About This Plan
- This 7-day plan is set at 1,800 calories, with modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories per day.
- Each day provides at least 103 grams of protein and 33 grams of fiber to support healthy blood sugar levels and promote feelings of fullness.
- We include the principles of the anti-inflammatory diet, which research shows may prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Whether you currently have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes or you’re looking to reduce your risk, research shows that following an anti-inflammatory diet may be a useful tool to help support healthy blood sugar levels. On the other hand, a pro-inflammatory routine, such as one that contains large amounts of refined grains and excess added sugar, can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 61%. Fortunately, this meal plan is here to help. In this high-protein anti-inflammatory meal plan for better blood sugar, you’ll find a week of nutrient-rich meals as well as a moderately-low carbohydrate, high-protein routine to support healthy blood sugar levels. We include three different calorie levels to choose from, which allows this nutritious meal plan to work for most people. Check it out!
| Meal Plan at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast/ AM Snack | Lunch/ PM Snack | Dinner/ Evening snack |
| Yogurt parfait/ Lemon-raspberry bites | Greek salad/ Cottage cheese bowl | Salmon, broccoli & rice/ Apple & nut butter |
| Yogurt parfait/ Lemon-raspberry bites | Chickpea chopped salad/ Edamame | Crispy chicken bowl/ Kefir |
| Egg scramble/ Yogurt parfait | Chickpea chopped salad/ Edamame | Stuffed peppers |
| Tofu scramble/ Lemon-raspberry bites | Chickpea chopped salad/ Apple & kefir | Halibut & salad |
| Egg scramble/ Yogurt parfait | Chickpea chopped salad/ Edamame | Chicken & rice soup |
| Tofu scramble/ Yogurt parfait | Chicken & rice soup/ Mini stuffed peppers | Spring roll salad |
| Egg scramble/ Yogurt parfait | Chicken & rice soup/ Mini stuffed peppers | Chicken casserole |
Day 1
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Breakfast (301 calories, 35g carbs)
A.M. Snack (230 calories, 26g carbs)
Lunch (384 calories, 32g carbs)
P.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbs)
Dinner (439 calories, 36g carbs)
Evening Snack (291 calories, 31g carbs)
- 1 medium apple
- 2 Tbsp. almond butter
Daily Totals: 1,816 calories, 85g fat, 16g saturated fat, 103g protein, 174g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 1,573mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit the evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Massaged Kale Salad to dinner.
Day 2
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Breakfast (301 calories, 35g carbs)
A.M. Snack (230 calories, 26g carbs)
Lunch (427 calories, 40g carbs)
P.M. Snack (179 calories, 22g carbs)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods
Dinner (558 calories, 47g carbs)
Evening Snack (90 calories, 12g carbs)
- 1 cup nonfat plain kefir
Daily Totals: 1,785 calories, 70g fat, 14g saturated fat, 124g protein, 182g carbohydrate, 33g fiber, 1,832mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack and reduce to ½ cup kefir at the evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to the evening snack.
Day 3
Courtesy Photo
Breakfast (385 calories, 33g carbs)
A.M. Snack (311 calories, 22g carbs)
Lunch (427 calories, 40g carbs)
P.M. Snack (179 calories, 22g carbs)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods
Dinner (486 calories, 56g carbs)
Daily Totals: 1,788 calories, 82g fat, 14g saturated fat, 124g protein, 173g carbohydrate, 41g fiber, 1,826mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter as an evening snack.
Day 4
Photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
Breakfast (411 calories, 38g carbs)
A.M. Snack (230 calories, 26g carbs)
Lunch (427 calories, 40g carbs)
P.M. Snack (185 calories, 37g carbs)
- 1 medium apple
- 1 cup nonfat plain kefir
Dinner (527 calories, 39g carbs)
Daily Totals: 1,780 calories, 72g fat, 14g saturated fat, 121g protein, 179g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 2,044mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack and omit the blueberries at lunch.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds as an evening snack.
Day 5
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Breakfast (385 calories, 33g carbs)
A.M. Snack (311 calories, 22g carbs)
Lunch (427 calories, 40g carbs)
P.M. Snack (179 calories, 22g carbs)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods
Dinner (499 calories, 50g carbs)
Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve 2 servings One-Pot Chicken & Rice Soup to have for lunch on days 6 & 7
Daily Totals: 1,801 calories, 73g fat, 14g saturated fat, 142g protein, 166g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 2,274mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter as an evening snack.
Day 6
Breakfast (411 calories, 38g carbs)
A.M. Snack (311 calories, 22g carbs)
Lunch (450 calories, 38g carbs)
P.M. Snack (122 calories, 15g carbs)
Dinner (523 calories, 45g carbs)
Daily Totals: 1,817 calories, 83g fat, 14g saturated fat, 128g protein, 158g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 2,139mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter as an evening snack.
Day 7
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf
Breakfast (385 calories, 33g carbs)
A.M. Snack (244 calories, 20g carbs)
Lunch (413 calories, 36g carbs)
P.M. Snack (122 calories, 15g carbs)
Dinner (462 calories, 48g carbs)
Evening Snack (179 calories, 22g carbs)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods
Daily Totals: 1,806 calories, 68g fat, 14g saturated fat, 144g protein, 173g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 2,291mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Reduce to ½ cup nonfat kefir at breakfast and omit the A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Reduce to 1 Tbsp. sliced almonds at the A.M. snack and add 1 serving Simple Spinach Salad to dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Yes, if there’s a meal you don’t like, feel free to substitute it with a different meal in this plan or browse all of our diabetes-friendly recipes. We aimed for about 40 to 50 grams of high-fiber carbohydrates per meal to support stable blood sugar levels, so a simple swap should work for most people.
-
If it’s easier for your routine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, go for it! Each meal is fairly similar in carbohydrate content and total calories, so making a swap should work for most people.
-
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
-
If you’ve been told you have high blood sugar levels or are looking to reduce your risk, you may think you need to cut back drastically on carbohydrates. However, that’s often not necessary or sustainable long-term. Many carbohydrates, such as whole-grains, legumes and fruits, contain fiber, which is a beneficial nutrient for healthy blood sugar levels. Instead, focusing on fiber-rich carbs and reducing refined grains and added sugars can be an effective strategy. For more individual recommendations, consider reaching out to a registered dietitian for guidance.
How This Meal Plan May Benefit Blood Sugar:
- Follows the Anti-Inflammatory Diet: To support healthy blood sugar levels, we include the principles of the anti-inflammatory diet. Research shows that following an anti-inflammatory diet may lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, seafood and a wide-array of healthy fats, such as nuts, olive oil and avocado. It limits refined grains, processed foods with minimal nutritional value and added sugars.
- High-Protein with Moderately-Low Carbohydrate: To support healthy blood sugar levels, we opted for a moderately-low carbohydrate level of about 40% of daily total calories and spread the carbohydrates out fairly evenly between the day’s meals and snacks to support stable blood sugar levels. While there’s no one-size-fits all recommendation for the amount of carbohydrates a person should eat per day, there are some nutrition strategies that may help support healthy blood sugar levels. These strategies include reducing total carbohydrates, emphasizing high-fiber carbohydrates and including plenty of protein. Each day provides at least 103 grams of protein and 33 grams of fiber in this blood sugar-friendly plan.
- Heart-Healthy: Having type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of developing heart disease, so we made this plan with both blood sugar and heart health in mind. To support a healthy heart, we capped saturated fat at 14 grams per day (with an upper limit of 20 grams on days we include fatty fish, like salmon) and capped the sodium at 2,300 milligrams per day, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.