter
Source...