7-Day Diabetes-Friendly Meal Plan to Eat More Vegetables, Created by a Dietitian

Meal Plan at a Glance

BREAKFAST/ AM SNACK
LUNCH/ PM SNACK
DINNER/ EVENING SNACK

Yogurt parfait/ Garlic hummus & peppers
Veggie wrap/ Orange-mango smoothie
Honey-glazed salmon w/ veggies

Yogurt parfait/ Garlic hummus & carrots
Chicken satay bowl/ Orange-mango smoothie
Mojo Chicken w/ Green Beans & Potatoes

Pear & cottage cheese bowl/ Garlic hummus & peppers
Chicken satay bowl/ Yogurt parfait
Spiced couscous-stuffed peppers

Egg-in-a-pepper w/ avocado salsa/ Hummus & peppers
Chicken satay bowl/ Yogurt parfait
Blackened shrimp tacos & slaw/ Cottage cheese bowl

Pear & cottage cheese bowl/ Apple & nut butter
Chicken satay bowl/ Yogurt parfait
Arugula salad w/ pork, blue cheese & avocado toast

Egg-in-a-pepper w/ avocado salsa/ Apple & nut butter
Chickpea-tuna salad/ Yogurt parfait
Lemon-quinoa-chicken & broccoli salad

Toast w/ berries, almond Butter & kefir/ Edamame
Veggie wrap/ Plum & almonds
Lemon-garlic cod & avocado salad/ Apple & nut butter

Day 1

Honey Salmon with Potatoes and Spinach.

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco.

Breakfast (415 calories, 36g carbs)

• 1 cup nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt
• 1 serving Cinnamon-Toasted Oats 
• ¾ cup blackberries
• 2 Tbsp. chopped nuts, such as pecans, walnuts or almonds

A.M. Snack (190 calories, 18g carbs)

Lunch (390 calories, 40g carbs)

P.M. Snack (224 calories, 36g carbs)

Dinner (473 calories, 42g carbs)

Evening Snack (90 calories, 12g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,782 calories, 68g fat, 11g saturated fat, 122g protein, 184g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,734mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. and evening snacks.

Make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at breakfast and add 1 serving Cabbage Caesar Salad to dinner.

Day 2

High-Protein Orange-Mango Smoothie.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Breakfast (415 calories, 36g carbs)

• 1 cup nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt
• 1 serving Cinnamon-Toasted Oats 
• ¾ cup blackberries
• 2 Tbsp. chopped nuts, such as pecans, walnuts or almonds

A.M. Snack (201 calories, 20g carbs)

Lunch (443 calories, 39g carbs)

P.M. Snack (224 calories, 36g carbs)

Dinner (501 calories, 41g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,784 calories, 74g fat, 11g saturated fat, 122g protein, 172g carbohydrate, 33g fiber, 1,652mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit chopped nuts at breakfast and omit A.M. snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds as an evening snack.

Day 3

Spiced Couscous-Stuffed Peppers.

Courtesy Photo

Breakfast (489 calories, 44g carbs)

A.M. Snack (190 calories, 18g carbs)

Lunch (443 calories, 39g carbs)

P.M. Snack (179 calories, 17g carbs)

Dinner (485 calories, 52g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,786 calories, 87g fat, 9g saturated fat, 97g protein, 174g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 2,020mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit apple at lunch and omit P.M. snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds as an evening snack.

Day 4

“Egg in a Hole” Peppers with Avocado Salsa.

Breakfast (387 calories, 42g carbs)

A.M. Snack (201 calories, 20g carbs)

Lunch (443 calories, 39g carbs)

P.M. Snack (179 calories, 17g carbs)

Dinner (397 calories, 42g carbs)

Evening Snack (170 calories, 14g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,777 calories, 77g fat, 13g saturated fat, 115g protein, 175g carbohydrate, 39g fiber, 2,300mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit apple at lunch and omit evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. almond butter to the apple at lunch.

Day 5

High-Protein Cottage Cheese Bowl.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

Breakfast (489 calories, 44g carbs)

A.M. Snack (206 calories, 7g carbs)

• ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Lunch (443 calories, 39g carbs)

P.M. Snack (90 calories, 11g carbs)

Dinner (552 calories, 43g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,780 calories, 96g fat, 10g saturated fat, 101g protein, 145g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 2,274mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit both the A.M. and P.M. snacks.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. almond butter to the apple at lunch.

Day 6

Chickpea Tuna Salad.
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn

Breakfast (387 calories, 42g carbs)

A.M. Snack (193 calories, 28g carbs)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter

Lunch (425 calories, 37g carbs)

P.M. Snack (179 calories, 17g carbs)

Dinner (481 calories, 43g carbs)

Evening Snack (135 calories, 17g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,798 calories, 83g fat, 14g saturated fat, 102g protein, 184g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 1,739mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit P.M. and evening snacks.

Make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2 Tbsp. almond butter at the A.M. snack and add 2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the P.M. snack.

Day 7

Sheet-Pan Lemon-Garlic Cod with Roasted Vegetables.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen.

Breakfast (320 calories, 40g carbs)

• 1 slice sprouted wheat bread, toasted
• ¾ cup blackberries
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter
• 1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
• 1 cup nonfat plain kefir

A.M. Snack (179 calories, 22g carbs)

Lunch (390 calories, 40g carbs)

P.M. Snack (237 calories, 15g carbs)

• ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 plum

Dinner (483 calories, 30g carbs)

Evening Snack (193 calories, 29g carbs)

Daily Totals: 1,802 calories, 86g fat, 13g saturated fat, 112g protein, 176g carbohydrate, 44g fiber, 1,983mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit kefir at breakfast and omit P.M. snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Omit plum at P.M. snack and add 1 serving High-Protein Orange-Mango Smoothie instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

• ​​Is it OK to mix and match meals if there is one I do not like?

  Yes, feel free to mix and match meals if there’s one you don’t like. You could repeat a meal in this plan or browse some of our other diabetes-friendly recipes for additional inspiration. We created this meal plan with better blood sugar in mind, so you may want to choose a meal with a similar nutrition profile. For reference, we aimed for about 40 grams of carbohydrate per meal and chose recipes that provide a good amount of protein and fiber.

• Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?

  You can eat the same breakfast and lunch every day if you prefer. Each breakfast spans 320 to 489 calories and contains about 40 grams of fiber-rich carbohydrates. Lunch options range from 390 to 443 calories and also contain about 40 grams of fiber-rich carbohydrates. These ranges are fairly similar, so a simple swap should work for most people.

• Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?

  We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.

• How many carbohydrates should I eat per day?

  The amount of carbohydrates you should eat per day depends on many factors, including body size and activity level. Because of this, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation on total carbohydrate intake. If you’re trying to manage your blood sugar, slightly decreasing total carbohydrate intake and focusing on high-fiber carb sources is a strategy that can work for many people.

Health Benefits of This Diabetes-Friendly Plan:

• Moderately-Low Carbohydrate: Each day provides about 40% of total calories from carbohydrates, which is below the 45 to 65% of calories from carbohydrates recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If you’re trying to improve your blood sugar, it may be tempting to significantly reduce carbohydrates, but that’s often not necessary. Plus, carbohydrates contain fiber, which is an important nutrient for overall health and can help improve blood sugar levels. Instead, focusing on including fiber-rich carbohydrates while pumping up the protein and veggies is a blood-sugar-friendly strategy that works for many people. 
• High Fiber: Each day provides at least 30 grams of fiber, though most days come in quite a bit higher than that. Fiber is a type of indigestible carbohydrate that doesn’t raise blood sugar levels. A fiber-rich diet can promote more stable blood sugar levels and lower hemoglobin A1C, which is a measure of average blood sugar, as well as promote overall health.
• Veggie-Packed: If you’re trying to improve your blood sugar levels, eating more veggies is an effective and delicious strategy. Research links a high vegetable intake to a significant improvement in blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
• High-Protein: Each day provides at least 97 grams of protein. If you’re trying to manage your blood sugar levels, protein is key. Pairing protein with a carbohydrate source, like eating peanut butter or a slice of cheddar with an apple, can help promote more stable blood sugar levels compared to a carbohydrate food eaten without protein.
• Heart-Healthy: Because having diabetes can increase the risk of developing heart disease, we capped saturated fat at 14 grams per day. While there is some debate on saturated fat and its impact on heart health, the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat and eating more unsaturated fats.

How We Create Meal Plans

Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.

Dig Deeper

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The 10 Best Vegetables for Diabetes