How to Plan Diabetes Meals without Counting Calories
One of the most common complaints I hear, as a dietitian and diabetes care and education specialist, is how to create enjoyable meals. You know what I’m talking about. Those meals that everyone will love and recipes that don’t require avoiding this or cutting out that and don’t have any funky ingredients or crazy substitutions. Since COVID-19 began the challenge has become how to plan a week’s worth of menus that are creative and enjoyable, but doesn’t villainize food groups and provides balanced meals ideal for someone with pre-diabetes, or diabetes.
Reaching out to my non-diet nutritionists, chefs, and dietitians was the perfect way to research this article. I checked the cool websites I was already aware of, such as Diabetes Food Hub. This site is part of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and it is very robust in what it offers for free. You can find meal ideas, nutrition information, and a meal planning application which includes a shopping list feature. It requires you to create a profile and login to get a sense of how the site works. However, once you log in, you may find some triggering advice because it is a compilation of recipes from all the cookbooks published by the ADA. The site is robust and powerful but for someone who is working to break free of diet culture be aware that there is talk of good or bad foods. As non-diet professionals, who promotes health at every size, we know that food doesn’t have morality. You can’t eat bad food, because bad food doesn’t exist. There are foods with more and less nutritional value and that is what you want to know. When you understand what a food or meal offers, you can decide whether or not to include it. You are in charge, not the diet.
The non-diet professionals I know had a lot of suggestions and a few reminders. If a website is triggering for you, don’t go! The suggestions below also provide a number of health professionals that you can work with individually.
Cookspiration is the Dietitians of Canada free go-to resource for balanced, healthy meals. It includes weekly menus, family tips, and has a smartphone app as well!
Dinner Daily (Membership) is very similar to the Diabetes Food Hub but it focuses on using the weekly specials at your grocery store to build menus and save money. Pretty cool!
Budget Bytes has been repeatedly recommended by a few non-diet dietitians as a great resource packed with video, cost-saving tips, menus, and meal planning strategies that create balanced, affordable meals!
Work Week Lunch (Membership) has also been the most recommended resource to provide fun, tasty meals, and a doable way of tackling meal planning without being bombarded with triggering weight loss messages. This membership service is set to make your meal planning easy and cost-effective!
The Cheesy RD isn’t taking herself too seriously! Her website serves up humor and tasty recipes that focus on permission, taste, fun, and balance! It includes menu planning and restaurant finds! She also offers remote nutrition counseling.
Smart Cooks (Membership) is similar to Diabetes Food Hub and Dinner Daily websites but with another twist — it teaches you how to cook. This site is ideal if you want to extend your cooking skills beyond the basics. The site focuses on creating flavors, textures, and eye-appeal which are the hallmarks of a well-crafted meal. The recipes this website offers are a fresh new twist on familiar family favorites. It syncs with your smartphone to make shopping easier. It is worth exploring because it is packed with information, ideas, videos, and more.
Milk and Honey Nutrition focuses on cooking and meal planning. Mary Ellen is an RDN with Type 1 diabetes who states, “I know food!” In addition to meal planning, her site offers one-on-one counseling and diabetes education! It is an excellent option if you are looking for a personalized approach to getting in the kitchen while learning about overall diabetes care.
Mostly Balanced is a website with recipes from Meg Salva MS. RD. Meg provides realistic recipes with a non-diet approach, created to make nourishing yourself enjoyable. We love that because it is right up our non-dieting alley! In addition to meal planning, Meg also offers remote nutrition counseling.
Jamie Oliver is a British chef with a passion for nutrition. He may not be a finalist on Great British Baking but we are sure it would be a great episode! Oliver is known for offering easy, fun to make, balanced meals that appeal to young and old. His site includes videos, nutrition information, and a bit of British humor!
Julie Cunningham is a non-diet dietitian who believes that people with elevated blood sugar can enjoy good food and good health without feeling deprived or ashamed. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has been a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist for more than two decades. Her site offers both meal planning and nutrition counseling.
What’s Gabby Cooking is the website of a private chef. Her enthusiastic approach to balanced meals is obvious right from the landing page. Her site provides step by step videos on how to cook, how to create balanced meals, and how to relax while doing it!
