The simple plate rule
Every card shows the carbs and sodium for one serving in big print, so you don't have to read tiny labels in the aisle. Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central unless the card says otherwise.
Meal ideas
Lots of choices so you don't get bored. Each one fits both a diabetes diet and the low-sodium DASH diet. Tap an ingredient to see its photo and store list.
Carbs and sodium add up the USDA FoodData Central numbers for the amounts listed (Ezekiel bread and salt-free seasoning from their package labels), cooked without salt. Salt, sauces, toppings you add, and brands with different labels will change them.
2-week rotating menu
Stuck? Let the guide pick
14 days of meals. No breakfast, lunch or dinner repeats in the two weeks. When you finish week 2, start again at day 1.
Lose weight
Losing weight can help both your blood sugar and your blood pressure. Go slow and steady: about 1 to 2 pounds a week. People who lose weight at that pace are more likely to keep it off (CDC).
You don't have to lose a lot to feel a difference. Losing just 3% to 5% of your weight can lower blood sugar and triglycerides, and losing more than that can improve blood pressure (NHLBI). For a 200-pound woman, 3% to 5% is 6 to 10 pounds.
1. Build your plate
The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Plate, on a 9-inch plate. No counting needed.
Veggies¼
Protein¼
Carbs
- Half: non-starchy vegetables. Broccoli, greens, green beans, okra, squash, salad, tomatoes, peppers.
- A quarter: lean protein. Fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, tofu, lean beef.
- A quarter: carbs. Whole grains, beans, fruit, sweet potato, milk or yogurt.
- To drink: water or a zero-calorie drink, like unsweetened tea, coffee or sparkling water.
2. Use your hand to measure
No measuring cups at the table? Your hand is a quick guide for one portion.
- Palm = protein
Chicken, fish, turkey, tofu, lean meat - Fist = vegetables
Greens, broccoli, green beans, salad - Cupped hand = carbs
Rice, beans, oats, fruit, sweet potato - Thumb = fats
Oil, nut butter, nuts, cheese, avocado
A rough guide, not an exact measure. Your hand is sized to you.
3. Easy habits that help
- Protein at every meal. Protein with fiber-rich carbs helps you feel full longer and slows the rise in blood sugar (ADA).
- Fill up on fiber. Vegetables, beans, oats and berries. Fiber moves slowly through the stomach, so you stay full longer (CDC).
- Skip liquid calories. A 12-ounce regular soda has more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar, over 150 calories (CDC). Sweet tea, juice and fancy coffee drinks add up too.
- Take a walk after meals. In a study in the ADA's journal Diabetes Care, older adults who took an easy 15-minute walk after each meal had better blood sugar control.
⚠️ Check with your doctor first
If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea (such as glipizide, glyburide or glimepiride), talk to your doctor before you cut back on food. Eating less can make your blood sugar drop too low, and your doses may need to change.
As you lose weight, your blood pressure medicine may need adjusting too, because your blood pressure can go down. Keep checking your blood pressure and share your readings with your doctor (NIDDK).
Limit or avoid
Reading the label
Sodium words on the package
Quick tips
Weekly shopping list
© 2026 Strong & Well with Marilyn
Stores in
About & sources
This guide follows the NIH NHLBI DASH eating plan (lower sodium; more potassium, magnesium and fiber) and the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Plate (non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, quality carbs, little added sugar). Nutrition numbers are per serving as listed on each card. A number is left out if no source was found. Store lists show chains with a store in or right next to each city, checked against each chain's own store locator or store pages. They do not show what is in stock today.
Lose weight section sources
- American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Food Hub: What is the Diabetes Plate?
- American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Food Hub: Let's Talk About Protein for People with Diabetes
- CDC: Steps for Losing Weight (1 to 2 pounds a week)
- CDC: Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes
- CDC: Rethink Your Drink
- NIH NHLBI: Aim for a Healthy Weight (3% to 5% weight loss)
- NIH NIDDK: How to Incorporate Weight-loss Medications in Diabetes Care (blood pressure medicines, sulfonylureas and insulin often need adjusting) and Behavioral Weight Loss Interventions (diabetes medicines may need adjusting as people lose weight)
- DiPietro L, et al. Three 15-min Bouts of Moderate Postmeal Walking Significantly Improves 24-h Glycemic Control in Older People at Risk for Impaired Glucose Tolerance. Diabetes Care 2013;36(10):3262-3268.
- Hand portion guide: Precision Nutrition, Hand Portion FAQ; palm, fist and thumb portions are also taught by the UMass Diabetes Center of Excellence.
Photo credits
Food photos come from Wikimedia Commons, and package photos from Open Food Facts. They are used under the licenses shown, and some were cropped and resized.