7-Day Diabetes Meal Plan for Weight Loss

The simple meals and snacks in this 7-day meal plan feature some of the best foods for diabetes to help you keep your blood sugar in check so you can feel your best. You'll see plenty of complex carbohydrates—like whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables—lean protein and healthy fats, but not many refined carbohydrates—like white bread, white pasta and white rice—or added sugars, which can spike your blood sugar quickly.

We've also cut back on saturated fats and sodium, as research shows it's important to keep these in check to keep your heart healthy.

What we definitely didn't skimp on is flavor. The meals and snacks in this diet plan feature fresh ingredients and plenty of herbs and spices that add flavor without adding extra sodium. You can plan to eat well over the course of this weekly meal plan.

The carbohydrates are balanced throughout the day with each meal containing around 3 carb servings (45 grams of carbohydrates) and each snack containing around 1 to 2 carb servings (15-30 grams of carbohydrates). The calorie and carbohydrate totals are listed next to each meal and snack so you can swap foods with similar nutrition in and out as you like.

Eating with diabetes doesn't need to be difficult—choose a variety of nutritious foods, as we do in this meal plan, and add in daily exercise for a healthy and sustainable approach to managing diabetes.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals

A little meal prep at the beginning of the week can go a long way to make the week ahead easier.

1. Prep the Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese to have for lunch on Days 2, 3, 4 & 5. Freeze any leftovers for up to 3 months.
2. Make the Frozen Chocolate-Banana Bites to have as an evening snack on Day 2.

Day 1

Breakfast (276 calories, 37 g carbs)

• 1 serving Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
• 1 medium plum, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

Diabetes Tip: Oats are a great high-fiber option for breakfast. The less processed the oat, the higher the fiber content, so instead of instant oats, try old-fashioned, rolled or steel-cut oats. Old-fashioned oats take 10 minutes or so to cook, with heartier oats taking longer. If you're feeling rushed in the mornings, try this recipe for overnight oats or pull out your slow cooker to make a bigger batch of creamy oats.

A.M. Snack (109 calories, 15 g carbs)

• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch (446 calories, 47 g carbs)

• 1 serving Chipotle Ranch Egg Salad Wraps
• 8 seeded crackers
• 1/4 cup hummus

P.M. Snack (200 calories, 28 g carbs)

• 1 medium apple, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter with a pinch of cinnamon

Dinner (452 calories, 55 g carbs)

• 1 serving One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach
• 1 cup Easy Whole-Wheat Couscous

Daily Total: 1,483 calories, 76 g protein, 182 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 56 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 1,519 mg sodium

Day 2

Breakfast (320 calories, 37 g carbs)

• 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
• 1 medium orange
• 1/2 cup pistachios (in shell)

Diabetes Tip: The carbohydrate and fiber content of store-bought breads can vary greatly. Aim for a bread that delivers around 1 carbohydrate serving (15 grams of carbs) and upwards of 20 percent of the daily value for fiber for one slice.

A.M. Snack (164 calories, 25 g carbs)

• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. muesli

Lunch (365 calories, 45 g carbs)

• 1 serving Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese
• 1 (4-in.) thick slice whole-wheat baguette, toasted

P.M. Snack (95 calories, 25 g carbs)

• 1 medium apple, sliced and sprinkled with cinnamon

Dinner (477 calories, 43 g carbs)

• 2 1/2 cups Lentil & Roasted Vegetable Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
• 1 (2-in.) thick slice whole-wheat baguette, toasted and drizzled with 2 tsp. olive oil

Diabetes Tip: Legumes, like lentils, deliver a combination of a fiber, carbs and protein—a mix that helps to keep blood sugar balanced and helps you feel more satisfied.

Evening Snack (102 calories, 20 g carbs)

• 1 serving Frozen Chocolate-Banana Bites, to enjoy after dinner

Daily Total: 1,523 calories, 64 g protein, 196 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 62 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 1,861 mg sodium

Day 3

Breakfast (306 calories, 46 g carbs)

• 1 serving Yogurt with Blueberries & Honey
• 1/4 cup muesli

Diabetes Tip: When buying muesli, look for a brand that doesn't have added sugars, which take away from the healthy goodness of this whole-grain breakfast.

A.M. Snack (116 calories, 12 g carbs)

• 1 medium plum
• 1/2 cup pistachios (in shell)

Lunch (365 calories, 45 g carbs)

• 1 serving Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese
• 1 (4-in.) thick slice whole-wheat baguette, toasted

P.M. Snack (211 calories, 25 g carbs)

• 10 seeded crackers
• 1/4 cup hummus

Dinner (446 calories, 44 g carbs)

• 1 1/3 cups Chicken Sausage and Peppers
• 1/2 cup Easy Brown Rice tossed with 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of no-salt-added Italian seasoning

Evening Snack (62 calories, 15 g carbs)

• 1 medium orange

Daily Total: 1,507 calories, 84 g protein, 187 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 54 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 1,811 mg sodium

Day 4

Breakfast (303 calories, 37 g carbs)

• 1 serving Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
• 1 medium plum, chopped
• 4 walnut halves, chopped

A.M. Snack (197 calories, 23 g carbs)

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Diabetes Tip: Rather than buying sugary flavored yogurt, add honey or maple syrup to plain yogurt—this allows you to control the amount of sugar you're getting. Or go with a "light" option made with zero-calorie sweeteners. And rather than granola, which is often made with added sugar, go for sugar-free muesli as an alternative.

Lunch (365 calories, 45 g carbs)

• 1 serving Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese
• 1 (4-in.) thick slice whole-wheat baguette, toasted

P.M. Snack (147 calories, 20 g carbs)

• 1 medium orange
• 1/2 cup pistachios (in shell)

Dinner (480 calories, 52 g carbs)

• 1 serving Smoky Maple-Mustard Salmon
• 1 cup steamed green beans
• 3/4 cup Easy Whole-Wheat Couscous topped with 2 tsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. sliced almonds, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley and a pinch each of salt and pepper

Daily Total: 1,492 calories, 94 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 53 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,660 mg sodium

Day 5

Breakfast (368 calories, 42 g carbs)

• 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack (116 calories, 12 g carbs)

• 1/2 cup pistachios (in shell)
• 1 plum

Lunch (365 calories, 45 g carbs)

• 1 serving Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese
• 1 (4-in.) thick slice whole-wheat baguette, toasted

P.M. Snack (200 calories, 28 g carbs)

• 1 medium apple, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter with a pinch of cinnamon

Dinner (468 calories, 54 g carbs)

• 1 serving Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"
• 1 (4-in.) thick slice whole-wheat baguette, toasted

Diabetes Tip: While brown rice and other whole grains, like whole-wheat pasta, are healthy options for people with diabetes, cauliflower rice and veggie noodles are fun low-carb alternatives.

Meal-Prep Tip: Make the Frozen Chocolate-Banana Bites to have as an evening snack on Day 6.

Daily Total: 1,518 calories, 96 g protein, 181 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 50 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 2,135 mg sodium

Day 6

Breakfast (306 calories, 46 g carbs)

• 1 serving Yogurt with Blueberries & Honey
• 1/4 cup muesli

A.M. Snack (62 calories, 15 g carbs)

• 1 medium orange

Lunch (355 calories, 47 g carbs)

• 1 serving Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
• 1 plum

P.M. Snack (190 calories, 22 g carbs)

• 8 seeded crackers
• 1/4 cup hummus

Dinner (489 calories, 39 g carbs)

• 1 serving Roast Chicken with Parmesan-Herb Sauce

Diabetes Tip: Pairing carbohydrates with protein and fiber slows down the digestion and absorption process, helping to keep your blood sugar from rising too quickly. Here we pair chicken with brown rice and broccolini for a balanced diabetes-friendly dinner.

Evening Snack (102 calories, 20 g carbs)

• 1 serving Frozen Chocolate-Banana Bites, to enjoy after dinner

Daily Total: 1,504 calories, 84 g protein, 189 g carbohydrates, 33 g total fiber, 50 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 1,257 mg sodium

Day 7

Meal-Prep Tip: Tonight's dinner is a slow-cooker recipe. Make sure you start it early enough in the day that it will be ready in time for dinner.

Breakfast (357 calories, 36 g carbs)

• 1 serving Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries
• 1 medium orange

A.M. Snack (87 calories, 9 g carbs)

• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch (374 calories, 53 g carbs)

• 1 serving Green Salad with Pita Bread & Hummus

P.M. Snack (200 calories, 28 g carbs)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

Dinner (487 calories, 42 g carbs)

• 1 serving Mushroom-Sauced Pork Chops
• 1/2 cup Easy Brown Rice
• 1 cup Steamed Fresh Green Beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, topped with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper

Daily Total: 1,505 calories, 78 g protein, 169 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 61 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 1,632 mg sodium

You Did It!

Congratulations on finishing this week-long meal plan for diabetes. Whether you made every single meal in this plan or simply used it as a guide for healthy eating, we hope you found it inspirational, exciting and informational. Don't miss our other healthy meal plans for diabetes and collection of delicious diabetes-friendly recipes.