Meals (1 piece)

Reduce portion sizes of starches and split large meals into smaller, balanced meals spaced through the day.

Build meals around non-starchy vegetables, protein, and healthy fats; examples include leafy greens, broccoli, eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, avocado, and olive oil.

Choose slower-digesting carbohydrate portions such as lentils, chickpeas, beans, steel-cut oats, or quinoa instead of refined grains and sugary foods.

Eat vegetables and protein before carbohydrate foods during a meal, rather than starting with bread, rice, sweets, or sweet drinks.

Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and choose water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea; take a 10–20 minute easy walk after meals if safe for you.

Track which meals cause the largest rises and discuss persistent large spikes or medication timing with your clinician, especially if you use insulin or glucose-lowering medicines.