Meal Plans Meal Plans for Diabetes 5-Day Diabetes Meal Plan for Summer Enjoy summer's bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables with this healthy 1,500-calorie meal plan that will help you lose weight and keep your blood sugar under control. We even saved room for dessert! By Micaela Young, M.S. Updated on June 21, 2021 Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Instagram Twitter Victoria Seaver is a registered dietitian and Associate Editorial Director for EatingWell.com. She completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition, dietetics and food science and her masters degree and dietetic internship at the University of Vermont. Victoria has been a part of the EatingWell.com team since 2015. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Yes, it's possible to eat deliciously with diabetes-especially in the summer when fruits and vegetables are ripe and in season. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of planning your meals, try following a meal plan for a few days to see what a healthy eating plan should look like. This 5-day meal plan, based on a daily target of 1,500 calories and 165 grams carbs, features in-season fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein to promote weight loss and help you stabilize your blood sugar. Best Healthy Foods for Diabetes What makes this a healthy meal plan for diabetes? We've included whole-grain carbohydrates to help keep you satisfied.We cut back on saturated fats and sodium, which may negatively impact health.The carbohydrates are balanced throughout the day with a goal of 3-4 carb servings (45-60 grams of carbohydrates) at each meal.Each snack contains about 1 carb serving (15 grams of carbohydrates).We've even saved room for dessert and drinks so you have healthy options when you have a craving. See All of Our Healthy Diabetes Meal Plans How many daily calories should you aim for? Talk to your doctor or dietitian to determine what's right for you based on your age, activity level and weight-loss goals. In this plan, the calorie and carbohydrate totals are listed next to each meal and snack so you can swap in foods with similar nutrition as you like. And don't forget about leftovers! Save yourself some time by trading a lunch recipe for last night's dinner. Mix up your routine with these easy and delicious recipes that will have you out of the kitchen-and enjoying all that summer has to offer. Day 1 Breakfast (360 calories, 40 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Strawberry-Orange Breakfast Cakes 1 clementine A.M. Snack (154 calories, 20 g carbohydrates) 2 carrots¼ cup hummus Lunch (327 calories, 29 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette Avocado Toast (1 slice whole-wheat toast + ½ avocado, mashed + 1 tsp. Sriracha) P.M. Snack (141 calories, 17 g carbohydrates) 10 unsalted almonds1 cup raspberries Dinner (373 calories, 38 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Chipotle Chicken Satay with Grilled Vegetables 1/2 cup brown rice Daily Total: 1,355 calories, 145 g carbohydrates Day 2 Breakfast (331 calories, 29 g carbohydrates) 1¼ cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt¾ cup raspberries2 Tbsp. walnuts1 tsp. honey A.M. Snack (143 calories, 15 g carbohydrates) 2 celery stalks1 Tbsp. unsalted peanut butter1 clementine Lunch (289 calories, 37 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Pulled Chicken & Pickled Veggie Wraps 1 cup strawberries P.M. Snack (185 calories, 17 g carbohydrates) 5 whole-wheat crackers1 oz. reduced-fat Cheddar cheese Dinner (408 calories, 45 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Better-Than-Takeout Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries Daily Total: 1,357 calories, 143 g carbohydrates Day 3 Breakfast (296 calories, 41 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Coconut-Cashew Breakfast Bites 1 clementine A.M. Snack (156 calories, 18 g carbohydrates) 1 cup sugar snap peas¼ cup hummus Lunch (375 calories, 33 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Grilled Salmon Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette 2 carrots P.M. Snack (145 calories, 19 g carbohydrates) 10 unsalted almonds1 peach Dinner (351 calories, 45 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Sheet Pan Orange-Apricot Drumsticks 1 cup mixed greens 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar Daily Total: 1,323 calories, 156 g carbohydrates Day 4 Breakfast (336 calories, 31 g carbohydrates) 1¼ cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt1 cup sliced strawberries2 Tbsp. walnuts1 tsp. honey A.M. Snack (146 calories, 15 g carbohydrates) 1 Tbsp. unsalted peanut butter2 carrots Lunch (329 calories, 40 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Chicken Potpie with Cauliflower Topping 2 clementines P.M. Snack (139 calories, 15 g carbohydrates) ¼ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese3 sliced tomatoesBasil leaves Dinner (365 calories, 49 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet ½ cup raspberries Daily Total: 1,314 calories, 150 g carbohydrates Day 5 Breakfast (271 calories, 42 g carbohydrates) 1 slice whole-wheat toast1 Tbsp. unsalted peanut butter1 sliced banana A.M. Snack (135 calories, 16 g carbohydrates) 1 cup raw green beans¼ cup hummus Lunch (378 calories, 55 g carbohydrates) 1 serving BLT Pizza P.M. Snack (176 calories, 17 g carbohydrates) 1 hard-boiled egg5 whole-wheat crackers Dinner (392 calories, 44 g carbohydrates) 1 serving Raspberry-Pineapple Fish Tacos 1/4 cup low-sodium canned black beans Daily Total: 1,351 calories, 174 g carbohydrates Healthy Drink Options It's important to stay hydrated, especially in the summer. Sip water throughout each day, and choose from these other low-carbohydrate drink options. Coffee + 2 tsp. 1% milk: 6 calories, 1 g carbohydrates 1% Milk (8 oz.): 102 calories, 12 g carbohydrates Raspberry Ginger Lime Seltzer: 21 calories, 5.5 g carbohydrates Healthy Dessert Options We made room for dessert! Choose one occasionally to satisfy a craving. Key Lime Mason Jar Cheesecakes: 118 calories, 16 g carbohydrates Blueberry-Swirl Buttermilk Ice Cream: 122 calories, 19 g carbohydrates Note: This meal plan is controlled for calories, carbohydrates, fiber, saturated fat and sodium. If another nutrient is of particular concern, speak with your health care provider about altering this meal plan to better suit your individual health needs. Watch: What Does a 1-Day Diabetes Meal Plan Look Like? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit