Gestational diabetes: Basic meal planning

You need to eat and drink at least 12 carbohydrate choices each day. You may eat up to 16 carbohydrate choices, unless your health care provider gives you other directions.

Breakfast 2 to 3 carbohydrate choices vegetable, if desired 1 to 3 ounces of protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, peanut butter fat, as desired	Lunch 3 to 4 carbohydrate choices vegetables, as desired 2 to 4 ounces of protein fat, as desired	Dinner 3 to 4 carbohydrate choices vegetables, as desired 2 to 4 ounces protein fat, as desired
Morning snack 1 to 2 carbohydrate choices vegetable, protein or fat as desired	Afternoon snack 1 to 2 carbohydrate choices vegetable, protein or fat as desired	Evening snack 1 to 2 carbohydrate choices 1 to 3 ounces protein vegetable or fat as desired

Breakfast tips

Blood glucose is hard to control in the morning when the hormones that boost your blood glucose levels are released. To help, follow these breakfast tips:

• Eat a small breakfast.
• Don’t eat fruit or drink fruit juice.
• Avoid cereal.
• Eat whole grain bread products.
• Eat a food that has protein.

Related Links

Completing a meal plan

My eating guide (requires Adobe Reader)

Using food labels

Understanding carbohydrates

How food affects blood glucose levels

Allina Pregnancy Care

First published: 11/27/2006
Last updated: 11/27/2006

Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts