Dr Ingrid van Heerden, dietician, has compiled a basic diabetic menu for one week.

Please note that you should consult a clinical dietician to help you work out a diabetic diet that is tailored to your very specific needs.

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The following Basic Diabetic Menu is only a guideline and if you are in doubt, please consult a dietitian. The Basic Diabetic Menu should supply approximately 7 500 kJ (1 800 kcal) and 180 g of carbohydrate a day. The menu is intended for diabetics of normal weight.

Basic Diabetic Menu

Notes: (t = teaspoon or 5g; T = tablespoon or 15g); artificial sweetener can be used in small quantities.

Monday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
Oats porridge (120g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Wholewheat bread (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine and Marmite
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Wholewheat biscuits (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Chicken breast, grilled (50g)
Boiled potato (120g)
Tomato and lettuce salad
Orange (120g, peeled weight)
Low-fat yoghurt (small carton or 100 ml), artificially sweetened, apricot-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
Provita (15g) with 1 t (5g) Lite margarine
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Lean pork chop, (50g), pan-fried in non-stick pan with Spray & Cook
Steamed broccoli with 1T melted cheese
Carrot salad with lemon juice and artificial sweetener
Wholewheat bread (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine and 2 t (10g) diabetic jam
Sliced pineapple (90g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Use remainder of low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) with 15g Ovaltine or Horlicks, or wholewheat bread (1 slice,15g) or 1 Rye crispbread (15g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite-margarine

Tuesday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
Maltabella porridge (120g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Boiled egg (50g)
Wholewheat toast (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Rice cakes (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Club sandwich:
Lean, sliced roast beef, all visible fat removed (50g)
Seed loaf (3 slices/120g) with 3 t (15g) Lite margarine, or 3 t (15g) low-fat mayonnaise
Sliced tomato, lettuce and gherkins
Pawpaw cubes (120g)
Low-fat yoghurt (100 ml), artificially sweetened, fruit-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
High-fibre biscuits (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Snoek, (50g), pan-fried in nonstick pan with Spray & Cook
Baked potato (60g) with 1 t (5g) Lite margarine
Steamed baby marrow with herbs
Sliced peaches (120g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) with 15g wholewheat biscuit

Wednesday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
All-Bran cereal (3 T/20g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Wholewheat bread (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine and 2 t (10g) diabetic jam
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Apple (120g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Tuna, (50g), tinned in brine with 1 t(5g) low-fat salad dressing
Rye bread (3 slices/120g) with 3 t (15g) Lite margarine
Asparagus, tinned (½ cup)
Cucumber, sliced (½ cup)
Banana (60g, weight with peel)
Low-fat yoghurt (100 ml), artificially sweetened, banana-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
High-bran muffin (½ a muffin/15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Lamb chop, (50g), grilled
Brown rice, (½ cup cooked)
Steamed green beans with lemon juice and herbs
Lettuce and watercress salad
Apricots, dried, (75g, boiled weight), stewed with artificial sweetener
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Use remainder of low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) with 15g Ovaltine or Horlicks, or carob-flavoured rice cakes (15g)

Thursday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
Maize meal porridge (120g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Grilled bacon (20g)
Grilled tomato
Wholewheat toast (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Wholemeal biscuits (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Chicken and mushroom casserole, (50g)
Mashed potato (120g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine
Peas, cooked (½ cup)
Beetroot salad (½ cup)
Naartjie segments (120g, without peel)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
Provita (15g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite margarine
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Kabeljou, (50g), grilled, with herbs and garlic
Baked potato, (60g), with plain, low-fat yoghurt flavoured with herbs & garlic (2T, 30g)
Spinach, cooked
Cabbage and carrot salad with lemon juice and artificial sweetener
Strawberries (180g), with artificial sweetener
Low-fat yoghurt (70 ml), artificially sweetened, berry-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Use remainder of low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) with 15g Ovaltine or Horlicks, or wholewheat bread (1 slice,15g) or 1 Rye crispbread (15g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite-margarine

Friday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
Cornflakes (15g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Cheese, grated (15g)
Wholewheat date muffins (60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Raisins (15g) and peanuts (10g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Lean steak, grilled (50g)
Corn on the cob (60g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite margarine
Tomato, cucumber and lettuce salad
Pear (120g)
Low-fat yoghurt (100 ml), artificially sweetened, pear-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
Biscuit (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Lean tomato mince, (50g)
Pasta, cooked (1/2cup/60g)
Mixed vegetables, boiled (½ cup)
Apple and celery salad (½ cup) with low-fat salad dressing (2 t/10g)
Sliced plums (120g), with artificial sweetener
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Use remainder of low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) and Provita (15g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite-margarine and 1 t (5g) diabetic jam

Saturday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
Oats porridge (120g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Scrambled egg (50g), prepared in microwave or nonstick pan
Wholewheat toast (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine and Marmite
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Wheat cakes (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Sosaties, grilled (50g)
Baked potato (120g), with plain, low-fat yoghurt flavoured with herbs and garlic (2T, 30g)
French bean salad with low-fat salad dressing (2t, 10g)
Spanspek (½ cup)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
Bran muffin (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Salmon, (50g), pan-fried in nonstick pan with Spray & Cook
Brown rice, (½ cup cooked)
Aubergine cooked with tomato and onions (½ cup)
Lettuce, tomato and gherkin salad (1/2cup) with low-oil mayonnaise (1 t/5g)
Sliced orange (120g, peeled)
Low-fat yoghurt (70 ml), artificially sweetened, granadilla-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Use remainder of low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) and wholewheat crackers (15g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite-margarine

Sunday
(Low-fat or skim milk allowance for the day: 560 ml)

Breakfast:
Corn flakes (15g) with low-fat milk from allowance (e.g. ½ cup or 150ml)
Poached egg
Wholewheat bread (2 slices/60g) with 2 t (10g) Lite margarine and 2 t (10g) diabetic jam
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance (about 30 ml)

Mid-Morning snack:
Rice cakes (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Lunch:
Lean steak, grilled (50g)
Roast potato (30g)
Butter nut, boiled (½ cup)
Carrot and cabbage salad with low-fat, artificially sweetened pineapple-flavoured yoghurt (2 T/30g)
Sliced mango (90g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Mid-afternoon snack:
Wholemeal biscuit (15g)
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Supper:
Chicken, roast (50g)
Three-bean salad (60g/1/2 cup) (includes 1 t salad oil)
Green pepper and avocado salad with low-fat salad dressing (2t/ 10g)
Mixed berries (120g)
Low-fat yoghurt (70 ml), artificially sweetened, berry-flavoured
Tea/coffee with low-fat milk from allowance

Bedtime snack:
Use remainder of low-fat milk (e.g. 200 ml) with 15g Ovaltine or Horlicks, or wholewheat bread (1 slice, 15g) or 1 Rye crispbread (15g) with 1 t (5 g) Lite-margarine

- Dr Ingrid van Heerden, dietician

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