Find healthy and simple diabetic meal recipes for lunch and dinner
There are several ways for someone diagnosed with diabetes to manage their blood sugar, including insulin and oral medications, exercise, and the foods they consume. While it may seem overwhelming at first, making smarter food choices can occur over time and typically include sticking to a diet comprised of vegetables, whole grains, fresh fruit, non-fat diary products, beans, poultry, fish and other lean meats. There are no perfect foods or specific “off-limit” foods for diabetes, but rather learning how foods affect your blood sugar levels, paying attention to serving sizes, and choosing foods with high quality ingredients. Finding diabetic meal recipes after diagnosis can be helpful in creating a weekly meal plan, and building a library of nutritious foods that work well for those with diabetes.
If the idea of creating a diabetic meal plan for a week seems intimidating, have no fear. Working with your doctor or a nutritionist can help you become comfortable with the process. In addition, there are many resources online that can assist you in creating your own weekly meal plans that you can tailor to your likes and dislikes.
Diabetic meal recipes and meal planning resources may take into account the glycemic index of the foods, the carbohydrate amount in the foods, or use something called the “plate method.” The plate method divides your plate into three compartments; half of your plate is filled with non-starchy vegetables; one quarter is filled with grains or starchy vegetables; and the remaining quarter is filled with a lean protein.
To help you get started with creating a weekly meal plan, here are seven diabetic friendly dinner recipes you can try. Feel free to swap them for lunch as well!
- Cinnamon Apple Pork Chops – Tasty ingredients that can all be combined in one pan makes this dish quick and delicious. Find the one-pot recipe from Taste of Home here.
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Skillet – Combine fresh ingredients like mushrooms and peppers plus chicken in one skillet for an easy and delicious meal. Click to get the recipe from Diabetic Living Online.
- Pork Chop Potato Bake – Mushrooms, pea, potatoes and pork chops combine to create a filling meal that is low in sugar and high in taste. Visit Taste of Home for this mouthwatering recipe.
- Chicken Mexican Manicotti – Get a taste of Mexico in this creative dish that combines chicken breast with salsa, olives and cheese. This great diabetic meal recipe option from Taste of Home can be found here.
- Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas – Salad is another great option for lunch or dinner. This creation from Eating Well combines chickpeas, Swiss cheese, avocado, buttermilk and more.
- Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots and Turnips – Looking for a healthy beef stew that can be made in a crockpot while you go about your day? Then try this scrumptious diabetic friendly dinner recipe from Eating Well.
- Four Bean & Pumpkin Chili – Try a meatless diabetic approved recipe made with beans, pumpkin and spice from Eating Well .
Want to find more diet and meal planning tips that work well for someone diagnosed with diabetes? BetterHealthKare.com has hundreds of recipes and dietary information that can get you on track with your weekly meal plan.
