We’re always getting a ton of questions about meal planning as a diabetic. So today I’ve thrown a bunch of them together and will shoot through them with the answers.
If you have your own questions, feel free to ask them at the end by leaving a comment.
Also, if you want to make meal planning easier, check out how our “smart” meal planner works by watching this short video.
CLICK HERE to join us inside the members site – manage your blood sugar and A1C the smart way!
Okay, here we go to the Q&A discussion…
What is a low carb alternative for bread crumbs used in meatloaf or meatball recipes?
You can replace breadcrumbs with almond meal but the truth is you don’t even need breadcrumbs at all.
Both meatloaf and meatballs can be made without using breadcrumbs. They will still stay firm and taste exactly the same, if not better.
Another option for breadcrumbs is crushed nuts – like we used to crust these Oven-baked Chicken Nuggets.
Is organic food and fruits any better that the non-organic? How to identify the organic food that is worth spending on?
Organic food does contain less pesticide residues than non-organic but there is still a lot of debate about how much exposure difference there is between the two.
Many experts suggest you avoid buying what’s called “the dirty dozen,” as these have the highest chemical contamination.
Check out this table:
Where can I get a FREE diabetes diet plan?
We have a couple of free sample menus you can try.
This 2 day sample menu – offers an 80 gram per day and a 120 gram per day so you can see how to construct the differing carbohydrate counts.
You can also look at this 2 day 1500 calorie menu – an 80 gram carb per day plan.
There is nowhere that really offers more extensive low carb plans for free. But we have a range of meal plans you can purchase that are very affordable.
What are some recipes with five or less ingredients for people who have little time for preparation?
We have a 5 Ingredients Dinner Menu you can purchase, and the best benefit of those is most of them can be made in 10-15 minutes.
You can also try the following 4 recipes for free:
- Chicken Massaman Curry (5 ingredients, 15 minutes)
- Beef Basil Noodles (5 ingredients, 15 minutes)
- Chicken Taco Salad (5 Ingredients, 15 minutes)
- Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs (5 Ingredients, 5 minute prep then set and forget)
We’re all about making food tasty and super easy. And inside our members site we have over 500+ low carb recipes you can access and include in your daily meal plans, using our “smart” meal planning software.
How do you replace onions in food? It’s a nightmare as we doth love them for taste.
Just don’t use them, the food will taste good without them.
My love for potatoes makes my life very complicated. What can I use that will taste like it?
The perfect substitute for potatoes is cauliflower.
That may sound strange if you’ve never tried it. But, it actually tastes just like potato – only lower in carbs so it won’t spike your blood sugar levels.
Try this cauliflower mashed “potato” recipe.
Or this cauliflower “potato” salad.
I would like to find acceptable substitutions for my favorite foods. Is there a good noodle, bread, rice that I can make or purchase?
There definitely is a whole range of options you can buy and make. We have a ton of them inside our members site, but to get you started in the right direction, use the following ideas.
Noodles:
- Purchase a vegetable spiralizer and make zucchini or carrot noodles.
- Use konjac noodles, which are Japanese Shirataki noodles – zero carb.
- You can also purchase low carb pasta/ noodles.
Bread:
- Skip the bread and opt for a lettuce leaf wrap or bun.
- Purchase low carb breads.
- Join as a VIP member and get access to our Low Carb Breads Masterclass.
Rice:
- Try this cauliflower rice – you’ll barely even notice the difference and it makes a great option for curries, stir fires, or any saucy dish.
- Purchase konjac rice – zero carbs.
- Chop up cabbage and saute it into a rice base.
What artificial sweetener is best for your health?
We use stevia in all our recipes because when we reviewed the science it does have the safest profile.
Other sweeteners that are okay include monk fruit extract, xylitol and erythritol.
As for artificial sweeteners like Equal and Splenda, these are best avoided. Find more info about that over here.
How to prepare meals for a diabetic.
With baking/cooking when a recipe requires white flour, sugar, mayo, butter, etc. Is there a list of what I could substitute for a better choice?
There is no definitive list but inside our members site we have a ton of cooking and kitchen tips, along with a library of ingredients and foods.
But, here are a few tips that may be of immediate help:
Flour. Only use low carb flours – flax, sesame, coconut, almond, chickpea. But beware, you can’t replace 1:1 for normal flour. There is a bit of skill to cooking with low carb flours. Inside our members site, we have many recipes that use them.
For a thickening agent, a small amount (1-2 Tbsp) of arrowroot or corn starch is useful.
Sugar. Use stevia or the sweeteners mentioned above.
Mayo. You can still use mayo as long as you choose carefully. There are some organic brands that are very low on sugar. Or alternatively, you can make your own, which is very easy.
Butter. It is perfectly fine to eat butter so no need to change that ingredient at all. If you don’t want to use butter, you can substitute with olive oil or coconut oil.
Do you have any meal suggestions for eating out fast food and dine-in?
As a matter of fact we do because on the odd occasion we all like to eat out and be social.
Read this info on restaurant dining.
Read this info on fast food options.
Read this on traveling food options.
Where can I find meal plans that are easy to prepare?
As suggested earlier, we have a couple of free sample meal plans you can try.
This 2 day sample menu – offers an 80 gram per day and a 120 gram per day so you can see how to construct the differing carbohydrate counts.
You can also look at this 2 day 1500 calorie menu – an 80 gram carb per day plan.
As for more diverse meal plans, you really should watch the video below to see what our “smart” meal planner does.
You can select our ready-made meal plans or create your own and your daily carbs and calories get calculated automatically. It really is the smart way to manage your type 2 diabetes!
CLICK HERE to join us inside the members site – manage your blood sugar and A1C the smart way!
Hello I’m Sandra, yesterday I was diagnosed with diabetes. It sent me into panicking. I’m a pescatarian and I’m allergic to eggs . What is the easiest way to food prep and not spiral out of control and be frustrated. The Dr said if I lose 20 lbs I can reverse this . I have to do this can you please advise🙏🏽❤️
Hi Sandra, don’t panic – a few dietary changes can make all the difference! Check out our vegetarian food list here and alter as necessary.
Hellojedha, I’m going crazyhere i am on metformin 2 am 2 pm but in between if i crave for a handsfull of carbs or sweet it spikes up to17 what am i doing wrong?? Please i need your advice.thank you
Sonia you can read more about metformin here. Metformin is not a miraculous cure that will always keep your glucose in range. It is only a glucose control aid. If you go and eat simple carbs then your body is still going to react by increasing blood glucose – it’s the body’s natural biological response to glucose intake. To prevent it, choose better snacks and learn to control the sugar cravings.