In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This Meal Plan Is Great for YouFrequently Asked QuestionsTips to Improve Blood SugarFoods to Focus OnHow to Meal-Prep Your WeekDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips to Improve Blood Sugar
Foods to Focus On
How to Meal-Prep Your Week
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Close
Photo:EatingWell
EatingWell
Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are elevated but not quite high enough to fit the diagnosis for type 2 diabetes. It’s a common health condition, impacting roughly 1 in 3 American adults, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. And yet, an estimated 80% of those with prediabetes don’t know they have it. Prediabetes doesn’t typically have symptoms and requires a blood test to check your levels, but there are a few risk factors to be aware of, such as being over 45 years old, a family history of type 2 diabetes or a personal history of gestational diabetes, being overweight and a sedentary lifestyle. If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, the goal is prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, which means it’s a great opportunity to incorporate some habits that help support healthy blood sugar levels.
Some types ofcarbohydratesare broken down into a type of sugar called glucose, which raises blood sugar levels. But that doesn’t mean carbohydrates should be avoided. Opting to decrease carbohydrates slightly and choose carbs from higher-fiber sources, like whole grains and fruits, helps manage blood sugar levels without skimping on important nutrients that carbs provide. While the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansrecommends that most people get 45% to 65% of their calories from carbohydrates, here we’ve opted for amoderately reduced carbohydrate level, with roughly 35% to 40% of calories coming from carbohydrates to lower blood sugar levels. Research published inDiabetes Spectrumin 2020 found that moderately decreasing carbohydrates can help promote weight loss and improve blood sugar levels. To further support healthy blood sugar levels, we include meals and snacks that are high in protein and fiber—two important nutrients for stable blood sugar management.
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered 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.
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.
Because theCDCcites weight loss as a strategy to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, we set the calories at 1,500 calories per day. As with all meal plans, this is meant to serve as a framework for a healthy eating plan. Makesubstitutionsas needed and aim to follow some of the key principles for healthy blood sugar levels, such as opting for whole grains and fiber-rich foods, cooking more meals at home and including a protein source at every meal to help moderate blood sugar levels.
This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your 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.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWe 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.
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.
8 Simple Ways to Help Reverse Prediabetes
Strategies to Improve Blood Sugar Levels
If you just found out you have prediabetes, it may be tempting to make some extreme changes. However, it’s important to remember that managing prediabetes is a marathon, not a sprint. The ultimate goal is to incorporate habits that aresustainableand become part of your routine. Setting small goals and making one or two changes at a time that you can build on tends to be a more successful long-term strategy.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
Jacob Fox
Breakfast (338 calories)
A.M. Snack (131 calories)
Lunch (383 calories)
P.M. Snack (238 calories)
Dinner (393 calories)
Daily Totals:1,483 calories, 66g fat, 79g protein, 152g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,587mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Banana Green Smoothieto breakfast and add 1 servingCottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruitto A.M. snack.
Breakfast (272 calories)
A.M. Snack (118 calories)
Lunch (418 calories)
P.M. Snack (215 calories)
Dinner (504 calories)
Daily Totals:1,517 calories, 73g fat, 99g protein, 120g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 1,458mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted pistachios to lunch and add 1 avocado, diced, to the side salad at dinner.
Breakfast (280 calories)
A.M. Snack (139 calories)
Dinner (440 calories)
Daily Totals:1,514 calories, 71g fat, 95g protein, 137g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,623mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to the apple at lunch and have ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds with 1 small pear as an evening snack.
A.M. Snack (215 calories)
P.M. Snack (132 calories)
Dinner (464 calories)
Daily Totals:1,491 calories, 78g fat, 83g protein, 130g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,463mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingEverything Bagel Avocado Toastto lunch,increase to ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted pistachios and add 1 medium banana to P.M. snack, and have ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds as an evening snack.
Brie Passano
Breakfast (333 calories)
Dinner (427 calories)
Meal-Prep Tip:Reserve 2 servingsTeriyaki Chicken Skillet Casserole with Broccolito have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals:1,489 calories, 61g fat, 83g protein, 163g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,410mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack and have 1 medium apple with 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter as an evening snack.
A.M. Snack (252 calories)
Lunch (314 calories)
Dinner (421 calories)
Daily Totals:1,487 calories, 68g fat, 81g protein, 145g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,437mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Increase to 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter at A.M. snack, add 1 servingGuacamole Chopped Saladto dinner, and have ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds as an evening snack.
A.M. Snack (214 calories)
Dinner (403 calories)
Daily Totals:1,507 calories, 69g fat, 92g protein, 139g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,691mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Banana Green Smoothieto breakfast and add 20 unsalted dry-roasted almonds to lunch.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
