Smart Meal Plans for Type-2 DIABETES
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Smart Meal Plans for Type 2 DIABETES

Food plays an essential role in the health and well-being of people with type 2 diabetes. These specialized meal plans are designed to ensure effective control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels, as well as to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. All of this helps prevent the progression and complications of the disease.

These meal plans have been independently tested by the McGill University Health Center, in Montreal, Canada, as part of an 18-month clinical study on people with type 2 diabetes.

Good news for pregnant women also dealing with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes, our pregnancy menus are also conceived to maintain well balanced blood glucose level.

They are based on the Mediterranean diet, contain mostly unprocessed foods, and meet all nutritional recommendations from the following respected sources:

  • Canadian Diabetes Association
  • American Diabetes Association
  • Diabetes Quebec (Canada)
  • Health Canada, including Canada's Food Guide
  • Santé et Services sociaux Québec
  • Swiss Nutrition Society
  • Diabète de type 2: diète spéciale, PasseportSanté.net (in French)

Last but not least, these meal plans are updated every week to take advantage of seasonal produce and Flyer specials from your preferred local grocery stores, and are also available in Gluten and Lactose-free versions.

N.B. Consult your Doctor if you have a medical condition. We also recommend that you consult a Registered Dietitian and tell her/him that you follow the SOSCuisine Meal Plans.

Each week you will receive:

Each week you will receive
Your menu for the week, balanced and tailored to your needs (calorie level and servings)
Fast, easy and delicious recipes for the entire 7-day menu
A matching grocery list, based on the current Flyer Specials at your preferred local supermarkets
A step-by-step action plan to help you save time in the kitchen
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View an example of a 7-day menu.

Why are these Meal Plans SMART?

Why are these Meal Plans smart?
Einstein

Our Meal Plans are smart because they ensure, week after week, that you will:

  • eat what is BEST to control your blood glucose and body weight, thereby preventing the progression and complications of diabetes
  • ENJOY eating
  • take advantage of the BEST BUYs at your preferred local grocery stores

Also, you'll be able to choose freely, and as often as you want, the calorie level (1,500, 1,700 or 2,100 calories) and the number of people (1, 2, 3, or 4). The quantity of each ingredient will then be automatically adjusted in the recipes and in the grocery list. You will also have access to Gluten and Lactose-free versions of the meal plans.

 

To find out what foods you will be getting in your meal plans, watch this video:

 

Why SOS Cuisine?

The recommendations for type 2 diabetes consist of 40 nutritional targets that must be attained every day.

Creating meal plans to meet these recommendations without assistance is difficult. Doing it week after week is even more so. That's where we come in, with our unique technology and our team of Dietitians.

SOUNDS COMPLICATED? Not with SOS Cuisine!

We provide you with meal plans that satisfy all the applicable nutritional recommendations, along with the recipes, which are quick and easy to prepare. You will be able to enjoy your food without any worries!

Why Meal Plans instead of just recipes?

Since the nutritional recommendations relate to daily and weekly intakes, it is not sufficient to look for 'Diabetes recipes'. For example, the distribution of Carbs during the day is very important.

Properly balanced Meal Plans are the only effective way to ensure that all nutritional recommendations are met. This is what you get week after week with SOS Cuisine. This way, you have support and you're not alone.

And your entire family benefits from a healthy lifestyle, because our type 2 diabetes Meal Plans are balanced and appropriate for everyone.

Nutrition Info

The most recent recommendations(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) for type 2 diabetes consist of 40 nutritional targets that must be attained day after day, in order to prevent the progression and complications of the disease. This allows for an effective control of blood glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure and body weight.

These 40 targets can be grouped as follows:

  • Adequate caloric intake, to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. We currently offer 3 caloric levels to best meet your needs: 1,500, 1,700 and 2,100 calories per day.
  • Optimal intake of vitamins and minerals, especially sodium
  • Optimal intake and distribution of carbs, fat and protein throughout the day
  • Optimal intake of good fats (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) and the optimal omega-6 / omega-3 ratio
  • No trans fat, limited saturated fat, added sugar, and alcohol
  • Adequate number of servings of the 4 food groups of Canada's Food Guide:
    • Vegetables and fruit, including 1 serving of dark green vegetables and 1 serving of orange vegetables every day
    • Grain products, including a majority of whole grain products
    • Low-fat milk and alternatives
    • Meat and alternatives, including fish
  • Adequate intake of foods that are specifically recommended (meat alternatives, etc.)

 

The following table shows that our type 2 diabetes Meal Plans have consistently met the nutritional recommendations since their launch, on July 29th, 2010.

 

Indices de conformité

professionnel santé * Are you a health professional?
Please contact us for more information on our meal plans.

 

References:

  1. Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA), 2008 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada, 2008
  2. American Diabetes Association (USA), What Can I Eat, accessed on August 19th, 2011
  3. Diabetes Quebec, Eating well, accessed on August 19th, 2011
  4. Diabetes Quebec and Santé et Services sociaux Québec, Meal Planning for People with Diabetes , 2011
  5. Health Canada, Type 2 Diabetes, December 8th, 2006
  6. Health Canada's Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide , January 7th 2008
  7. PasseportSanté.net (Canada), Diabète de type 2: diète spéciale , November 2009 (in French)
  8. Société Suisse de Nutrition (SSN), Le traitement du diabète de type 2 , Fall 2008 (in French)

Important advice and useful tips

important
  • To find out which caloric level is right for you, compute your estimated energy requirements (EER). To find out what your ideal body weight is, compute your body mass index ( BMI)
  • If you are overweight, you must know that weight loss, even modest, could improve your health. Our Diabetes Meal Plans are designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
  • Adopt a regular schedule for your meals and snacks.
  • Drink enough fluids, i.e. 1 to 2 liters/quarts each day, including water, milk, soup, tea, coffee, juice, etc., distributed throughout the day.
  • Move! Physical activity lowers blood sugar, improves effectiveness of insulin produced by the body and helps reduce excess weight, if any.
    • If you are beginning, set realistic goals.
    • Choose an activity that you like and that fits your lifestyle.
    • Gradually increase the duration and frequency in order to get to 30-60 minutes of moderate activity, 3 to 5 days a week.
    • The duration can be spread over the day. For example, 10 minutes of bike to go to work, 10 minutes of gardening and 10 minutes playing with children.
    • We can help you!
attention
  • At the grocery store, choose products without trans fat. For example, make sure the list of ingredients do not show hydrogenated oil.
  • According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, routine antioxidants supplementation with vitamins E, C, and carotene is not recommended due to lack of evidence about their effectiveness and concerns about their long-term safety.
  • The Canadian Diabetes Association encourages people with diabetes to meet their nutritional needs through a balanced diet, which in most cases is sufficient to provide all vitamins and minerals. There are three exceptions:
    • A vitamin D supplement is recommended for people over 50 years of age
    • A folic acid supplement is highly recommended for women who could become pregnant, during pregnancy and during lactation
    • An iron supplement during the last two trimesters of pregnancy
    Therefore, it is strongly recommended to discuss with your doctor about supplements. It would also be prudent to check with your pharmacist if there is a risk of interaction between your medications and the supplement.
  • If you drink alcoholic beverages:
    • Do so with moderation: No more than one drink/day for women and two drinks/day for men.
    • Do drink them during meals.
    • Before drinking, make sure that your blood sugar is well controlled.
    • Talk to your doctor to determine if alcohol is safe for you, especially if you drink several times a week, and if you take oral diabetes medication.
  • Moderate your consumption of caffeine-containing beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.)
to avoid
  • Avoid sweet alcoholic drinks (dessert wines, "cocktails" and liquors) because they are high in sugar and can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar.

Consult your Doctor if you have a medical condition. We also recommend that you consult a Registered Dietitian and tell her/him that you follow the SOSCuisine Meal Plans.


How much does it cost?

  • $95.40/year (i.e. $7.95/month, save $24)
    Will recur yearly until cancelled
  • $9.95/month
    Will recur monthly until cancelled

N.B. If you reside in Europe, the prices are respectively 95.40€/year and 9.95€/month.


Satisfaction guaranteed
Your subscription will pay for itself quickly, as our Meal Plans allow you to save money by:
  • buying no more food than you need
  • avoiding food wastage
See the FAQ about subscriptions and plans
Subscribe

View an example of a 7-day menu.

 

FAQ


Why should I trust the menus? Are they checked by a dietitian?
All the nutrition content of the website, including the information on this page as well as all meal plans, are checked and approved by our nutrition team, led by Danielle Lamontagne, R.D.
What is the difference between canola oil and olive oil? Why do certain recipes use one rather than the other?
Differences between olive oil and canola oil lie in their composition, heat resistance levels, taste and cost. Even though both of these oils are rich in monounsaturated fats (excellent for cardiovascular health), canola oil contains about 10 times more omega-3 than olive oil. Also, both of these oils can be used in cooking but olive oil loses its aroma when heated. The neutral taste and lower cost of canola oil make it an excellent choice for everyday cooking as well as for baking. But cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil tastes simply divine!
I see 'crispbread' in my menu. What is it and where can I buy it ?
Crispbread is a type of crackerbread from rye, rich in fiber and low in fat, salt and sugar. The most common brands are: Ryvita, Ry-Krip and Wasabröd. You'll find them in the crackers section at your grocery store.
Why are there DESSERTS with ADDED SUGAR in the Diabetes meal plan?
Indeed, some fruits served for dessert are sometime sprinkled with sugar, but only in small amount to enhance their taste. Since our meal plans take into account the total amount and the distribution of sugar in the day, everything is still balanced. If you prefer to eat your fruits without any sugar, feel free to do so!
I have diabetes, hypertension and I want to lose weight. What meal plan should I choose?

We recommend that you consult your doctor and/or a registered dietitian, that will give you the best advice in this regard.

This being said, you can choose one of the Diabetes Meal Plans, offered in three caloric levels: 1,500, 1,700 and 2,100 calories per day. To lose weight, you must choose a caloric level that is lower than your energy needs. A deficit of 500 calories per day will typically allow you to lose one pound (half a kilogram) per week, which is safe. Calculate your energy needs. If, for example, your energy requirement is 2,000 calories, choose the 1,500-calorie Meal Plans to achieve weight loss. Most of our female subscribers choose the 1,500-calorie Meal Plans, and most male subscribers choose the 1,700-calorie Meal Plans.

With regard to hypertension, the good news is that our Diabetes Meal Plans contain less than 7% saturated fat, zero trans fat, very little sodium (1,725 mg/day on average), plenty of fruits and vegetables (9 servings/day on average), fully comply with Canada's Food Guide recommendations, and can therefore contribute to reduce your blood pressure.

I really like your weekly meal plans but I would like to know what to DRINK?

Water is by far the best choice. Add a slice of lime or a few drops of lemon juice in it to give a little punch. It is also possible to have wine or fruit juice but remember, each glass represents an extra 100 kcal. Also, in order to benefit from the cardioprotective effects of red wine, women can consume, at most, 1 glass per day and maximum 2 for the men. In the morning, tea or coffee can be added to your menu without exceeding 2 to 3 cups of filtered coffee or quarter-cup servings of expresso per day.

See Also:
My Dietitian told me that I should take about 45g of carbs per meal for myself and about 60g for my husband. Looking at the Nutrition Facts table for your Meal Plans, I'm afraid that your menus contain too much carbs. Are your Meal Plans really appropriate for us?

Glad you asked! No worries: Your Dietitian is right and... so are we! Here's the explanation for this apparent difference:

First, the values recommended by your Dietitian are for "net" carbs (without fibers) and refer to the main meal only. On the other hand, the Nutrition facts table for our Meal Plans show "total" carbohydrates, from which you must subtract the amount of fiber, because these do not contribute to your blood glucose. This table also presents the total carbs for the day, including your meals as well as your snacks.

Second, in order to make it easier for people to count carbs, dietitians here in Quebec focus on carbs from fruits, dairy products and grain products only. This is an approximation, as it does not include carbs from vegetables and meat and alternatives. On the other hand, our proprietary computer system calculates carbs accurately from all foods, without omitting any.

Finally, our Diabetes Meal Plans are designed to provide 50% of the energy from carbohydrates, as recommended by the Canadian Diabetes Association. By choosing our Diabetes Meal Plans with the right caloric level for you, you will be able to meet the latest dietary recommendations without having to count carbs. Be reassured, with SOSCuisine you're in good hands!

There's no microwave oven at my workplace. How can I find substitute meals that I won't need to warm up ?
You can use the "Swap Meal" button (blue double arrow icon) in your menu, or use the Advanced Recipe Search to find exactly the Lunch Box recipes that you want.
I was surprised to see that you are proposing PASTA for dinner, because I heard that we should avoid them when we have diabetes. Could you please clarify the situation?
The glycemic index of al dente pasta is relatively low. This means that they do not induce a major increase in blood sugar and they are efficient to control hunger. Often served with a source of protein such as meat, eggs, or seafood, pasta dishes are adequate for a well-balanced meal.
I don’t like peanut butter, but it is often a part of breakfast. What can I replace it with?
Peanut butter is a good source of protein that sustains one’s appetite in the morning. It can be replaced by cheese, almond or some other nut-based butter or even by hummus. Unfortunately, jams and sweet spreads are neither as nutritional nor as satiating.
While consulting the sample meal plan, I noticed that certain recipes recur more than once in the same week. Will the meal plan that I’m going to buy also be like this?
Yes! Some recipes (ex. soups, stews, etc) are repeated during the week in order to reduce the time spent in the kitchen. This way, you also get to prioritize certain fresh food items, with minimal waste. In other words, these repetitions are based on practical and economic reasons. They offer a good trade-off between variety and effort. And don't forget: you can always swap meals to get more - or less - variety.
I don’t like eating my meal in the form of a sandwich or burger. Is it the same if I eat my meatball, slices of bread, lettuce and tomato separately?
It is OK to break down your burger into separate food items. The nutritional values remain the same and, once they have been consumed, the foods will interact in the same way as if they had been eaten in a same mouthful. Find your preferred technique and enjoy!
Why do we often have carrots and celery for SNACK?
Vegetables are very dense in nutrients while being low in calories and easy to carry. To bring carrots for snack is an easy way to get your daily serving of orange vegetable. Slices of red and green peppers, sugar snaps, French beans, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and slices of cucumber are all excellent alternatives. Remember, bright and varied colors is the key.
Why do we find white bread in the meal plans? Brown bread is higher in fiber and I thought one had to avoid white bread.
It is true that whole grain brown bread is richer in fiber than white bread. However, as our meal plans are based on the Mediterranean diet, they include plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, so that the daily fiber needs are fully met. Excessive intake of fiber can make bowel movements too fast and prevent adequate absorption of nutrients. In other words, with our meal plans, you are sure to get the right amount of all nutrients - never too little nor too much!

 

Simplify your life and subscribe to our Type-2 DIABETES Meal Plan.


Note: We remind you to read our Medical Disclaimer.

Page last updated on 2013-04-24 @ 16:25

Testimonials

"This was much better than Weight Watcher. I have lost weight and eaten tasty meals. My doctor is happy now that my glucose and blood pressure are under control. I want to continue, beacause it helps me stay motivated."

Jackie W.
Montréal, QC, Canada

"I have been very happy with the service. I did not feel I was on a diet since everything I tried was so tasty. We learned to cook fish. My glucose got in control within the third week and I have lost 25 lbs gradually over 6 months.

Best part is the education about the quantities we should eat, now I know what and how much to order when I am travelling."

Ken L.
Montréal, QC, Canada

Veal Shank in Muscat Wine Beef-Stuffed Peppers Zucchini Bread