A little bit of variety can add spice to an otherwise bland diabetic menu, and with a 2400-calorie meal plan, there's lots of room to change things up. You'll likely enjoy dining a bit more if you're eating foods with different flavors, and less boredom equals a better chance that you'll stick to your diet.
This multi-cultural flavor fest of a 2400-calorie meal plan has American, Mexican, Italian and French-inspired meals. Truth be told: It actually rings in just under, at 2390 calories (52% from carbohydrate and 29% from fat) -- that's 10 calories to spare!
Breakfast: American
- 2 reduced-fat 4" waffle squares
- top with: 1 tablespoon of light syrup and 1 1/4 cup sliced strawberries (nice when mixed together and warmed about 15 seconds in the microwave)
- 2 low-fat turkey sausage links
- 8 ounces skim milk
- coffee with 2 tablespoons fat-free half and half
Lunch: Mexican
- top salad with a 3-ounce grilled and diced chicken breast
- 1/2 avocado - fork mashed with a squeeze of lime juice
- eat avocado with 15-20 baked snack chips
- 2 small tangerines
- 8 to 12 ounces water or sugar-free beverage
Dinner: Italian
- 1 cup raw mushrooms sauteed with 2 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper (if you don't like mushrooms, substitute green beans or other seasonal low-carbohydrate vegetable)
- 3/4 cup salad greens topped with 1/4 cup salad veggies (like carrots, cucumber, radishes or peppers)
- top salad with 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper
- 1 large fresh pear (or other seasonal fruit)
- 8 to 12 ounces water or sugar-free beverage
Snack: France - Peanut Butter Parfait
- allow one cup of fat-free, no-sugar-added ice cream to soften slightly, and mix with 3 ounces of fat-free vanilla yogurt; freeze for 30 minutes
- melt 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat peanut butter for 15 seconds in microwave
- dice a small diced banana
- layer ice cream, peanut butter sauce and bananas in a bowl or parfait cup
- serve with 8 to 12 ounces water or sugar-free beverage
