Foods to Eat for a Gestational Diabetes Menu

Gestational diabetes occurs when your blood sugar---also known as glucose---becomes too high while you're pregnant. Gestational diabetes will likely disappear after your baby is born, but if left untreated during pregnancy, it can cause serious problems for you and the baby. You can control your blood sugar by consulting a doctor and eating the prescribed amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fat.

Breakfast Foods

• To get gestational diabetes under control, eat three meals a day, starting with breakfast. Include carbohydrates such as whole-wheat toast, a cup of bran cereal or a cup of oatmeal. Drink milk, eat sugar-free yogurt or eggs to get some protein into your body. A little bit of fat is also important to keeping your blood sugar levels normal, so add 2 tsp. margarine to your toast. If you like fruit in the morning, add raisins to your cereal or drink a little bit of orange juice for your morning carbohydrates.

Lunch Foods

• Sandwiches are a great choice for lunch when you have gestational diabetes. Enjoy a sandwich made from whole-wheat bread for your carbohydrates intake, lettuce, tomatoes, roast beef or tuna for your protein then a little bit of fat in a teaspoon of mayonnaise or salad dressing. You can also add strawberries, vegetable soup, carrot sticks for a carbohydrate-filled side dish.

Dinner Foods

• For your last meal of the day, you can get your protein from a grilled chicken breast or salmon. Side dishes with carbohydrates include baked potatoes, pasta, rice, whole-wheat rolls and raw vegetables and fruits such a tossed salad, green beans or apricots. You can add margarine to your roll or salad dressing to your salad to get your fat intake for that meal.

Snack Foods

• To maintain a consistent blood sugar level, you should also eat one to three small snacks a day, in between meals. These snacks can includes things like half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk, an apple with peanut butter, yogurt, whole-wheat crackers and cheese with a glass of apple juice, graham crackers and other fruits.