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<div class="HwContainer HwElement" id="HwContainer"><a class="HwMainSkipNavigation" href="#HwContentTitle"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Skip Navigation</span></a><div class="HwBlock" id="HwMain" role="main"><div class="HwRow"><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar1"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomSidebar"> </div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnContent"><div id="HwContentTop"> </div><div class="HwTypeActionset HwContentWrapper HwElement" role="article" id="HwContentWrapper"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomContentTop"> </div><div class="HwContentTitle"><h1 id="HwContentTitle" tabindex="-1">Diabetes: Using a Plate Format to Plan Meals</h1></div><div class="HwContentTopNavigation"> </div><div class="HwContent"><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionSpecialSection" id="sec-tp16429"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle">Overview</h2> <p>The diabetes plate method is a simple way to plan meals and manage the amount of carbohydrate you eat. Put non-starchy vegetables on half your plate. Add protein foods, like meat or meat substitutes, on a fourth of the plate. Put carbohydrate foods, like grains, starchy vegetables, beans, fruit, and milk and yogurt, on the final fourth of the plate. Choose water or another low-calorie beverage to drink with your meal.</p> </div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionSpecialSection" id="sec-aa21357mm1330"><a class="HwSectionNameTag" name="aa21357mm1330" id="anchor-aa21357mm1330" aria-hidden="true"> </a><h2 class="HwSectionTitle">How to use a plate format</h2> <p>Here is a simple way to manage the amount of carbohydrate you eat at meals.</p> <div class="SlideShow HwSlideShow" id="ss-aa21357mm13301"><div class="HwSlide" id="ss-aa21357mm13301_1"> <h2 class="HwSlideTitle">Sample lunch or dinner plate</h2> <div class="HwSlideShowArea"><div class="SlideShowImage"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acm9971_368x240.jpg" data-hw-height="240" data-hw-width="368" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.6/en-us/media/medical/hw/acm9971_368x240.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acm9971_368x240.jpg" alt="Sample plate method for diabetes, showing plate with one-half plate of non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth plate of protein foods, and one-fourth plate of carbohydrate foods." title="Sample plate method for diabetes, showing plate with one-half plate of non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth plate of protein foods, and one-fourth plate of carbohydrate foods." hw:release-quarter="14.6"></div><div class="HwSlideButtonInformation">slide 1 of 2</div><div class="HwSlideButtonFrame"><button class="HwSlideButtonPrev" type="button" aria-label="Previous" disabled="disabled"><span aria-hidden="true"> < </span>Prev</button> <button class="HwSlideButtonNext" type="button">Next<span aria-hidden="true"> > </span></button></div></div> <div class="HwSlideImageDescription" id="HwSlideImageDesc_1_1"><div class="HwAccessibilityText">slide 1 of 2, Sample lunch or dinner plate,</div> <p>Follow these guidelines for <b>lunch and dinner</b>. Use a plate that measures 9 inches (23 cm) across.</p> <ul> <li> <b>Half the plate is non-starchy vegetables.</b> Some examples are broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, peppers, and salad greens.</li> <li> <b>A fourth of the plate is protein foods.</b> These include chicken, turkey, lean beef and pork, fish, tofu, nuts, eggs, and cheese.</li> <li> <b>A fourth of the plate is carbohydrate foods.</b> These include grains, fruit, yogurt and milk, and starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, and beans. </li> <li> <b>Choose water or another low-calorie drink.</b> Water is a good choice with meals. Other examples of low-calorie drinks include sparkling water or unsweetened tea or coffee.</li> </ul> </div> </div><div class="HwSlide HwDisplayNone" id="ss-aa21357mm13301_2"> <h2 class="HwSlideTitle">Sample breakfast plate</h2> <div class="HwSlideShowArea"><div class="SlideShowImage"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acm9970_460x300.jpg" data-hw-height="240" data-hw-width="368" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.6/en-us/media/medical/hw/acm9970_460x300.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acm9970_460x300.jpg" alt title hw:release-quarter="14.6"></div><div class="HwSlideButtonInformation">slide 2 of 2</div><div class="HwSlideButtonFrame"><button class="HwSlideButtonPrev" type="button" aria-label="Previous" title="Click to view previous slide"><span aria-hidden="true"> < </span>Prev</button> <button class="HwSlideButtonNext" type="button" disabled="disabled" title="Click to view next slide">Next<span aria-hidden="true"> > </span></button></div></div> <div class="HwSlideImageDescription" id="HwSlideImageDesc_1_2"><div class="HwAccessibilityText">slide 2 of 2, Sample breakfast plate,</div> <p>For <b>breakfast</b>, the concept is similar. </p> <ul> <li>Half the plate is non-starchy vegetables. You can leave this section of your plate empty if you don't usually eat vegetables at breakfast.</li> <li>A fourth of the plate is protein foods.</li> <li>A fourth of the plate is carbohydrate foods.</li> <li>Choose water or another low-calorie drink.</li> </ul> </div> </div></div> </div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionRelatedInformation" id="sec-aa21357-RelInfo"><a class="HwSectionNameTag" name="aa21357-RelInfo" id="anchor-aa21357-RelInfo" aria-hidden="true"> </a><h2 class="HwSectionTitle">Related Information</h2><ul><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="aa15595" data-hw-section="aa15595-sec" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="aa15595" data-hwid="aa15595" hw:section-href="aa15595-sec" href="?id=aa15595#aa15595-sec">Carbohydrate Foods</a></li><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="tj8060" data-hw-section="tj8060-sec" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="tj8060" data-hwid="tj8060" hw:section-href="tj8060-sec" href="?id=tj8060#tj8060-sec">Counting Carbohydrate Grams or Servings</a></li><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Actionset" data-hw-document-href="aa15658" data-hw-section="tp16403" hw:document-type="Actionset" hw:document-href="aa15658" data-hwid="aa15658" hw:section-href="tp16403" href="?id=aa15658#tp16403">Diabetes: Coping With Your Feelings About Your Diet</a></li><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="acn7357" data-hw-section="acl1429" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="acn7357" data-hwid="acn7357" hw:section-href="acl1429" href="?id=acn7357#acl1429">Diabetes: Counting Carbs</a></li><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="av2453" data-hw-section="av2454" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="av2453" data-hwid="av2453" hw:section-href="av2454" href="?id=av2453#av2454">Quick Tips: Smart Snacking When You Have Diabetes</a></li></ul></div><div class="HwNavigationSection 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