Meal planning for diabetes starts by developing your menu and collecting the foods that make up your meals, and there is a wide range of possible destinations that offer everything you need. Although the figure shows a typical floor plan for a supermarket, you can find healthy choices at farmer’s markets, local grocers, giant retailers, warehouse-like stores, web-based home delivery, and even at the local convenience store
But even though these establishments offer the best choices of foods for effective diabetes management, they’re also chocked full of options that you’re better off avoiding. Shopping for food is one more example of how preserving your health is all about the choices you make every day.

One of the great public health concerns is the lack of conveniently available, affordable, and healthy food in less-affluent and underserved neighborhoods, where rates of diabetes are often highest. Access to healthy food can be compromised by transportation difficulties, personal safety concerns, and crime rates that discourage retailers.