Eat Well to Prevent T2 Participant Guide

Session Focus

Eating well can help you prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

This session we will talk about:

  • How to eat well

  • How to build a healthy meal

  • The items in each food group

You will also make a new action plan!

Tips:

  • Use herbs, spices, lemon juice, and low-fat dressing to make veggies taste better.

  • Fill up on fiber and water.

  • Shop, cook, and eat healthy with friends and family.

Key points to remember:

Choose items that are:

  • Low in calories, fat, and sugar

  • High in fiber and water

  • High in vitamins, minerals, and protein

Limit items that are:

  • High in calories, fat, and sugar

  • Low in fiber and water

  • Low in vitamins, minerals, and protein

A Healthy Meal

  1. Dairy — 1 cup skim milk

  2. Fruit — 1 apple

  3. Protein foods — chicken

  4. Grains and starchy foods — potatoes

  5. Non-starchy veggies — salad

  6. Drink — water

You’ll want to make:

  • Half of your plate non-starchy veggies (such as broccoli, lettuce, peppers)

  • A quarter of your plate grains and starchy foods (such as potatoes, oatmeal)

  • Another quarter of your plate protein foods (such as chicken, lean meat, fish)

You can also have:

  • A small amount of dairy (1 cup skim milk)

  • A small amount of fruit (one apple, half a banana, ½ cup berries)

  • A drink that has low or no calories (water, sparkling water, coffee without sugar)

Make Your Plate

Write the number of the correct food group on each line. Then create a healthy meal by listing items that you like. You can use “Foods to Choose” for ideas.

Food Groups

  1. Non-starchy veggies

  2. Grains and starchy foods

  3. Protein foods

  4. Dairy foods

  5. Fruit

  6. Drink

Foods to Choose

Non-starchy veggies:

  • Asparagus

  • Broccoli

  • Cabbage

  • Carrots

  • Celery

  • Cucumbers

  • Leafy greens

  • Mushrooms

  • Onions

  • Peppers

  • Tomatoes

  • Your favorites: ____________

Grains and starchy foods:

  • 100% corn tortillas

  • 100% whole grain cereal

  • 100% whole wheat bread

  • Black beans

  • Brown rice

  • Corn

  • Green peas

  • Lentils

  • Oatmeal

  • Popcorn

  • Potatoes

  • Pumpkin

  • Yams

  • Your favorites: ____________

Protein foods:

  • Eggs (but limit yolks)

  • Fish and seafood (catfish, cod, shrimp)

  • Lean meat (lean ground beef, chicken and turkey without skin, pork loin)

  • Nuts (limit because high in fat)

  • Your favorites: ____________

Dairy foods:

  • Low-fat cheese

  • Plain low-fat soy or almond milk

  • Plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt

  • Skim or low-fat milk

  • Your favorites: ____________

Fruit:

  • Apples

  • Apricots

  • Blueberries

  • Dates

  • Grapefruit

  • Grapes

  • Oranges

  • Strawberries

  • Your favorites: ____________

Drinks:

  • Coffee without sugar

  • Sparkling water

  • Tea without sugar

  • Water

  • Your favorites: ____________

Foods to Limit

Sweet foods:

  • Candy

  • Cookies

  • Corn syrup

  • Honey

  • Ice cream

  • Molasses

  • Processed snack foods

  • Sugar

  • Other examples: ____________

Fatty foods:

  • Butter

  • Creamy salad dressing

  • Deep fried foods (French fries)

  • Fatty meat (bacon, bologna, regular ground beef)

  • Full-fat cheese

  • Lard

  • Shortening

  • Whole milk

  • Other examples: ____________

How to Cope with Challenges