7-Day Easy High-Protein Meal Plan for Better Blood Sugar

In the United States, about 11% of adults have type 2 diabetes and another 38% of adults have prediabetes. In all, roughly 50% of adults have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels—and that number continues to grow. Whether you’re currently experiencing high blood sugar or are looking to reduce your risk, making nutrition and lifestyle changes can help. That’s where this meal plan comes in—you’ll find an entire week of delicious and easy high–protein recipes that help support healthy blood sugar levels. We included recipes with simple ingredient lists and minimal active cooking time so you can improve your health and reduce your numbers without spending all day in the kitchen. Check it out!

Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You

Eating more protein and reducing total carbohydrate intake is one strategy that can help improve blood sugar levels for most people. In this plan, each day averages 106 grams of protein spread throughout the day’s meals and snacks. Protein is a nutrient with many health benefits, including supporting healthy blood sugar by slowing down digestion to mitigate blood sugar spikes.

We also reduced total carbohydrate intake. If you have diabetes or want to improve blood sugar levels, reducing carbohydrates and prioritizing other nutrients, like protein and fat, can help. But, there’s no need to completely avoid carbs. Instead, opt to include high-fiber carbohydrates, like legumes, fruit and whole grains, while limiting refined grains and added sugars. The fiber in carbohydrates isn’t digested, which means it slows down digestion and, like protein, helps reduce blood sugar spikes. Plus, fiber has many health benefits that you would miss out on if carbs were reduced drastically. In this plan, each day provides a whopping 32 grams of fiber with 28% of total calories coming from carbohydrates, which amounts to a moderately low carbohydrate level.

To keep this routine simple, we chose recipes that had 30 minutes or less of active cooking time. You’ll find meal-prep tips throughout, one-pot meals, leftover callouts and simple ingredient lists so you can eat to improve your blood sugar levels without a significant disruption to your routine.

We set this plan at 1,800 calories per day and included modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with different calorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.

Day 1

Breakfast (409 calories, 28g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (130 calories, 9g carbohydrate)

Lunch (478 calories, 27g carbohydrate) 

P.M. Snack (237 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

• ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
• ½ cup blackberries

Dinner (524 calories, 17g carbohydrate)

Daily Totals: 1,779 calories, 115g fat, 101g protein, 95g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,734mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1 medium orange and omit almonds at P.M. snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium apple with 1½ Tbsp. almond butter as an evening snack.

Day 2

Breakfast (419 calories, 26g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (130 calories, 9g carbohydrate)

Lunch (395 calories, 39g carbohydrate)

P.M. Snack (237 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

• ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
• ½ cup blackberries

Dinner (546 calories, 34g carbohydrate) 

Evening Snack (62 calories, 15g carbohydrate)

Daily Totals: 1,789 calories, 97g fat, 105g protein, 138g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 2,286mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit almonds at P.M. snack and omit evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium peach to breakfast and add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to evening snack.

Day 3

Breakfast (345 calories, 21g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (291 calories, 31g carbohydrate)

• 1 medium apple
• 2 Tbsp. almond butter

Lunch (395 calories, 39g carbohydrate)

P.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

Dinner (421 calories, 21g carbohydrate)

Daily Totals: 1,798 calories, 100g fat, 105g protein, 135g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 1,461mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Reduce to 1 Tbsp. sliced almonds at breakfast and omit almond butter at A.M. snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds as an evening snack.

Day 4

Breakfast (345 calories, 21g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (130 calories, 9g carbohydrate)

Lunch (395 calories, 39g carbohydrate)

P.M. Snack (237 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

• ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
• ½ cup blackberries

Dinner (597 calories, 29g carbohydrate)

Evening Snack (82 calories, 12g carbohydrate)

• ½ cup sliced strawberries
• ½ cup low-fat plain kefir

Daily Totals: 1,785 calories, 97g fat, 112g protein, 125g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,780mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit almonds at P.M. snack and omit evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Simple Cabbage Salad to dinner and increase to 1 cup sliced strawberries with 1 cup low-fat plain kefir at evening snack. 

Day 5

Breakfast (419 calories, 26g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrate)

• ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios

Lunch (395 calories, 39g carbohydrate)

P.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

Dinner (458 calories, 35g carbohydrate)

Evening Snack (206 calories, 7g carbohydrate)

• ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve two servings of Cheesy Beef & Black Bean Skillet Casserole to have for lunch on Days 6 and 7. 

Daily Totals: 1,825 calories, 101g fat, 110g protein, 130g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 2,253mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1 medium orange and omit evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium apple to breakfast and 1 medium orange to evening snack.

Day 6

Breakfast (345 calories, 21g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (291 calories, 31g carbohydrate)

• 1 medium apple
• 2 Tbsp. almond butter

Lunch (334 calories, 21g carbohydrate)

P.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

Dinner (535 calories, 53g carbohydrate)

Evening Snack (130 calories, 9g carbohydrate)

Daily Totals: 1,805 calories, 94g fat, 106g protein, 149g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 1,525mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter at A.M. snack and omit evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to evening snack. 

Day 7

Breakfast (409 calories, 28g carbohydrate)

A.M. Snack (111 calories, 5g carbohydrate)

• 2 medium stalks celery
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter

Lunch (334 calories, 21g carbohydrate)

P.M. Snack (170 calories, 14g carbohydrate)

Dinner (622 calories, 27g carbohydrate)

Evening Snack (130 calories, 9g carbohydrate)

Daily Totals: 1,777 calories, 110g fat, 101g protein, 104g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,892mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change P.M. snack to 1 clementine and omit evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to evening snack.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:

1. Make One-Pot Chicken & Rice Soup to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5. 

High-Protein Foods to Focus On:

• Fish and shellfish
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Meat, especially leaner cuts of meat
• Beans and lentils
• Quinoa
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Tofu
• Edamame
• Tempeh
• Seitan
• Dairy, especially strained yogurt, cottage cheese and kefir

Does a High-Protein Diet Improve Blood Sugar?

If improving blood sugars is your goal, research indicates that eating more protein may help. One study analyzing data from nearly 80,000 adults found that a high-protein diet is associated with a lower incidence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. It’s important, though, to note that the association was reduced when the researchers adjusted for BMI and waist circumference, which further emphasizes that one particularly nutrient can’t cause (or prevent) the onset of diabetes. Eating a high-protein diet and reducing total carbohydrate can help reduce the risk, but it’s just one piece of this important puzzle. Rather, a whole-health approach that looks at lifestyle habits, physical activity, nutrition, waist circumference and even sleep habits can influence the onset of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.