What can you make your family for dinner that’s healthy and tastes good? You can follow the plate method! This healthy eating plan works for everybody, including people with diabetes.
Making nutritious healthy meals will be a snap!
What’s a healthy plate?
It’s a way to control your serving sizes where you don’t have to count. Simply use a 7’ plate for children and a 9’ plate for adults.
- First, divide the plate in half and fill one half with vegetables.
There are two types of vegetables, starchy like potatoes, corn, or peas, and non-starchy like zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, or salad.
If you have diabetes, fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables..
- Then fill one quarter with whole grains or starches like brown rice, corn beans, or whole wheat pasta.
- In the other quarter, add some lean protein like tofu, grilled fish or chicken.
What about adding a side of tortilla or bread? That’s hard to resist! The trick is to serve yourself a smaller portion of the other starches on your plate instead.
To complete your meal, add a drink like unsweetened coffee tea, or a glass of milk. But remember that drinking eight ounces of milk affects your blood sugar just as it would if you ate another tortilla or a slice of bread! Or you can also choose water with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
You might be thinking, how can you use the plate method to make vegetable beef soup or other meals?
Simply follow the same idea. Fill your pot with low sodium broth and lots of healthy vegetables like corn cabbage, zucchini, carrots, and onions, and some lean beef, but not too much just like you’d put on the quarter of your plate for each person you are serving. If you want, add your favorite type of bread on the side, and you’ve got the right amount for a healthy meal!
How you create your plate is up to you! You have many options, as long as you remember to follow these healthy guidelines and you’re all set!