Diabetic Diet Menus And Meal Ideas (2024)

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

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