Diabetes: Using a plate format for eating

What is a plate format?

A plate format is a way to visualize what a meal should look like on your plate. It is a simple way to begin to learn about meal planning. When you have learned more about managing your diabetes and are ready to learn more about meal planning, talk with a registered dietitian or your certified diabetes educator about other methods.

A plate format helps you plan your meal by visualizing how much space each food should occupy on a plate. This can help you eat a balanced meal. It also can prevent you from eating too much carbohydrate at one time, which can raise your blood sugar level above your target range. A typical plate meal would be:

• Bread, starchy foods, or grain in one quarter of the plate.
• Meat or another form of protein (optional on a breakfast plate) in another quarter of the plate.
• Vegetables (optional on a breakfast plate) in half of the plate.
• 1 small piece of fruit outside the plate.
• 1 cup milk or yogurt or ½ cup pudding or ice cream outside the plate.

If you take insulin, you may also need snacks between meals and at bedtime. For those snacks, you can choose one serving from the grain, starchy foods, milk, or fruit group.

Following a diet for diabetes is important for keeping your blood sugar levels within a safe range. Carbohydrate is the nutrient that most affects your blood sugar. Usually, the more carbohydrate you eat, the more your blood sugar rises. Using a plate format will help you spread carbohydrate throughout the day, which will help keep your blood sugar level within your target range.

A plate format is easy to learn. It is a good guideline to use until you have more time to learn about other meal planning methods for diabetes. It also can be used along with other methods, such as a food guide for diabetes (similar to the MyPyramid guide) or carbohydrate counting.

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Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: February 10, 2008
Medical Review:	Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator
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