Labster Logo

Plate Method

There are different methods to follow your diabetes meal plan and effectively manage blood glucose, for example, carbohydrate counting or the plate method.
The plate method helps you easily create a plate filled with a balanced meal just by dividing a plate into sections and starting to fill it with the three different food groups as shown in Figure 1.

This image illustrates the diabetes plate method, which is a visual guide designed to help individuals manage portion sizes and balance macronutrients for blood sugar control. The plate is divided into three distinct color-coded sections that represent the recommended proportions for a balanced meal. The first is non-starchy vegetables in green. This section occupies the entire left half of the plate at about 50%. Examples include leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, and carrots. These are high in fiber and nutrients while being low in carbohydrates. The second one is protein in red. This section takes up the top right quarter of the plate at about 25%. This represents lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, beans, or tofu. The last one is grain and starchy food in Orange. This section occupies the bottom right quarter of the plate at about 25%. This includes items like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, potatoes, or corn, which provide complex carbohydrates for energy.

Figure 1: Food plate method