Choose My Plate Basics

CCS EDUCATION | 1 MIN READ

The Diabetes plate

Healthy plate diagram showing half the plate as non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter protein foods, one-quarter carbohydrate foods, with water or a zero-calorie drink on the side.

The Diabetes Plate is a simple way to build balanced meals that can help manage blood glucose (blood sugar) without counting, weighing or measuring. Use…

🗸9-inch plate

🗸 Fill half with non-starchy vegetables

🗸 Fill one-quarter with lean protein

🗸 Fill one-quarter with quality carbohydrate food

🗸 Choose water or another zero-or low-calorie drink to complete your meal.

https://diabetesfoodhub.org/blog/what-diabetes-plate

Get inspired!

Breakfast

This breakfast plate shows one way to build a balanced meal using the Diabetes Plate Method. Tomatoes and cucumbers fill the vegetable portion, while egg, avocado toast, and olives provide a combination of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrate foods.

Lunch

This is a great example of a balanced lunch that can be made at home or found at many restaurants offering bowls or three-item plate combos. Broccoli, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes fill the vegetable portion, while grilled chicken and rice provide protein and carbohydrate foods for a satisfying meal.

Example of a balanced meal featuring grilled chicken for protein, rice for carbohydrates, and a variety of vegetables.

💡 Quick Tip: Restauarant portions are often served on plates larger than 9 inches. To help manage portion sizes, try requesting a smaller plate or placing excess food in a to-go container before starting your meal. This simple step can make it easier to build a meal that aligns with the Diabetes Plate method.

Dinner

The Diabetes Plate method can be used for dinner when dining out or preparing meals at home. This plate fills half the meal with non-starchy vegetables, including lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and grilled vegetables, while French fries provide the carbohydrate portion of the meal.

💡 Quick Tip: Building a balanced meal doesn’t mean giving up your favorite foods. Including non-starchy vegetables alongside foods like French fries can help create a more balanced plate and support portion awareness.

Packing Food On-The-Go

Need a meal on the go? Use a bento box or container to help you portion your meals. Our CCS Diabetes Educator shows you how to build one of these affordable box lunches in this video: Building A Healthy Bento Box Lunch – Watch Now!