Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan: 5 Simple Steps You Must Know!

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that is diagnosed during pregnancy. It happens when your pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin to keep up with the need and this causes an elevation in blood sugar levels.

I remember my diagnosis very well, where I was when I received the call to inform me, and all of the feelings that came flooding in.

Despite being a diabetes nurse educator, I felt frozen, frustrated, guilty, and angry. Even with the knowledge I had from this being such a large part of my life, I still felt that I had no idea what I was doing or how to proceed.

My Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan Journey

I, as most are, was told to eat 45 - 60 grams of carbs for each meal and at least 15 - 30 grams of carbs for each snack.

What I very quickly discovered was, “carbs are not created equal” and my blood sugar did not like a lot of the meals or snacks that had this amount of carbs in it.

What I also found with the healthcare providers putting so much emphasis on the carb content, I wasn’t focused as much on the other nutrients that would greatly assist in the balancing of my blood sugar, if eaten in combination. 

From my personal experience of having gestational diabetes, I learned a ton of eye opening things that I am unsure I would have ever fully grasped if I hadn’t been diagnosed. 

This guide will provide a simple and stress-free approach to meal planning. My hope is that when you go to grab a meal or snack, this will have assisted you in simplifying the process and in putting your mind at ease.

What Is a Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan?

A gestational diabetes meal plan is just like any other meal plan - a preformed plan for strategically consuming deliberate and healthy meals. 

But specifically one that ensures adequate consumption of all nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy and that will keep glucose stabilized. 

The purpose of having one is to help alleviate the stress that can already be amplified (especially with a gestational diabetes diagnosis) during pregnancy and give you a clear guide of what to eat, when to eat it, and how much of it to eat. 

If you are able to attain balance in your meals and snacks, this in turn will keep your blood sugar levels balanced and you will be at less risk of lows and highs. 

We are often told so much about hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and the importance of minimizing these excursions, but not a lot of emphasis is placed on low blood sugar. 

I remember like it was yesterday, after going for my glucose tolerance test and experiencing a severe crash in my blood sugar.

As I was driving home, and no I should not have been driving, I remember it felt like electricity was going down my arms. I turned so pale and clammy, and I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out all at once. 

I felt so awful, I couldn’t even think to treat myself with the rule of 15’s. Something I had taught so many people in the past.

I yelled upstairs to my husband, knowing I wasn’t going to make it there and then sat on the floor and started eating whatever I could find that had sugar in it. This was a very good example of not being prepared AT ALL! 

People who are unaware of what the consumption of simple sugar can do when their glucose isn’t being regulated by their body correctly, may go about their life consuming things they normally would such as juice, not realizing the impact it may have on their blood sugar.

This is why it is so important to have a plan and ensure well balanced, nutrient-dense foods are being consumed at strategic times.

5 Simple Steps to Create a Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan

1. Focus on Nutrient Balance

Ideally, each meal and snack should have a healthy balance of complex carbs (where you get your fiber), protein, and healthy fat. Here is a breakdown of blood-sugar friendly foods in each of the above categories: 

• Complex carbs - low glycemic fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and legumes

• Protein - eggs, salmon, lentils, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and lean meats

• Healthy fat - nuts, olive oil, avocados, dark chocolate (yup, that's right! Enjoy!)

2. Prioritize Low-Glycemic Carbohydrates

The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a specific food can make your blood sugar rise. 

This is very important to know when creating your gestational diabetes meal plan, as you want to stick with the carbs that are on the lower end of the glycemic-index. 

Here are some of the most nutrient dense and delicious low-glycemic carbs that can easily be paired with a protein and healthy fat of your choosing:

• Quinoa - rich in fiber and protein and can sit in as a rice substitute for most dishes

• Sweet Potatoes- packed with nutrients and has less impact on blood sugar than white 

• Chickpea Pasta - This is perfect for that pasta craving, but instead of empty carbs, you get protein, fiber, and stable blood sugar! This one is my family's absolute favorite!

• Black Beans - these are packed with amazing fiber and help with digestion

• My article here has 10 delicious low glycemic fruit options

3. Pair Carbs with Protein and Healthy Fats

Ensuring that you are pairing the low-glycemic carbs with protein and healthy fat is essential in minimizing the glucose impact. 

This is because protein and healthy fat help slow down the digestion of carbs and delay the absorption into the bloodstream. 

Some of the things I loved to pair were: apples with peanut butter or sharp cheddar cheese, so good! Or plain greek yogurt with berries and nuts, sometimes a small drizzle of honey. 

Fore more ideas on well balanced snacks that pair carbs, protein and healthy fats - check out these 25 + Snacks for Diabetics.

4. Follow the “Plate Method” for Easy Portion Control

One of the aspects of meal planning when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes that was most helpful for me was the visual method I learned called the “Plate Method”. 

This very quickly became my go to, as I knew what the various foods were in the categories I needed to choose from, but this was so helpful to have a visual and make that come to life when creating my meals and snacks. 

The plate method is broken down into 3 parts. You divide your plate in half and then on one side, you leave it as half and then on the other side you divide it again into quarters. Then you place the food accordingly:

• ½ plate non-starchy vegetables

• ¼ plate lean protein

• ¼ plate healthy carbohydrates

One of my favorite examples of the plate method is what we eat, in a slightly different variation, almost every Monday - Half the plate is sauteed kale, a quarter of the plate is a piece of air fried salmon, and the other quarter of the plate is quinoa. 

5. Schedule Regular Meal and Snack Times

Scheduled meal and snack times can really help in eliminating large spikes or drops that can really be harmful to your baby and yourself. 

It is definitely a balancing act to make sure you don’t spike too much after meals, don’t bottom out because of going too long without food, or not having a rebound spike after having a low and overdoing the correction. 

I definitely didn’t always want a lot of food in between meals, but this is where my discernment came in. 

How many carbs I actually needed and ensuring my meals and snacks were balanced with all the necessary nutrients was what I learned about myself and how every individual truly is different in what they need. 

The schedule I most often followed was breakfast at 7:30am, snack at 10am, lunch at 12:30pm, snack at 3 pm, supper around 5:30pm, sometimes a bedtime snack, but I was very careful with this one.  

Sample Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan for One Day

Breakfast: Balanced Protein and Carbs

• Example: Scrambled eggs with spinach and whole-grain toast + small serving of berries.

Snack: Fiber and Healthy Fats

• Example: Greek yogurt with chia seeds and a handful of almonds and berries.

Lunch: Lean Protein and Whole Grains

• Example: Grilled chicken salad with quinoa, avocado, and olive oil dressing.

Snack: Blood Sugar-Friendly Option

• Example: Cottage cheese with cucumber slices and whole-grain crackers.

Dinner: Non-Starchy Veggies & Lean Protein

• Example: Baked salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and brown rice.

Evening Snack (If Needed): Protein & Fiber

• Example: A small handful of walnuts and a slice of cheese.

Gestational Diabetes Meal Planning Tips for Success

Planning your meals and preparing foods in advance are extremely helpful to avoid last minute unhealthy choices. At least once per week, I would recommend making things in batches to have for several days.

When I created a plan to follow and had my meals and snacks readily available, I was able to be consistent with eating and feel so much better. 

My blood sugar also reflected the consistency and healthy choices.

Monitoring blood sugar response after meals and snacks is also very important and will help you learn what works and what doesn't and help you identify patterns. 

For me, journaling the foods and the glucose response was so helpful in creating a meal plan that really worked.  

Remember, to create an effective gestational diabetes meal plan, ensure you focus on balanced meals, staying consistent, keeping it simple, and choosing whole foods. Combine carbs with protein and healthy fat to minimize the impact on your blood sugar.

If you are gestational diabetic and would like some personalized advice in creating your own meal plan, schedule a call with me today.  

(Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you)

Meet the Author

Hi! I’m Beth, a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator. I provide diabetes coaching for newly diagnosed people with diabetes and also work with people who have been living with diabetes for some time.

With 1:1 coaching, you will feel empowered and supported to confidently manage your diabetes effectively - without it controlling your life! I can help you make sure that you feel good, stay in optimal health and take care of your well-being at all times.

First call is on me! Let’s talk.