Right Food, Right Choices:
Meal Planning Made Easy

Nutrition is an important way to manage diabetes, but it is important to establish meal plan goals—such as weight loss, lower blood pressure, or stabilizing glucose levels—with your doctor. Knowing your goals will help you choose the right foods and the right portions. Here are some tips:

• Learn how to read the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods. The label highlights serving sizes and the number of grams of total carbohydrate, protein, and fat.
• Choose whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas instead of simple starches, such as white bread or tortilla chips.
• Select plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eat fruit instead of drinking juice.
• Buy low-fat or fat-free milk, cheeses, and yogurt.
• Try low-fat cuts of meat or skinless chicken or turkey.
• Limit alcohol and sweets. The American Diabetes Association recommends no more than two glasses of alcohol a day for men and one for women.