This is not in any way a prescription as to how much you should eat. Your personal physician, diabetes educator, or dietitian must determine that. These sample meal plans are merely a composite from the meal plans already published in our three cookbooks from Joslin Diabetes Center, along with input from the American Diabetes Association.
In order to use these meal plans, you will first have to know at what calorie level you should be eating. The American Diabetes Association and the American Medical Association recommend good eating habits along with being physically active, and diligence in taking your prescribed medications/insulin as an important part of diabetes self-management. Since these plans are based on food exchanges, you'll need to consult an exchange list at the back of most diabetic cookbooks to see specific amounts allowed for each choice.
Generally speaking:
1 carbohydrate exchange provides 80 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, and a trace fat-this includes foods from the bread/starch, fruit, milk, and vegetable groups (a serving of non-starchy vegetables provides 25 calories, 5 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, and 0 fat)
1 protein exchange provides 7 g protein and varying numbers of calories and g of fat, depending on whether the choice is very low-fat, low-fat, medium-fat, or high-fat choices
1 fat provides 45 calories, 0 protein, 0 carbohydrates, and 5 g fat
Remember these all correspond to servings (weight) of the food you are going to eat - - that's why you need to consult and learn how to use an exchange list.
Sample 1,200 Calorie Meal Plan
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Breakfast: | 2 1/2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk)
1 protein
1 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 37 grams |
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Lunch: | 2 1/3 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1 vegetable)
2 protein
1 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 30-35 grams |
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Dinner: | 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 2 vegetable)
2 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 45-55 grams |
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Afternoon OR Evening Snack: | 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1/2 milk) |
| Total Carbohydrates: 22 grams |
Sample 1,500 Calorie Meal Plan
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Breakfast: | 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk)
1 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 52 grams |
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Lunch: | 4 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk, 1 vegetable)
2 protein
1 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 60 grams |
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Dinner: | 4 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk, 1 vegetable)
2 protein
1 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 60 grams |
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Afternoon OR Evening Snack: | 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1/2 milk) |
| Total Carbohydrates: 22 grams |
Sample 1,800 Calorie Meal Plan
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Breakfast: | 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk)
1 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 52 grams |
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Lunch: | 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1fruit, 2 vegetable)
2 protein
1 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 45-55 grams |
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Dinner: | 6 carbohydrate (4 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk, 1 vegetable)
3 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: about 80-85 grams |
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Afternoon OR Evening Snack: | 2 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1/2 milk) |
| Total Carbohydrates: 37 grams |
Sample 2,000 Calorie Meal Plan
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Breakfast: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 2 fruit, 1/2 milk)
1 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 80-85 grams |
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Lunch: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1 milk, 1 vegetable)
2 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 80-85 grams |
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Dinner: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1 milk, 1 vegetable)
4 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 80-85 grams |
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Afternoon or Evening Snack: | 2 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1/2 milk) |
| Total Carbohydrates: 37 grams |
Sample 2,200 Calorie Meal Plan
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Breakfast: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 2 fruit, 1/2 milk)
1 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 80-85 grams |
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Lunch: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1 milk, 1 vegetable)
2 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 75-80 grams |
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Dinner: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1 milk, 2 vegetable)
4 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 75-80 grams |
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Afternoon or Evening Snack: | 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk) |
| Total Carbohydrates: 52 grams |
Sample 2,500 Calorie Meal Plan
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Breakfast: | 5 1/2 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 2 fruit, 1/2 milk)
1 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 80-85 grams |
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Lunch: | 5 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk, 2 vegetable
3 protein
2 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 65-75 grams |
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Dinner: | 8 carbohydrate (4 bread/starch, 2 fruit, 1 milk, 3 vegetable)
4 protein
3 fat |
| Total Carbohydrates: 110-120 grams |
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Afternoon OR Evening Snack: | 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 milk), 1 protein |
| Total Carbohydrates: 52 grams |
FTG and BSP
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