Plate Method
The Plate Method is used for diabetes meal planning. It also works well for weight loss, teaching good nutrition, and in improving blood glucose and lipids.
Control Diabetes
Control Weight
Improve Nutrition
Benefits for many clients include:
- Weight loss
- Improved carbohydrate distribution
- A more nutritionally sound diet
- A higher intake of fiber
- A lower fat and cholesterol intake
Try the Plate Method with clients who:
- Have busy lifestyles.
- Are seniors.
- Are feeling overwhelmed because of recent diagnosis or psychosocial circumstances.
- Are at a low-literacy level.
- Have cognitive difficulties.
- Have had difficulty using more structured approaches.
- Are unlikely to follow through if you ask them to measure their food.
- Have Type 2 diabetes and need to lose weight.
- Are inpatients who need “survival” information.
New!
English Menu Ideas
Basic ADA Blood Glucose Guidelines - 80-130 mg/dl
with optional extra serving of bread for men
A colorful, two-sided patient handout for patients with diabetes. It features pictures of actual breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals showing the plate method concept. The handout is great for beginners and other clients who want/need an easy to follow meal plan.
This nutrition guide shows the client how to spread out the carbohydrate containing foods over the day for better blood glucose control. It features a colorful visual approach of how food is portioned on the plate, and photographs of breakfast and lunch/dinner ideas. It is an excellent take-home tool written at a 4th grade reading level.
Professional instructions are reinforced through photos and graphics. The client can learn and remember what to eat by looking at the pictures.
English Menu Ideas
Tight Blood Glucose Control Guidelines - 70-130 mg/dL
A colorful, two-sided patient handout for patients with diabetes. It features pictures of actual breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals showing the plate method concept. The handout is great for beginners and other clients who want/need an easy to follow meal plan.
This nutrition guide shows the client how to spread out the carbohydrate containing foods over the day for better blood glucose control. It features a colorful visual approach of how food is portioned on the plate, and photographs of breakfast and lunch/dinner ideas. It is an excellent take-home tool written at a 4th grade reading level.
Professional instructions are reinforced through photos and graphics. The client can learn and remember what to eat by looking at the pictures.
Spanish Plate Method Menu Ideas
A colorful, two-sided patient handout in a similar format to the English guides, featuring pictures of actual breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals in the plate method concept. It highlights favorite ethnic foods, meeting cultural needs.
The text is in both English and Spanish. Non-Spanish speaking instructors will find it especially helpful when working with Spanish speaking clients.
Sale!
English Decofoam Placemats
These Decofoam place mats are used for teaching weight loss, good nutrition, as well as diabetes control. Colorful, two-sided pictures of breakfast (side 1), and lunch/dinner (side 2) illustrating the Idaho Plate Method meal planning concept.
Develop an individualized plan for your patient using permanent or dry erase markers (wipe off with alcohol). This visual approach shows clients their meal plan. Excellent for low literacy.Great for any diabetes, weight loss or good nutrition consulting programs. Perfect for Meals-On-Wheels and Home Health Programs.
Sale!
Breakfast Paper Placemat – English
Colorful one-sided paper handout which illustrates the Idaho Plate Method meal planning concept using a 9-inch plate, with fruit and dairy choices. Ideal for general nutrition instruction.
English Paper Placemat
Colorful one-sided paper handout which illustrates the Idaho Plate Method meal planning concept using a 9-inch plate, with fruit and dairy choices. Ideal for general nutrition instruction – great for clinics, classes, and use when serving meals. An inexpensive handout, showing how to set up a meal. Shows a variety of food choices and where they should be on the plate.
My Plate Method – Glossy Paper – English
Great for kids! Colorful one-sided paper handout which illustrates the Idaho Plate Method meal planning concept using a 9-inch plate, with fruit and dairy choices. Ideal for general nutrition instruction – great for clinics, classes, and use when serving meals. An inexpensive handout, showing how to set up a meal. Shows a variety of food choices and where they should be on the plate.
Spanish Paper Placemat
Colorful one-sided paper handout which illustrates the Idaho Plate Method meal planning concept using a 9-inch plate, with fruit and dairy choices. Spanish includes authentic foods with English translation for easy use. Ideal for general nutrition instruction.
An inexpensive handout that shows how to set up a healthy meal. Written in Spanish with English subtitles. Very visual.
Educator Starter Kit
Get started with the tools you need to get started counseling your clients on their personal Plate Method plan!
This kit includes 5 English and 5 Spanish nutrition guides, 2 Decofoam placemats, 2 Breakfast Paper Placemats, 2 English & Spanish Placemats, 2 My Plate Method handouts, one dry-erase marker, one fine point permanent marker, and how-to ideas for instructing clients with diabetes, and those who need to lose weight.