For Those on a Diabetic Diet

Dietary Guidelines from the American Diabetes Association

The Exchange Lists are the basis of a meal planning system designed by a committee of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. While designed primarily for people with diabetes and others who must follow special diets, the Exchange Lists are based on principles of good nutrition that apply to everyone.

A Registered Dietitian can help a person with diabetes determine the amount of carbohydrate that should be eaten per day and at each meal and snack. For consistent blood glucose levels, the amount of carbohydrate eaten should be spread throughout the day to allow for a more even release of glucose into the blood from meal to meal and from day to day. The total number of meals and snacks and their timing throughout the day can differ for each person depending on nutritional needs, lifestyle, and medications.

According to recent research, the amount of carbohydrate in a meal is more important than the type of carbohydrate. Foods high in carbohydrates include grains such as rice, pasta, breads, cereals, and similar foods, white and sweet potatoes, fruits and juices, vegetables, milk and milk products, and anything made with added sugars, such as sweetened beverages, candies, cookies and other desserts.

In addition to the Exchange Lists, many diabetics now use carbohydrate counting. By knowing the carbohydrate goal (the number of grams of carbohydrates to eat) for each meal and snack, choices can be made by counting the total number of carbohydrates in the meal. Each Starch, Fruit, and Milk exchange serving contains roughly 15 grams of carbohydrates and each vegetable exchange serving contains roughly 5 grams of carbohydrates, fat and protein content of foods should also be monitored for overall good health.

General Guidelines

• Know the number of exchanges or carbohydrates you have available for the meal.
• Request a take-home container at the beginning of the meal.  Take home the additional food beyond the servings you can eat at your meal.
• Use the specific information provided for each item to determine the amount of each item you can eat.

Exchanges and Carbohydrate Grams for Specific Foods

Soups

Karen's "Flying D" Chili

• Cup = 2 High Fat Meat and .75 Starch - 10 Carbohydrates
• Bowl = 4 Medium Fat Meat and 1 Starch - 16 Carbohydrates

Chicken Noodle

• Cup = 1 Lean Meat and 1 Starch - 14 Carbohydrates
• Bowl = 1.5 Lean Meat and 1.5 Starch - 24 Carbohydrates

Tortilla

• Cup = 1.5 High Fat Meat and 1 Starch - 15 Carbohydrates
• Bowl = 2 High Fat Meat and 1.5 Starch - 20.5 Carbohydrates

Salads
Dressings to Select: Fresh Lemon or Olive Oil and Vinegar. For other dressings, use 2 Fat Exchanges for each tablespoon of dressing.

The Wedge

• Order without bacon
• Salad - Free

Vine-Ripened Tomato and Onion Salad

• 1 Vegetable and 1.5 Fat

Caesar Salad

• Order without cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing.
• Salad - Free
• For Caesar dressing, add 2 Fat for each Tablespoon.

Grilled Chicken Caesar or Cedar Plank Salmon Caesar

• Order without cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing.
• Salad - Free
• Salmon - 4.5 Lean Meat removed Fat
• For Caesar dressing, add 2 Fat for each Tablespoon.
• Chicken - 6 Lean Meat

Grilled Salad

• Order without cheese, bacon, egg and croutons.
• Salad - Free
• Salmon - 4.5 Lean Meat
• Add Chicken, Bison patty or Cedar Plank Salmon.
• Chicken - 6 Lean Meat
• Bison Patty - 6 Med Fat Meat

House Salad

• Order without croutons.
• Salad - Free

Sides

Steamed Vegetables

• Order without butter.
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Mashed Potatoes

• 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates

Sweet Potato

• Order plain.
• 1 Starch - 20 Carbohydrates (1/2 potato)
• Recommend eat half and take other half home.

Baked Potato

• Order plain.
• 2 Starch - 32 Carbohydrates (1/2 potato)
• Recommend eat half and take other half home.

Burgers and Chicken Sandwiches
Order Ground Bison or Chicken. Order “dry” wheat buns. Ask to NOT have your bun "floated." Choose a cup of chili as a side.

Naked

• Bison - 5 Lean Meat
• Beef - 5 High Fat Meats
• Chicken - 6 Lean Meats
• Bun - 2.5 Starch, 1 Fat Exchange 37.5 Carbohydrates

Chili Cheese (topping only)

• Order without cheese.
• 1 Meat Exchange 5.6 Carboydrates

Skinny Dip (topping only)

• 1.5 Fat Exchanges 4.8 Carbohydrate

Veggie Burger

• 3 Lean Meat, 2 Vegetable - 10 Carbohydrates

Featured Entrées
Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed (1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates).

Prime Rib

• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Steak – 8 High Fat Meat, 1 Fat Exchange
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates
• Caesar, Wedge, House or Vine-Ripened Tomato and Onion Salad
• Mashed Potatoes - 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates

Cedar Plank Salmon - Lunch Cut

• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Mashed Potatoes - 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Salmon - 6.5 Lean Meat
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Cedar Plank Salmon - Dinner Cut

• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Order with fresh lemon.
• Mashed Potatoes - 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Can add Caesar, Wedge, House or Vine-Ripened Tomato and Onion Salad.
• Salmon - 8 Lean Meat
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Tenderloin Filet (beef and bison)

• Order without lemon butter.
• Add Caesar, Wedge, House or Vine-Ripened Tomato and Onion Salad.
• Mashed Potatoes - 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Yeast Roll – 1.5 Starch and 1 Fat Exchange 24 Carbohydrates
• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Tenderloin - 5 Meat, 2 Fat Exchange
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Bison Kansas City Strip Steak

• Order without lemon butter.
• Add Caesar, Wedge, House or Vine-Ripened Tomato and Onion Salad.
• Mashed Potatoes - 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Yeast Roll – 1.5 Starch and 1 Fat Exchange 24 Carbohydrates
• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Bison Striploin - 7.5 Lean Meat
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Delmonico (beef and bison)

• Order without lemon butter.
• Add Caesar, Wedge, House or Vine-Ripened Tomato and Onion Salad.
• Mashed Potatoes - 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Yeast Roll – 1.5 Starch and 1 Fat Exchange 24 Carbohydrates
• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Steak - 10. 5 Medium Fat Meat
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

French Dip

• Order without French fries or Horseradish sauce.
• 5 High Fat Meats, 2 Starch - 30 Carbohydrates
• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.

Beer Can Chicken

• Remove skin from chicken and order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Mashed Potatoes – 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Yeast Roll – 1.5 Starch and 1 Fat Exchange 24 Carbohydrates
• Chicken – 12.5 Lean Meat Exchanges, 2.5 Fat
• Vegetables – 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Slow-Roasted Pork

• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Mashed Potatoes – 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Yeast Roll – 1.5 Starch and 1 Fat Exchange 24 Carbohydrates
• Pork – 7 Lean Meat Exchanges, 1 Fat Exchange
• Vegetables – 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

Roast Turkey

• Order tomato slice or broccoli, carrots or asparagus steamed.
• Dressing – 1 Starch and 1 Fat - 15 Carbohydrates
• 1.5 oz gravy – 2 Fat Exchange
• Yeast Roll – 1.5 Starch and 1 Fat Exchange 24 Carbohydrates
• Turkey – 8 Very Lean Meat Exchanges
• Mashed Potatoes – 1.5 Starch and 2.5 Fat - 25 Carbohydrates
• Vegetables – 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

General Guidelines for Kids' Menu

Diabetic exchanges and carbohydrate counting are included for insulin dependent diabetic children following a diet prescription from a registered dietitian. Food information is included so items may be used in daily diet planning as based on each child’s exchange and carbohydrate availability. This information is not meant to replace recommendations from medical experts and is provided as a means to make menu planning easier.

Milk

• 1 Milk - 12 Carbohydrates

French Fries

• 1 Starch and 2 Fat - 16 Carbohydrate

Sliders

• 4 Medium Fat Meat and 5 Starch 3 Fat - 73 Carbohydrates

Chicken Tenders

• Chicken - 3 Lean Meat, 1 Fat, 1 Starch - 15 Carbohydrates
• Honey Mustard Sauce 3 Fat, 4 Carbohydrate

Bison Pot Roast

• Pot Roast - 3 Medium Fat Meat
• Mashed Potatoes - 1 Starch and 1 Fat - 12 Carbohydrates
• Green Beans - Free

Mac 'N Cheez

• 2 High Fat Meat, 3.5 Starch 1 Fat - 57 Carbohydrates

Ice Cream (3 oz)

• 1 Starch and 3 Fat - 16 Carbohydrates

Sides

Steamed Vegetables

• Order without butter.
• Vegetables - 1 Vegetable - 5 Carbohydrates

The Wedge

• Order without bacon.
• For dressings, use 2 Fat Exchange for each Tablespoon Dressing.
• Salad - Free

*A carbohydrate exchange contains 15 carbohydrates and can be substituted for 1 Starch, Fruit or Milk exchange as individual plans allow.