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What to eat with gestational diabetes

ACOG's advice is to eat regular meals through the day, often three meals and two or three snacks, and to add a 10 to 15 minute walk after each meal. There is no single gestational diabetes diet; a dietitian builds your plan around the food you already eat.

Last reviewed 2026-10-21. Written by the First Fork team from the published guidelines listed below; not reviewed by a clinician. This page is not medical advice.

Spread food across the day

ACOG tells patients to eat regular meals throughout the day, with small snacks as well, especially at night, because eating regularly helps avoid dips and spikes; three meals and two to three snacks a day is often recommended.1

Walk after meals

ACOG suggests adding a 10 to 15 minute walk after each meal, on top of about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and deciding the amount with your ob-gyn.1

Eating for two, but not double

The ADA notes that most women need only about 300 extra calories a day in the second and third trimesters, and none extra in the first.2

What a dietitian plan covers

NICE advises referring everyone with gestational diabetes to a dietitian.3 At diagnosis, NICE asks your care team to find out what you usually eat and how active you are, so the advice fits you.4 The ADA describes an individual nutrition plan that you make with a dietitian who knows gestational diabetes. It should give enough calories for you and your baby, help you reach your blood sugar goals, and support a healthy weight gain.5 The plan tells you which foods to eat, how much, and when.6 You can also learn to count the carbohydrate (carbs) in your food, in grams.7

The guidance does not pick one diet for everyone. NICE says there is no convincing evidence that one type of diet, such as low-carb or low-fat, is better than another, and asks the team to discuss the healthy diet that suits you best.4 Carbs stay in the plan: the ADA gives a minimum of 175 grams of carbohydrate a day in pregnancy, and says to avoid eating patterns that severely limit carbs, protein or fat, such as keto.5 Sweets are limited, not removed: MedlinePlus says to eat them less often and keep the portions small.7 See also gestational diabetes myths.

What to write down

What you ate is half of every reading. Write the meal next to the number, and your care team can see which meal needs changing. The free printable log has a column for it.

Questions

Is there a gestational diabetes diet?

No single diet. The published advice is regular meals and snacks through the day; a dietitian adapts the plan to what you eat.

Should I eat a snack at night?

ACOG mentions small snacks, especially at night, as part of eating regularly. Ask your team what fits your fasting readings.

Does walking after meals help?

ACOG suggests a 10 to 15 minute walk after each meal as a good idea for blood sugar control.

What happens when I see a dietitian for gestational diabetes?

Your team asks what you usually eat and how active you are. Then you make a plan together: which foods, how much and when, with enough calories for you and your baby and a healthy weight gain.

Do I have to give up carbs and sweets?

No. The ADA gives a minimum of 175 grams of carbohydrate a day in pregnancy. MedlinePlus says to eat sweets less often and in small portions.

Sources

  1. ACOG. Gestational Diabetes (FAQ 177, reviewed April 2026). https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/gestational-diabetes
  2. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes and Pregnancy (patient page). https://diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/pregnancy
  3. NICE guideline NG3. Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period (recommendations). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng3/chapter/Recommendations
  4. NICE guideline NG247. Maternal and child nutrition: nutrition and weight management in pregnancy, and nutrition in children up to 5 years (recommendations 1.2.18–1.2.19, gestational diabetes; published 15 January 2025). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng247/chapter/Recommendations
  5. American Diabetes Association. 15. Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care 2026;49(Suppl. 1):S321. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12690181/
  6. NIDDK (US National Institutes of Health). Managing & Treating Gestational Diabetes. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/gestational/management-treatment
  7. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). Gestational diabetes diet (reviewed May 22, 2025). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007430.htm

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