Make a meals-out list: Keep a list of healthy, satisfying meals that you can eat out, such as the hot bar and salad bars at your local health food store, fast-casual spots with low-carb offerings, and local restaurants with veggie-centric plates.Then store it in the fridge in food-safe containers so it's ready to assemble and reheat. For example, you might be able to cook up a pot of beans or grains the day before, roast some veggies in the morning while you're getting ready for work, or even poach some chicken ahead of time. Make a prep-ahead list: It can be helpful to take a look at the recipes beforehand and figure out what you can prep in the days ahead.Make a grocery list: Using your recipes, compile a list of all the ingredients you'll need to purchase at the store, then schedule a time in your calendar to go shopping.Cooking any more than three times per week when you're not used to it can be a big commitment, and you don't want to set yourself up for failure. A good rule of thumb is to plan to make just two to three recipes per week, then prepare to cook up enough for leftovers or find healthy takeout options to fill in the gaps. Find your recipes: Select a few diabetes-friendly recipes you love using a cookbook or website, or simply pick from your standbys.Plot it out: Using a notebook or spreadsheet, map out the days of the week and the meals you'll eat each day, leaving room for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.