The term "meal planning" sounds boring, but proper meal planning is one of the key enablers for diabetics to eat healthy and be successful with controlling and reversing their Type 2 diabetes. 

So, why don't diabetics (and non-diabetics for that matter) do a better job at meal planning and following a healthy diet?

There are 8 major reasons why most people (including diabetics) don't do a better job at planning their meals and following a healthy diet:

1. Time/Convenience: Most people feel that they don't have the time to go grocery-shopping and prepare healthy meals every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also, it's a lot more convenient to just stop by McDonald''s or KFC on the way home from work or just call and order a pizza. 

2. Motivation: Most of us are not motivated to eat healthy --- until one day we find ourselves diagnosed with a disease such as diabetes, or, we become severely overweight or obese; or, we have a wake-up call due to a heart attack.

3. Cost: Some people tend to believe that it cost more to eat healthy foods. Nothing could be further from the truth! Especially if you take into account the amount of money that is saved from prescription drugs, hospital stays, and surgeries.

4. Taste/Addiction: Most people love the taste of processed foods, fast food and junk food. This is due to the chemicals added to these foods that cause us to crave these foods. In other words, we become addicted to these foods (chemicals)!

5. Stress: Stress from work, finances, family problems, and life in general leads many of us to seek comfort in a bowl of ice cream or a plate of mashed potatoes or mac 'n cheese.

6. Knowledge/Awareness: Some people don't know how to plan and prepare healthy meals on a daily basis for their family; and, stay within a budget. We're not consciously aware of how we're influenced by the media to eat fast food and junk food. TV commercials have brainwashed us to eat fast foods and, by default, we ignore healthy foods. When was the last time you saw a TV commercial about broccoli? Ironically, TV tells you to eat fast food; and, then, when you get ill from all the years of ingesting the chemicals from the fast food, TV commercials then tell you to get a drug for your indigestion, constipation, headache, etc. Hello! When are we going to wake up?

7. Diet Complexity: Most diets are complex and difficult to follow and stick with -- since most diet programs are about rules, deprivation, calorie restriction and calorie counting. This leads to anxiety, frustration, and anger. Plus, in the long run, diets just don't work.

8. Access/Availability: Some of us, depending on where we live, don't have access to healthy and fresh foods.

But the good news is that the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Nutritional Program addresses all of these issues (see below). This program addresses these issues by utilizing a well-structured easy-to-follow Meal Plate that doesn't require any calorie counting.

Now, to ensure that you're planning and preparing your (super) meals properly (to reverse your diabetes), you should use the following Super Meal Plate Model that makes it easy to figure out what healthy foods to purchase when you go grocery-shopping.   

         

The above Super Meal Plate diagram is an easy way to remember what foods to buy in order to eat healthy at every meal. Unfortunately, some diabetics (and non-diabetics) believe that eating healthy is expensive. However, that couldn't be further from the truth! Eating healthy is not expensive -- especially if you take the time and plan your meals and stick to the grocery list.
 
Some diabetics (and non-diabetics) don't perform meal planning because they think it's boring, they think it's time-consuming, or they don't know how to plan their meals -- especially to improve their diabetes and their overall health. Also, they may find it difficult to do meal planning if they travel a lot.

However, proper meal planning can solve all of these problems. Proper meal planning is all about organization, planning, and good recipes. If it's done right, meal planning will save you a lot of money as well as time.

From the Author: Mr. McCulley admits that it was very intimidating when he realized everything that he would have to do to manage his diabetes. Trying to navigate through the various activities every day was very intimidating and confusing at times. There was a lot to remember: from pricking his finger 6-8 times a day, to recording the blood glucose readings, analyzing the readings, injecting himself with insulin 4 times a day, taking other medications (i.e. Coumadin, Lipitor), planning meals, preparing the meals, shopping for groceries, making doctor appointments, recordkeeping, and finding time to exercise.

Mr. McCulley was surprised to discover that there was no structured, systematic step-by-step process that would guide him through managing his diabetes on a daily basis, including how to do meal planning -- something he took for granted before he got sick. As a result, once he got well and wrote the book, he decided to develop a set of meal planning diagrams, charts  and journal templates that would make it easier for diabetics to perform proper meal planning.

For example, the 90-Day Meal Planning Charts provide a specific menu of meals (breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner) for 90 days in chart format. The meal plan is laid out in a structured table for ease of use to support your meal planning. The 90-Day meal planner is divided into 3 phases for a more effective meal plan based on your blood glucose readings and health needs.

• How to shop for groceries
• How to read food labels
• How to select the proper foods
• When to shop for groceries and why
• How to save time and money when grocery-shopping

• The best oils for salads, cooking, etc.
• How to prepare super meals
• How to prepare quick meals that are healthy
• How to prepare snacks that are healthy
• How to prepare quick lunches
• How to prepare vegetables
• How to prepare vegetable soups
• How to prepare stir-frys
• What herbs/spices to use with what foods
• How to transform comfort foods into healthier foods
• How to transform your favorite meals and desserts into healthier meals
• How to reduce the fat and sugar in your meals but keep the meals tasty

And, remember: Don't give up -- don't every give up. The power is within you to live the life that you're meant to live.

Diabetes Meal Planning, Menu Plans & Meal Preparation to Reverse Diabetes

Diabetic Diet (Low-Carb) Meal Planning

A low-carb diabetic diet can be an effective way to control your blood sugar, lose weight and improve your cardiovascular health, as long as you choose healthy, nourishing foods to make up your low carb meals.

To plan a low carb diabetic diet meal, you should  follow the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Model.

To easily use this model, think about which carbs you are going to include first. Once you have determined which carbohydrates you will be eating and how much, you can add protein and fat to make up the main focus of your meal.

1. Calculate the specific amount of carbohydrates you will consume during your meal. This will depend on the specific diet plan you are following and your current phase on the plan. In a plan allowing 80 g of carbohydrates per day --- a typical number for the introduction phase of most low-carb diets --- this may be divided up into 20 g each at breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. A plan or phase allowing 100 g of carbohydrates per day may give you room for 20 to 30 g per meal.

2. Choose your base carbohydrates from healthy, low-carb vegetables first. Remember that when you look up the carbohydrate content of vegetables, you should subtract the fiber content from the total carbohydrate content, since fiber is not digested. Vegetables with 1 g of carbohydrates or less per 1/2-cup serving include lettuce, bok choy, celery, endive, spinach, cauliflower and cucumber. Other good choices for low-carb vegetables include radishes, peppers, cabbage, eggplant, asparagus, avocado, onion, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, broccoli and fennel.

3. Add fruits, legumes, cheese, nuts, seeds and whole grains if your diet plan and allowable daily carbohydrate intake allows for it. Some extremely low-carb options include ricotta cheese, almonds, blueberries and sunflower seeds. A diet plan that allows 20 g or more of carbohydrates per meal may give you some room to add a slice of whole grain bread, black beans, apples, peaches, sweet potatoes, carrots, oatmeal or a cup of milk to your meal.

4. Choose a protein to be the focus of your low-carb meal. This could be fish, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, seafood or eggs. Your meal may contain more than one protein source, such as an omelet made with eggs and salmon or a soup containing both beef and lamb.

5. Add healthy fats to your meal. Choose monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats such as extra virgin olive, coconut and walnut oils. Cook your meal using a small amount of oil or drizzle oil over your food after cooking.

6. Cook your chosen ingredients as simply or elaborately as you desire. You can use a recipe provided by the Death to Diabetes cookbook or create your own. Simple methods of preparing your low carb meal include lightly steaming, or gently sauteing the ingredients together in a pan or wok on the stove top, creating a salad with your ingredients or roasting everything in the oven.

Key Point about Meal Preparation: Do not boil your vegetables! Boiling kills the Vitamin C and other key nutrients that your body requires to fight your diabetes, strengthen your immune system, and heal your body.

Note: If you don't like to count calories, then, just follow the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Model.

Here is a variety of low-carb meal options that will satisfy your taste and hunger, and, will still control your blood glucose level.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Breakfast Options

Eggs are a smart breakfast choice on low carbohydrate diets, because they are carb-free and low in fat.

If you want a fat-free option, use liquid egg whites, but whole eggs are better because the yolk contains key nutrients for diabetics, i.e. Omega-3s, Vitamin E, carotenoids, choline.

If you're following the Super Meal Model, you can add 2 cups of raw or lightly-steamed spinach, especially since it's a low-carb vegetable.

An asparagus omelet with goat cheese is a healthy breakfast option you can make at home that only contains 6 g carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. This recipe calls for liquid egg whites, eggs, fat-free milk, chopped scallions, chopped fresh thyme leaves, chopped parsley, salt, ground black pepper, asparagus, crumbled low-fat goat cheese and chives for garnish. You can substitute the goat cheese for fat-free cheddar cheese if you wish to further reduce the fat content.

Another alternative for breakfast is to make homemade sausage by blending together raw, extra lean turkey with 1 tsp. of fennel seeds, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. Cook on the stove-top or under the broiler and serve with a low-carb wheat wrap for a breakfast with 11 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of sugar.

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Yogurt with Berries: A healthful low-carb breakfast can include fruit, and berries are a solid choice because they are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Choose plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt and add your own fresh or frozen berries to avoid the added sugar found in flavored yogurts. Strawberries, raspberries and cranberries all have around 2 g of carbs per quarter-cup serving.

English Breakfast: A traditional English breakfast includes fried eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled mushroom and tomato, baked beans and fried bread, according to Project Britain. You can turn this into a healthy, filling, low-carb feast by omitting the toast and replacing it with extra tomato and mushroom. If you are concerned about fat, swap bacon for turkey bacon and substitute a veggie sausage for meat sausages.

Baked Apple with Cottage Cheese: Apples are low-calorie and may help protect against heart disease and promote digestive health, according to the University of Illinois, and a baked apple makes a simple, nutritious hot breakfast. You should always eat apples with the skin on to get the maximum amount of fiber, which will help you feel full for longer, and to take advantage of most of the apple's vitamin C content, which is just under the skin. Try topping your apple with low-fat cottage cheese and a sprinkling of cinnamon to add calcium, protein and vitamins A and D to your breakfast.

Diabetes Meal Planning Low-Carb Lunch Options

Salads can actually be filling low-carb lunch options if you load them with protein. Use spinach in your salad to obtain iron and top it with your choice of protein such as tuna, salmon, chicken or shrimp. Toss in more fruits and vegetables for extra vitamins and minerals such as asparagus, tomatoes, sprouts and avocado, which provides healthy fat. Vegetables are sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber that won't spike your blood glucose levels.

Buffalo chicken bites are another lunch option you can make at home with cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, hot-pepper sauce or barbecue sauce, trans fat-free margarine, canola oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and celery stalks on the side. This tasty lunch supplies 16 g of protein and only 1 g of carbohydrates.

Lean turkey wraps are a good low-carb lunch option because they are low in fat and carbs as well as quick and tasty. Spread honey mustard or your low-fat sauce of choice on a slice of turkey. Place a reduced-fat slice of Swiss cheese on top and add spinach, which is packed with vitamins A and K, and potassium.

Salads also make healthy low-fat, low-carb lunch options, such as a tuna salad on spinach or grilled chicken salad on watercress and kale. Feel free to load up on nonstarchy vegetables when you make a salad because on many low-carb diets, vegetables are your main source of carbohydrates. Add nutrient- and antioxidant-rich vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and brussels sprouts.

You could also make a lunch of 4 oz. of steamed shrimp with ¼ cup of brown rice and ½ cup of broccoli for 17 g of carbs with just 1 g of sugar. Vary your protein choices if you tire of shrimp or chicken. Choose from seared pork tenderloin, lean steak, turkey cutlets, white fish or salmon.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Dinner Options

Fish is a healthy low-carb dinner option because it supplies your body with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain and heart function. 

The combination of broccoli and wild salmon is a very powerful super meal for diabetics. Another option is salmon steaks or wild salmon on a bed of fresh baby spinach leaves with finely grated lime peel, fresh lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped fresh ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, and pressed garlic. This salmon dinner contains just 5 g carbohydrate and supplies 24 g protein.

Lean meats, such as sirloin steak, turkey breast, ham, duck and chicken are excellent low-fat, low-carb options for the main dish at dinner. Fish is another healthy option and the fat in fish has essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which support heart health.

Steak au poivre is a tasty dinner option you can prepare at home, that only contains 7g of fat, 8g of carbohydrates and provides 21 g of protein. The ingredients for this warm, diet-friendly dinner include crushed garlic, crushed peppercorns, beef tenderloin steak that is trimmed of all visible fat, olive oil cooking spray, chopped onion, strips of bell peppers, minced garlic, beef-flavored bouillon granules, ground paprika and fat-free evaporated milk for a saucy finish when mixed with water, bouillon granules, paprika and peppercorns.

Another option is to make tacos by wrapping broiled, extra lean ground beef mixed with chili powder and chopped garlic in leaves of romaine lettuce. Top with a few slices of avocado for 4 g of carbohydrates and less than 1 g of sugar.

Another low-carb, low-sugar option is a thinly pounded chicken breast wrapped around 1 oz. of soft goat cheese and chopped chives. Serve with 10 asparagus spears for 2.5 g of carbohydrates and only trace amounts of sugar. If you need a quick option, simply broil any fish, poultry or lean meat and have it with 1 to 2 cups of green beans, sautéed bok choy, steamed cauliflower or mixed greens for 10 g or less of carbs and 5 g or less of sugar.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Snacks

Keep your blood sugar low throughout the day by minimizing carbohydrate and sugar consumption. Snack on foods that are low in simple carbohydrates such as vegetable sticks and hummus, cheese or nuts.

Stuffed baked tomatoes make a yummy after work snack and contain only 4 g of carbohydrates. The recipe calls for plum tomatoes, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, roughly chopped fresh basil leaves, minced garlic, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Diabetes Meal Plan Low-Carb Dessert Options

Believe it or not, you can indulge in desserts and still adhere to your diet. Just refrain from commercial and restaurant desserts because they are generally loaded with unhealthy fat, sugar and simple carbohydrates. Make healthy desserts at home such as fruit smoothies made with mixed berries, unsweetened almond milk, ice and sugar-free vanilla pudding or nonfat plain yogurt.

If chocolate is your guilty pleasure, chocolate meringue cookie kisses should satisfy your craving and only contain 1 g of fat and 2 g of carbohydrates. The recipe calls for egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar substitute, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract and light whipped topping.

Note: If you're a business-person or a truck driver who spends a lot of time on the road, you can still eat healthy and control your blood sugar. Here are some ideas:

• Apple with a Ziploc bag of walnuts and almonds
• Thermos filled with green juice, with trail mix of nuts and seeds
• Turkey, chicken or tuna sandwich with lettuce, tomato, baby spinach leaves
  
• Low-fat yogurt with a piece of fruit
• Nuts mixed in low-fat yogurt
• Salad (Romaine lettuce, spinach in a Tupperware bowl, ev olive oil/cider vinegar)
• Other Tips:
  • Load up on fresh-cut vegetables and fruit. Bring along a small cooler with ice packs to keep your snacks fresh.
  • Bring plenty of water to keep you hydrated.
  • Individually wrapped portions of string cheese or vegetarian cheese alternatives can be kept in the cooler with the fruit and vegetables. They are a great source of calcium and protein.
  • Bring baked whole grain crackers along on your trip. This is good for added fiber and nutrients.
  • Pack sandwiches made with whole grain bread and peanut butter or lean meats. Keep these in the cooler, too.
    

Note: For hundreds of super meals, snacks, appetizers, desserts, food tips, meal planning ideas, and how to eat healthy while on the road, get the 3-in-1 Death to Diabetes Cookbook  or, get the Food Tips ebook.

Diabetes Meal Planning When Traveling  

Meal planning is a lot more difficult if you're a business person or truck driver who spends a lot of time on the road, in airports, in truck stops, in restaurants, in fast food places, etc. But, with some planning upfront, you can still eat healthy and not succumb to the overly-processed and calorie-excessive fast foods. 

• Unsalted nuts or nut mixes (dry roasted almonds, raw cashews, walnuts). Store in a Ziploc bag.
• Sprouted grain bread and almond butter or organic peanut butter to make half of a sandwich for a snack.
• Prepare raw juices and smoothies -- store in an air-tight thermos.
• Whole fruit such as apples, pears, or blueberries.

• Hummus and pre-cut vegetables like carrots, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, or cherry tomatoes
• Fresh fruit like berries or pre-cut melon or apples
• Sandwiches made with 100% sprouted grain bread, lettuce, tomato, and lean meats like low-sodium turkey breast or grilled chicken breast
• Whole wheat tortilla wraps – wrap a combo of lean meat and non-starchy vegetables and add some mustard or cheese
• Single servings of yogurt (without the fruit)
• Low-fat cheese sticks or string cheese
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Keep chicken or tuna salad chilled for snacking
• Use Tupperware for salads

Fast food tends to be high in unhealthy fats and sodium and low in nutrients. But sometimes, there is no choice but to stop. Here are some tips to help you choose healthier menu items at a fast food place:

• Choose the smaller, more simple sandwiches. No need to supersize your meal. Stick to grilled chicken sandwiches or regular hamburgers instead of the double bacon cheeseburger.
• Think about how your choices will work with your meal plan. Buns and tortilla wraps will have at least 30 grams of carbohydrate. On sandwiches and wraps, ask for extra non-starchy vegetables like tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, or lettuce. 
• When you can, choose a lean meat like turkey, chicken breast, or fish that has not been fried. Avoid deep fried meats and sides like chicken fingers, chicken nuggets, crispy chicken sandwiches, onion rings, or fries.
• Order healthier side items like fresh fruit, side salads, vegetables, or soups.
• Choose salads without fatty meats like bacon or fried chicken. Remember, a little dressing goes a long way, and often dressing packets have more than one serving in them.
• Look for vegetarian options. While grilled chicken is better than fried chicken, any meat from a fast food restaurant will usually add several hundred milligrams of sodium to your meal.
• Use sauces sparingly. Ketchup, honey mustard, and other sauces are fine to use, but don’t go overboard. If you use too much, they could end up adding several hundred calories to your meal. Yellow mustard is a better low-calorie option and a little bit goes a long way.
• Look for restaurants that have “fresh menus” or menu items that are clearly marked as healthier choices. For example, Taco Bell has their “Fresco” menu items.
• Look for restaurants that offer fresh ingredients and give you several vegetable options.  Subway is a good example.
• Avoid ordering coffee, soda or specialty coffee drinks. Stick to water or unsweetened tea.
• In the mornings, stick to a small salad or green smoothie. Otherwise, try egg-white sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, or whole fruit. Many fast food chains offer these healthier options now. Half of a whole grain bagel with low-fat cream cheese is also an option that you may be able to work into your meal plan if the options above are not available.

Note: If you want more ideas for meal planning including what to do if you travel a lot, get the Death to Diabetes Cookbook along with the 90-Day Meal Planning Charts.  Besides providing lots of recipes, there are many ideas and suggestions for what to do when traveling, as well as how to prepare quick and easy meals.

Eating a Healthy Diet Is Not Expensive!  

• Carbs. Vegetables (i.e. broccoli, spinach, cabbage, celery, lettuce), whole fruits (i.e. apples, bananas, berries, pears), beans, organic brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes ...
• Proteins.  Chicken breast, turkey breast, miso, tempeh, canned tuna, canned wild salmon, bison, venison, organic beef, calves' liver, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, organic eggs, raw milk, almond milk, whey ...
• Fats. Ev olive oil, ev coconut oil, flax seeds, organic butter, mixed nuts, fish oil ...

• Multi-vitamins. Vitamin deficiency is common, but avoid synthetic vitamins such as One-A-Day, Centrum, etc.
• Fish Oil. Cheaper than fish. 1 tsp Carlson Fish Oil is 1600mg Omega-3.
• Wheat grass, Chlorella, Spirulina. Easy ways to get plant protein.
• Flaxseed. Versatile super food.
• Herbal tinctures. Easier for your body to absorb.
• Whey. Cheapest protein you'll find.

• Side of (Organic) Beef or Bison. Not necessarily cheaper, but you have better quality meat.
  
• Supplements. You often get free shipping and discounts when buying in bulk. Make a 4 month order for you, friends & family and split the costs.
• Frozen Fruits & Veggies. Saves money, saves times and nutrient dense. Buy mixed berries, spinach, broccoli, beans, Brussels sprouts, etc.

• Make a List and Stick to It. Plan your meals ahead, including portion size. List all foods you need for the next 7 to 14 days. Go to the grocery store, get what's on your list and get out.
• Eat Before You Go Shopping. This prevents buying foods not on your list because you're hungry. Eat a solid meal before going grocery shopping.
• Shop Alone. Prevents impulse buying from wife/husband and/or kids. Leave them home. Take them to more fun places when you get back.

• Take Food with You. Food containers for work/school, protein shake, for the gym, bag of nuts when you go to the movies; use Ziploc bags, Tupperware ...
• Eat Before Leaving Home. Eat breakfast, eat before going grocery-shopping, eat before going out with friends/family ...

• Stop Buying Processed Food. Buy fresh and frozen vegetables & fruits, buy whole oats instead of cereals, make home made protein bars, home made tomato sauce, home made pizza, ...
• Keep it Simple. Make double portions, take leftovers with you, use cans of tuna & mackerel, rice & pasta, frozen veggies, ...
• Learn to Cook from Scratch. Learn to work with spices & herbs. Try the recipes on this website. Invest in a cookbook like the 3-in-1 Death to Diabetes Cookbook -- it's not just for diabetics.

• Square-Foot Gardening. Build a raised bed and divide it into sections of 1 square foot.
• Container Gardening. Grow vegetables in containers on your balcony or doorstep.
• Rent Garden Plots. If you don't have a yard, some cities rent garden plots. Just Google rent garden plots in your state.

The Flexibility of the Death to Diabetes Diet
You will find that it's easy to stick with this diet. Why? Because the author addresses two of the primary reasons why people stop following a diet and "fall off the wagon":
1. Most people hate vegetables: Vegetables are bland and boring to eat all the time.
2. Most people eventually miss having a slice of pizza, or a bowl of ice cream, or some other comfort food. It's difficult to avoid the comfort foods all the time.

As a result, the Death to Diabetes diet explains how to actually enjoy the taste of vegetables -- by changing the taste to align with your own taste buds! In addition, the Death to Diabetes diet explains how to transform your comfort foods into healthier versions so that you don't feel deprived of these foods!

How to Enjoy Comfort Foods and Maintain Good Health
Here are some examples (from the Death to Diabetes cookbook) of how to still enjoy specific comfort foods and still maintain proper blood glucose control:

Choose leaner meats. Substitute lean cuts of meat or alternatives to reduce the fat and calories. For example, ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef in many cases.

Reduce the cheese. Cut down on the amount of cheese in a recipe. In a dish like lasagna, add vegetables to the recipe to beef it up instead of extra cheese. When using cheese, opt for low- or no-fat varieties.

Use stocks for flavor. Soup stock can be used to flavor everything from rice to mashed potatoes, instead of relying on butter or heavy gravies.

Opt for low-fat dairy. When a recipe calls for cream or whole milk, substitute skim milk and see if you can notice the difference. In many cases, the change in flavor will be negligible.

Use vegetables and legumes to make a meal more hearty. Stews, soups and other comfort foods can be enhanced with mushrooms, beans or other filling items at a fraction of the fat and calories of adding meats or cheeses.

Bake or grill instead of fry. Many popular comfort foods, like fried chicken, can be made healthier simply by changing the cooking method. Make popular recipes healthy by baking them instead of frying them.

Use fruit in place of oil. In cake mixes and other desserts, applesauce or another pureed fruit or vegetable can often replace oil without drying out the end product.

Ice cream. Add a handful of walnuts (or ground flaxseed) and blueberries to the ice cream to slow down the body's absorption of the sugar and to provide some fiber and antioxidants.

In addition, the Death to Diabetes cookbook describes many ways including how to use spices to enjoy eating your new super foods.

How to Make Vegetables Taste Good!
The following information (from the Death to Diabetes cookbook) identifies some of the many ways to enjoy vegetables so that they're not bland or boring. Use as many of these ideas that will help you increase your intake of vegetables.

For a salty, savory vegetable dish, try chopped broccoli or broccoli florets with olive oil, garlic powder, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and a dash of oregano (an Italian herb). Cook to "tender-crisp" (meaning softened, but still crisp to bite), or cook an extra minute or two for a softer texture. You can also try melting butter and adding a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of garlic for a delicious lemon-butter-garlic sauce.

For a tangy vegetable dish that packs more of a "punch," try garden-fresh Italian green beans (the long stringy kind) marinated briefly in zesty Italian dressing, add a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper, and cook until just "tender-crisp." For Italian green beans, you want a crunch to them. To eat them raw, try dipping in Ranch dressing or just marinade in zesty Italian dressing and eat! You can also try this with fresh young asparagus, or saute them gently in olive oil with soy sauce and garlic.

For a cheesy vegetable dish, try slicing cucumbers into vertical stalks, or get a package of peeled baby carrots and dip them into a small bowl of Caesar salad dressing (which has Parmesan cheese in it). You can also try a jar of nacho cheese dip (the kind you'd dip tortilla chips into), heat it in a small bowl and use that as a veggie dip. Just keep in mind - cheese and rich salad dressings can carry a caloric whopper!

Vegetables like zucchini, artichoke hearts and squash can be sautéed in olive oil or butter with melted Parmesan cheese. Take regular spaghetti cheese (grated Parmesan, Romano, or a combination) and sprinkle it liberally over your cooking vegetables. Include sea salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Cook until the cheese melts ... and maybe until the edges crisp to a light golden brown. Experiment to see what flavors you like - then try a little more!

If you like tacos and nachos, try sprinkling cumin, cayenne or Tabasco on sliced zucchini or yellow squash, then roast for a Mexican-style side dish.

If you favor French food, chop fresh herbs such as tarragon and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil. Brush lightly on asparagus and roast.

If you prefer Indian food, sprinkle curry on eggplant or another soft vegetable and grill or roast.

Hide veggies in your favorite foods. If you don’t like large chunks of vegetables in your food, try grating or puréeing them into soups, casseroles, curries, and pastas dishes – this can be a great way to mask the flavor and texture. For example, chop steamed broccoli into a small pieces and add them to low-fat turkey meatloaf. The blended seasonings in the loaf will cover up the taste of the broccoli, and you'll get one or two servings worth of vegetables inside a hearty lean meal.

Add steamed cauliflower cubes to a low-fat Southwestern omelet. Use egg whites, red peppers and a small amount of low-fat pepper Jack cheese in a non-stick pan to prepare the omelet. The mild cauliflower flavor will be undetectable when eaten with stronger spicy ingredients.

Note: These are just a few of the many ideas from the Death to Diabetes Cookbook that you can use to enjoy vegetables and stay on the Death to Diabetes diet program and not miss any of your favorite comfort foods.

How the Death to Diabetes Diet Helps You Enjoy Healthy Eating
As previously mentioned, there are 8 major reasons why most people (including diabetics) don't stick with a healthy diet. However, the Death to Diabetes Diet addresses each of those reasons.

1. Time/Convenience: The Death to Diabetes Diet explains how to set up your kitchen and defines how to design and prepare healthy meals very quickly. You can prepare some healthy meals in 2-5 minutes!

2. Motivation: The Death to Diabetes Program helps you with your drive and motivation so that you'll actually want to eat healthier foods.

3. Cost: The Death to Diabetes Diet identifies healthy foods that are inexpensive. The Death to Diabetes Diet defines a meal plate that reduces your grocery bill. In addition, by following this diet, you will save thousands of dollars on doctor bills, drugs, and hospital stays.

4. Taste/Addiction: The Death to Diabetes Diet explains how to customize your meals to align with your taste buds. In addition, the Death to Diabetes Diet explains how to enjoy some of your comfort foods and remain healthy with stable blood glucose levels.

5. Stress: The Death to Diabetes Program explains how to reduce and manage the stress in your life from work, finances, family problems, and life in general.

6. Knowledge/Awareness: The Death to Diabetes Program educates you about meal planning and how to plan and prepare healthy meals and stay within budget.

7. Diet Complexity: The Death to Diabetes Diet has defined a simple Meal Plate that makes it very easy to follow and stick with the diet -- without having to count calories or carbs.

8. Access/Availability: The Death to Diabetes Program explains how to obtain access to healthy foods even if you live in an area that doesn't have a grocery store that sells healthy foods.

Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy!

If you want to learn quickly how to meal-plan and design super meals and snacks, and how to still enjoy some of your favorite foods (but still maintain good glucose control), then, get the Death to Diabetes Cookbook or the very popular CD "Diabetes Diet, Nutrition & Food Tips" and/or the Meal Planning Tool Kit.

If you want a structured meal planner (with table charts), then, we recommend the Death to Diabetes 90-Day Meal Planner, or the 90-Day Boot Camp Meal Planner. If you only want the charts, then, we recommend the 90-Day Meal Planning Charts (which works well with the cookbook). All of these meal planners lay out what you should eat each day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert for 90 days.

The 90-Day Meal Planner and 90-Day Boot Camp Meal Planner are unique meal planners that guide you from Day 1 to Day 90 through 3 phases of meal planning charts:
1. Phase 1 Weeks 1 to 4
2. Phase 2 Weeks 5 to 8
3. Phase 3 Weeks 9 to 14

Each phase of the meal planning charts helps you to stabilize your blood glucose levels, cleanse & detox, initiate cell repair, and burn excess fat to support weight loss.

If you need hundreds of healthy recipes to help with your meal planning, we recommend the Death to Diabetes cookbook, which also contains cost-saving and time-saving meal planning ideas.

If you only need a meal planner for a typical day, then, we recommend the 1-Day Meal Planner  or the 1-Day Meal Planning Guide.  However, these 1-page planners should only be used as guides or memory-joggers.

If you would like more structure and meal planning guidance to make it easier for you to reverse your diabetes, obtain the cookbook and one of the following meal planners:

90-Day Meal Planning Charts

Diabetes & Meal Planning Tools & Guides
If you would like to make meal planning easier, obtain our six most popular diabetes and meal planning tools to help you on your journey to wellness.

The tools include a color meal planning guide, detailed meal plan, Super Meal Model Meal Plate diagram, favorite foods chart, diabetes management tracking chart, reverse diabetes 10-steps guide, and workshop folder.

The color Super Meal Planning Guide provides a simple overview of what a meal plan should look like for one day. You can use this 1-page guide as a template to design your meals for the rest of the week.

The 4-page detailed Super Meal Plan provides a very detailed meal plan for a typical day, with very specific foods for a healthy breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner.

The Super Meal Model Meal Plate diagram is one of our popular tools because it shows on one piece of paper what your meal plate should look like, plus it identifies the foods to avoid, and it identifies the key supplements for diabetics. This diagram along with one of the meal planners eliminates the need to h ave to count calories!  Halelujah!

The Favorite Foods Chart is another popular tool, because it shows a list of everyone's favorite foods and comfort foods in one column, and the alternative (healthier) foods for each of those favorite foods in the adjacent column. Many of our clients use this chart when they go grocery-shopping.

The Diabetes Management Tracking Chart helps diabetics track and record their activities from sunrise to sunset, without having to spend a lot of time writing. Many of our clients use this chart instead of the diabetes journal to track their progress.

The Reverse Diabetes 10-Steps Guide helps clients remember the  program's 10 steps that they should be following without having to go back and extract the information from the 400-page book.

                 

Get these popular diabetes & meal planning tools to save you time, money, and frustration.

If you need help with designing a super meal, a super salad, or a super smoothie, and you're not ready to get the cookbook or juicing book, then, get the How to Design a Super Meal, Salad & Smoothie meal planning guide.

If you only want one or two of these planning tools, then, you can get most of them separately:

Meal Planning Guide  

Detailed Meal Planning Charts    

Super Meal Model Meal Plate Diagram   

Favorite Foods Alternative Healthier Foods Chart   

Diabetes Management Tracking Chart  

The Reverse Diabetes 10-Steps Guide

Meal Planning Table Charts:
90-Day Boot Camp Program

Note: Here's what one of the weekly meal planning charts within the 90-Day Meal Planner looks like:
      

Note: The 90-Day Meal Planner consist of 3 phases of charts to guide you from a state of high blood glucose readings to normal blood glucose readings:
-- Phase 1: Weeks 1 to 4
-- Phase 2: Weeks 5 to 8
-- Phase 3: Weeks 9 to 14

FYI: Here's an example of a blank meal planning table chart that you can fill out to customize to your needs once you've completed the 90-day program:
       

To summarize, for the best combination of meal planning, grocery-shopping, and meal preparation, we recommend that you get one or more of the aforementioned 90-day meal planners along with the Death to Diabetes cookbook, and, maybe the Meal Planning Tools or 90-Day Meal Planning Charts. 

Note: If you're not sure what to purchase, just contact our office and we will help you.
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