Prepared Meals for Diabetics

Managing diabetes requires planning and preparing meals based on the diabetic food pyramid. Meals should center on high-protein, high-fiber and moderate complex-carbohydrate diets. Choosing appropriately prepared meals is key to ensuring a proper diabetic diet. Be aware of portions and your nutritionist's recommendations when eating prepared meals.

Dining Out

• Read the menu carefully when dining out and ordering prepared meals. Ask the server how a specific food is prepared, if you're uncertain. Request modifications to the food to make it fit your diet better. For example, ask for light sauce on main and side dishes. Ask if a specific dish was prepared with sugar. Some places add sugar to coleslaw or to their dressings and sauces.

  Order prepared meals that have all or the majority of the items you're allowed to have as a diabetic. Write down the items you ate in a food log to adjust the rest of your meals for the day. Only eat until you're full and take the remaining items home.

  Avoid the temptation to snack on breads, tortilla chips or other appetizers while dining out. Save your calories for the healthier foods that will come with your entrée. Remember to drink water or unsweetened, decaffeinated drinks with your prepared meal.

Frozen Dinners

• Read the labels carefully on frozen dinners prior to purchasing. Check the amount of carbohydrates, sugars, protein and fat. Refer to your diabetes nutritionist's recommendations. Only purchase frozen dinners that are allowed in your diabetic diet.

  Look at the serving size on the frozen prepared meal. Some frozen meals are for two or more people. If you're going to eat the entire box, multiply the amount of nutrients by the number of suggested servings. For example, if the frozen meal is a family size that serves three, you will need to triple the amount of carbohydrates and other nutrients when planning your insulin amount and recording in your diabetic food journal.

Dinner Buffets

• Dinner buffets tempt everyone, not just diabetics. It's very important to monitor the quantity of each item you select from them. Eat salad items first. These will fill you up, provide fiber and make the other foods less tempting. Select a fat-free salad dressing.

  Wait a few minutes between trips to the buffet bar. Select a small portion of a variety of foods. Remember, you don't have to completely empty your plate. Eat slowly and drink plenty of water during the meal to enjoy a buffet without ruining your diabetic diet needs.

  Select fruit for dessert, instead of pies, cakes or other sugar-laden items.