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*21 Day Lower Blood Sugar Challenge™: Your challenge task is at the bottom of this page.
Here at Diabetes Meal Plans we encourage a low carb diet because research shows it outperforms any other diet for:
- Decreasing blood glucose
- Lowering A1C
- Decreasing cholesterol
- Increasing HDL
- Increasing weight loss
That said, it’s pretty hard for anyone to make the jump from eating 300 g carbs per day (average diet) to 50-80 g per day.
So the good news is, you can stage your transition if you choose.
Below we’ve put together a couple of sample menus for type 2 diabetes/ prediabetes:
- Sample low carb menu (50-80 g)
- Sample moderate carb menu (120-130 g)
If you’ve been eating lots of carbs (which is common), it’s a good idea to start with a moderate carb level, then work towards a low carb level for best results.
SAMPLE Two Day MEAL PLAN: 50-80 g
This example is for 50 to 80 grams total carbs per day.
DAY 1
DAY 2
Snacks
- Peanut butter protein balls (5 g)
- Guacamole or peanut butter with carrot or celery sticks (10 g)
- Cheesecake finger bites – (11 g)
- Carrot and cinnamon loaf (5 g)
- Cucumber crackers (9 g)
Aim for 5-15 g per snack, with 2-3 snacks per day as you need them.
And that would make up your low carb menu of around 50-80 grams total carbs per day.
If you factor in the fiber, you’d be consuming approximately 30-50 grams net carbs per day (total carbs minus fiber = net carbs).
As you can see from this sample menu, you will not be starving! But it is a different way to eat than you are probably used to.
That’s why we create delicious weekly Meal Plans and Menus – so you can enjoy life more while lowering blood sugar and A1c at the same time!
SAMPLE Two-Day MEAL PLAN: 120-130 g
his example is for 120 to 130 grams total carbs per day.
NOTE: We don’t generally encourage people to eat bread, rice or pasta. For better blood sugar results, these are the foods we recommend you work on reducing and eliminating.
However, let’s take the exact same menu above and turn it into a 120-130 g carb meal plan instead, which does give you wiggle room to add more variety to your meal plan.
Day 1
Breakfast: Veggie scramble with one slice of whole grain bread – approx. 30 g
Lunch: Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad with one slice of whole grain bread or one small roll – approx. 30 g
Dinner: Chicken, Chorizo and Veggie Stew with one serve brown rice (max. 1/2 cup) – approx. 30 g
Snacks: Hummus and carrot sticks 15 g, peanut butter with half small apple 15 g.
Day 2
Breakfast: Roasted Nut Muesli – add 1/4 cup whole oats – approx. 30 g
Lunch: Chicken Sandwich Wrap – served on whole grain wrap bread – approx. 30 g
Dinner: Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini’s – made with enchilada/flat bread instead of zucchini – approx. 30 g
Snacks: Greek yogurt with berries 15 g, cottage cheese with half a pear 15 g.
Based off the meals and snacks in these moderate low carb menus, the total daily carbs is around: 120-130 g per day.
What you will notice is that as soon as you add the breads, pastas, rice, and noodles, the carb count goes up quite dramatically, with just a small portion added.
Bread, pasta, rice, noodles, crackers, flour-based items and potatoes are generally the foods that will increase blood sugar the most – high carb foods – and as suggested earlier, these are the foods we recommend you try decreasing or eliminating altogether.
Of course, if you prefer to transition a little slower, or your diet is currently filled with lots of sugar and processed foods. Step down to 120 g per day first, then once you adjust, aim lower – you will notice your blood sugar levels come down as you lower the amount of carbs you eat.
Focus on eating more of the right veggies. These are the type of carbs you want to eat because veggies are low in carbs, high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and many other beneficial compounds that support great health and lower blood sugar and A1C.
It’s much easier than you think to put a low carb diet into practice – just start with one meal and work your way from there.
Or, you could consider joining us as a Member.
Of course, membership is optional. But as a member, you’ll have exclusive members-only access to:
- Weekly meal plans
- Our “smart” meal planner to swap, change and alter meal plans to your preferences
- 1200+ recipes
- Video cooking classes
- Library of diabetes-specific information
- Ongoing support and encouragement
- And more!
Judy, VIP Member, said: “It is so good to have help as I begin to make these dietary changes, especially after having wandered along without the nutritional guidance I need. So much out there it is difficult not to become overwhelmed. Meal planning and shopping has become so much easier. Thank you!”
Elizabeth B, VIP Member, said: “The information, the recipes, the support – I don’t feel so hopeless. I love the fact that it all reminds me that I can still eat! I just love how much clear, understandable information is available. I appreciate the very quick responses I have received from my emails. Excellent resource! Thank you so much!!”
YOUR TASK: 21 Day Lower Blood Sugar Challenge™
- Are you keeping a food diary? – We highly recommend you keep a food diary during the challenge so you can start to examine your habits. Plus, a food diary is a great way to keep yourself accountable so you can really see what’s going in your mouth. 😉
- Follow this food list – remember, your one focus and goal during the 21 Day Lower Blood Sugar Challenge™ is to follow our recommended food list as closely as possible. Don’t worry about calories (for now), just focus on eating nothing else but the foods on this list. NOTE: We sent you a pdf downloadable copy of this list to your inbox on Day 2.
- As we continue to emphasize, cut out sugar, bread, potatoes, pasta, cereals, and rice – if you’ve been eating these foods as staples (and many of us do), this is a big task but will bring about dramatic results. OR, cut down on carbs first, which is recommended if you’ve been eating a very high carb diet, or if your numbers are very high. Follow some of the suggestions above to help.
- Add something new to your menu: Choose something from the recipe selections above and add something new to the menu. It can be tough to change habits or tastes, but you’ll be surprised how easy and enjoyable it is once you do it more regularly.
Commit to yourself and apply what we share because we know what we share can help you get results.
Not part of the challenge?
Want more blood sugar friendly information? Click Here to Subscribe – we’ll keep in touch with nutrition tips, recipes and health updates.
I food allergies. Onions, Coconut and Raspberries.
I routinely leave out onions in recipes. How does that affect the nutrition values of the dish?
What can I use in place of coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk? Is olive oil ok?
Leaving out onions won’t influence nutrition all that much Kat. Onions are fairly low in carbs, around 7 g net carbs. Instead of coconut you could use any other kind of nuts, almond milk, cream, it will just depend on the recipe. And yes, olive oil is the best option for cooking.
I forgot to say that I don’t know if I’m insulin resistant or not. That hasn’t been mentioned to me. And I know a lot of these surveys I had to check which one of the types of things was wrong with me I guess. So that was the only one that I noticed something about prediabetic and insulin resistant. I was told that I’m prediabetic.
People with prediabetes are insulin resistant Lynette. It comes hand and hand together so improving insulin sensitivity is important too, via diet/ exercise.
So, I’m one person who rarely cooks for more than myself. Here’s what I think I should do if I try a recipe, unless I want to have a leftover meal. Divide all ingredients in half before cooking but use the per serving info from the nutrition panel because it is info for a single serving. Agree? Advice? By the way The first week of May I found out my hemoglobin A-1 C was 6.4%. On July 28, it was 6.1%. What I had been doing was using an app on my iPhone to keep up with my carb intake. I had little to no guidance from my health provider. I have a friend who is an actual diabetic who gave me some advice and shared some information from a book that she has. In that time. I lost 23 pounds. And, I am a cancer survivor, diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma after a hysterectomy in late April, 2015, who finish six rounds of chemo in late November, 2015, and 28 radiation treatments on March 7, 2015, exactly one year since my symptom appeared that sent me to the doctor. I have lost a total of 55 pounds since March, 2015. The wife that I lost earlier was from lack of appetite due to the cancer treatments. I had to write down what I ate and when I ate it so that I would remember to eat again. I’ve never been through anything like that in my life, let me tell you. I have always liked food! Now I’ve decided that I need to like life more than I like food – just joking, I still like the food that I’m eating, and I shallnot allow myself to become a diabetic. I’m 68 and 2/3 years old and intend to live a lot longer, much better than I have lived in the past. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about what I’m wondering on cooking for one. Thank you.
Congrats on your results so far Lynette, and yes, you could divide the ingredients in half and the nutrition panel is for one serve.
Thanks for the meal plan I really lile it.
I must count protein and carbs and good fats.
Grams is a good start.
However, is it possible to break down the meals by calories as well?
Plus, is it possible to break down meals by protein/carb/good fats?
Highlander
You can do that yourself by calculating the numbers from the nutrition panel on every recipe. The meal plans in our members site have nutrient calculations, but we do not do it here on the blog.
I have just started receiving you’re meal planner so can’t wait to get started. Have just found out that I have diabetics in March 2016 my A-1c was 7.4 as of now I’ve been trying to read as much as I can get a hold of but sometimes can get over whelming. Since my last Dr. Visit an another A-1c I’ve lost 25 lbs & my levels are now 6.4 so forward to finding new meals to eat thank you.
Good results so far Janice, just keep on going to a healthier you!
Hi thank you for your recipes which I will try but I was wondering if you have any easy recipes which I could do using Lentils as I have heard they are good and healthy for you
Thank you again
You can view our free recipes here Ilona. Lentils are okay in small portions – 1/4-1/2 cup – as they are majority carbs. The good thing about them though is they are also loaded with fiber. Still, we try to steer people to try to eat more low carb foods first, then introduce lentils/ beans and see how they react.
Hi. I like the recipes I have been receiving, but have not yet put them into use. Besides being diabetic – Type 2 (for 18 years), I have high blood pressure, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, neutropenia, and gastritis, so need to limit the gluten in my diet. Also, I am allergic to strawberries, kiwi, and pineapple. Because of the neutropenia(sp?) it seems like I crave proteins, so keep cashews and peanut butter around for snacking. I have never been much of a berry eater, and as I am retired need to keep costs low. I would appreciate any help you could give me that will make me a healthier eater. Due to osteoarthritis/osteoporosis, and having fractured the L2 to L5 of my lower back I am unable some days to stand and do a lot of cooking, so need easy meals.
Thank you for reading this and any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Check out some of our recipes Susan, they are all in line with what you need to eat.
I like the 2 day meal plan, my dear helpful friends. This is so great and It will be so easy to make changes in my food prep NEW MENU !!! and assured its what is already known that its good for me !! Thank you very much. I will mention to you that ROLLED OATS is out of my menu…I HAVE A DESIRE to go back to the recipes that I used to make in the late 1940 _ and on from there till the end of 1999 when the doctor told me ,,diabetes is what I would have to consider in the way that my intake of less sugar ,,, plus healthier meals was the way to go, This was what I have tried to keep doing and find it far from easy. I get a whole body of itch boils from anything with oats…now I use barley flakes instead and also found within aweek that my blood count went DOWN BY 5 points I have encounterd a few older people,with same andknw it was oats and got help from hearing my case…apparently no allergy test can be had for oats ! I was told to take oat baths for relaxing from the awfl itch.CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT ?? Oh I had been given meds and got hives because they contained OATS filler in small amounts in the way they had been made…this came as a surprise to my doctor..she changed my meds from non generic to ones costing much more but being generic and having the itch go away,, wow what a good thing for me to have found out. Hope this chat will be of help to others ITS worth to give it a try if such problems arise and you are at aloss what to do.Always get your DOCTORS advice to be sure things don’t go wrong. ……….HAPPY EATING with the good recipes we get from this group of kind thoughtful people.
Well, people o have reactions to different foods Marjorie, so oats are definitely out for you! Most people with diabetes can’t tolerate them because they are too high in carbs anyway. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi, wanted to know vegan low carb sample menu. Thanks!
Very difficult to do vegan low carb and at this stage we do not have a menu to accommodate vegan, sorry.
Tnx for the meal planmar
What do you do if you don’t eat 3 meals plus a snack. I have never been able to eat breakfast, it’s been more like a brunch. The pain I live with, sometimes I’m not able to sleep at night so my waking time is around 10am.
How are your readings Carolyn? That is the only thing that can really guide you on what to do. It’s not great to skip breakfast for most people – can you have a smoothie or even something small. If however, you are waking up at 10, just eat as soon as you can. Just find balance as best you can Carolyn, everyone is different.
Carolyn, I have back pain so sort of understand. I NEVER ate breakfast but have forced myself to. Sometimes it is not much, maybe a hard boiled egg or yogurt or oatmeal. Still trying to find what is best for me. I’ve lost weight which helps with pain. Good luck.
Thanks for the update and menu samples
Glad you found it helpful Belinda 🙂
I asked some time ago whether balsamic vinegar was as effective as apple cider vinegar. No response from you to date.
Actually Dianne, I did respond to that question on 6th March where you left the comment over here. Here’s exactly what I said over there: “Balsamic vinegar won’t work the same as apple cider vinegar as it has different properties, less acetic acid and more fructose.”
I’ll go over these with the wife. She is concerned with her weight so I’ll push the lo-carb idea.
LOL, we’ve just had our 50th anniversary, she’s a sweetie
Happy 50th anniversary!! Low carb does work well for weight loss, it makes you less hungry, balances metabolism, and provides more nutrients to the body overall. It would also benefit you if she were eating that way too 😉
This is what I need t make happen. My wife constantly complains about her weight but seems very resistant to changing her diet. Her problem is she loves dessert , bread, and potatoes. I never buy any bread except whole wheat anymore. It is hard to try to cook 2 meals all the time. I’m hoping to take advantage of her huge garden when it really starts producing.
I loved everyone of your recipes. Thanks for the ideas.
That’s great Gloria, thanks for the compliment and so glad you’re enjoying them 🙂
I couldn’t find where to put my comment, so I am doing it this way.i have so far loved all your recipe.i am staying on 120gr. of carb daily, I love it love it love it.
The fayitas are great.thank you
Great to hear Annamaria!
Questions:
1. I understand 1 carb is = to 15g. Thus can I safely assume that if I start at 120g a day that would be 8 carbs for the day?
2 In addition do I have to count carbs on the non starchy veggies since such is negligible?
3 recommended serving size for fat free Greek yogurt or 2% cottage cheese
I’m seeking to lose weight
Check out this article about carb counting, I think it will help you understand a much better understanding! We do not recommend using the carb counting (1 carb = 15 gram) method, because yes!, you need to count carbs on the non starchy veggies. Additionally, if you start keeping your total carbohydrate intake to less than 130 grams per day (or lower if you can 50-80g), you will most likely find that your weight will begin to normalize as well.