Managing prediabetes or diabetes, especially when first diagnosed, can feel overwhelming. There just seems to be so much to keep track of. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools available to help—including with portion control. These tools can be as simple or elaborate as you want, from pre-portioned plates and containers to digital scales and apps.
Using the Diabetes Plate
The Diabetes Plate is an easy way to build balanced meals with the right portions of different foods.
- Fill half the plate with non-starchy vegetables like asparagus, green beans, eggplant, or greens.
- Fill one quarter of the plate with lean proteins, like chicken, salmon, pork loin chops, beans, or tofu.
- Fill the remaining quarter of the plate with quality carbs like starchy vegetables, beans/legumes, fruit, whole grains, low‑fat milk, or yogurt.
Using the Diabetes Plate helps you create meals that are balanced, nourishing, and enjoyable. You can also use the Diabetes Plate for mixed dishes—like soups, sandwiches, or pasta—by identifying the ingredients and imagining where each part would fit on the plate.
Using Digital Scales
Digital scales can be a great tool as well. You can go for a simple model that is battery-operated and has a backlit display and measuring options (pounds, pounds/ounces, ounces, and grams). Or you can find much more advanced scales that go beyond just weighing food.
Smart scales wirelessly connect to apps on a smart phone. They can do the math for you to help compute daily carb and calorie intake, have nutritional calculators, and track your progress.
Using Portion- and Nutrition-Tracking Apps
For an on-the-go solution, there are apps that can help you track portions and nutrition. Some can also share your data with your health care providers and can integrate with other devices, like your digital scale. Others help you record and manage blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, create shopping lists, and provide nutrition databases.
Picking the Best Tool for You
Managing diabetes is a long‑term commitment, so it’s important to choose tools that keep you motivated and make your routine easier. And it may take a few attempts with different tools to find just the right one(s) that work for you. Just as important, your needs will likely evolve over time, as will the technology. So, if something no longer excites you or keeps you motivated, don’t give up—look for something else!
Check out ShopDiabetes.org for items to make life with diabetes a little bit easier.
