By skyforbes 
| Meal Plan at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREAKFAST/ A.M. SNACK | LUNCH/ P.M. SNACK | DINNER |
| Yogurt & strawberries/ Oranges | Chicken wraps/ Cheese & nuts | Turkey & rice soup & salad |
| Avocado egg toast & blueberries/ Banana & nut butter | Turkey & rice soup/ Cashews | Chicken noodle casserole |
| Mini omelets & pear/ Yogurt & strawberries | Cobb salad/ Apple & cottage cheese | Shrimp quinoa bowls |
| Mini omelets & orange/ Walnuts | Cobb salad/ Blackberries & almonds | Salmon & vegetables |
| Smoothie/Almonds | Cobb salad/ Carrots & hummus | Chickpea stew |
| Smoothie/ Cashews | Chickpea stew/ Oranges | Ranch chicken, broccoli & rice |
| Yogurt & blueberries/ Cheese & oranges | Chickpea stew/ Pear | Chicken fajitas |
Day 1
Breakfast (348 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
Morning Snack (70 calories)
Lunch (370 calories)
Afternoon Snack (197 calories)
- 1 mozzarella string cheese
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted roasted cashews
Dinner (517 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 109 g protein, 113 g carbohydrates, 18 g fiber, 70 g fat, 1,142 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to ½ cup almonds at breakfast, add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts to A.M. snack and increase to ⅓ cup cashews at P.M. snack.
Day 2
Breakfast (292 calories)
Morning Snack (186 calories)
- 1 small banana
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted peanut butter
Lunch (378 calories)
Afternoon Snack (147 calories)
Dinner (511 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,514 calories, 92 g protein, 136 g carbohydrates, 20 g fiber, 66 g fat, 1,356 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase the blueberries at breakfast to 1 cup, change the banana at A.M. snack to large and the peanut butter to 3 Tbsp., add a slice of whole-wheat bread to lunch and increase the cashews to 6 Tbsp. at P.M. snack.
Day 3
Breakfast (357 calories)
Morning Snack (181 calories)
- ¾ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. sliced strawberries
- 1½ Tbsp. sliced almonds
Lunch (359 calories)
Afternoon Snack (165 calories)
- 1 medium apple
- ½ cup nonfat cottage cheese
Dinner (429 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 92 g protein, 140 g carbohydrates, 28 g fiber, 68 g fat, 2,009 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 cup yogurt and 3 Tbsp. almonds at A.M. snack and add 1 Tbsp. peanut butter to P.M. snack.
Day 4
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Breakfast (296 calories)
Morning Snack (123 calories)
Lunch (391 calories)
Afternoon Snack (268 calories)
- 1 cup blackberries
- ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Dinner (422 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 74 g protein, 117 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 88 g fat, 1,563 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 7 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at A.M. snack; increase to 6 Tbsp. almonds at P.M. snack.
Day 5
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Breakfast (333 calories)
Morning Snack (275 calories)
- ⅓ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Lunch (275 calories)
Afternoon Snack (188 calories)
- 1 cup carrot strips
- ⅓ cup hummus
Dinner (439 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,511 calories, 73 g protein, 137 g carbohydrates, 41 g fiber, 84 g fat, 1,732 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast and add 1 medium banana and 2½ Tbsp. peanut butter to lunch.
Day 6
Breakfast (333 calories)
Morning Snack (197 calories)
Lunch (439 calories)
Afternoon Snack (70 calories)
Dinner (457 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,495 calories, 78 g protein, 149 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 73 g fat, 1,256 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, increase the cashews at A.M. snack to 9 Tbsp., add 1 slice whole-wheat bread to lunch and increase the rice at dinner to ½ cup.
Day 7
Photography: Carson Downing, Food: Holly Dreesman, Props: Gabe Greco
Breakfast (378 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Morning Snack (120 calories)
- 1 reduced-fat mozzarella string cheese
- 2 clementines
Lunch (439 calories)
Afternoon Snack (131 calories)
Dinner (437 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,505 calories, 101 g protein, 152 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 63 g fat, 1,462 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to ½ cup walnuts at breakfast, increase to 2 string cheeses at A.M. snack and increase to 1 avocado at dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It is OK to mix and match meals if there’s one I don’t like?Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn’t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check the calories, fiber, protein and sodium to align with the parameters of this plan and be within our sodium limits. If you’re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, fiber, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious Healthy Diabetes Friendly Recipes.
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Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 292 to 378 calories while the lunches span 275 to 439 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you’re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.
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Why is there not a 1,200 calorie modification?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.
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What are the risk factors for insulin resistance?If insulin can’t work, your blood sugar will stay high, which is a precursor for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. And while there isn’t one test to tell you if you have insulin resistance, there are indicators, such as having obesity, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, high LDL (“bad) cholesterol and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Healthy Eating Tips for Insulin Resistance
Anyone can temporarily develop insulin resistance, but over time, chronic insulin resistance can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Thankfully, changing your diet can potentially reverse insulin resistance. When they become more insulin-sensitive, the muscle, fat and liver cells need less insulin to absorb the glucose. Physical activity, weight loss, stress reduction and proper sleep can all make you more sensitive to insulin, in addition to changing your diet.
There are a few key changes that can help improve your blood sugar and, therefore, improve insulin resistance. Eating protein—like meat, chicken, eggs, fish, Greek yogurt, nuts or other vegetarian proteins—in most of your meals helps improve your blood sugar. Protein slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream, which means your blood sugar will stay more stable. In addition, eating fiber may help improve your blood sugar. Like protein, it’s broken down slowly and prevents blood sugar spikes. High-fiber foods include whole grains (like quinoa, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta), fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils. Lastly, because sugary drinks can pack in a lot of added sugar, avoiding them will improve your blood sugar control. Stick to drinks that have zero added sugars, like water, seltzer and unsweetened tea. Also, try to limit simple and refined carbohydrates. These foods are low in fiber and are quickly digested, releasing sugar into the blood, which causes blood sugar spikes.
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.