Whether you're a meal planner and shopping list maker or a figure-it-on-the-go shopper, you'll see the grocery store in a new light when you have type 2 diabetes.

“It was a difficult process,” says Christina Herrera de Banchs, a Dallas educator. “No one really tells you what to look for, especially high-sugar foods. Even natural fruits are high in sugar. Doctors just tell us to eat better.”

“Better” means something different to everyone. What foods will benefit your blood sugar level? Which ones should you avoid?

Insulin resistance prevents the body from processing carbohydrates easily, which means keeping blood sugar under control to compensate for damage and illness. But there is no special diet for diabetes, nor a magic list of foods you can and cannot eat. Managing your diabetes is all about balance and it starts on your plate.

Imagine a 9-inch plate. Now divide it in half. Fill half with non-starchy vegetables.

Look for carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, spinach, bok choy, and any other vegetables you can think of. Avoid those that contain starch, such as potatoes, corn, bananas, and peas. We'll find you a place in a minute.

Divide the remaining half into two equal sections. One section is for proteins, such as fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, lentils, and edamame. The other is for your carbohydrates.

“Ideally, they should be high-fiber carbohydrates, such as fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn,” says Danielle Fineberg, a registered dietitian. “Carbohydrates go through your system quickly; Fiber slows it down a little bit.”

Fats are necessary, but they do not have their own section. Think of them as a side dish that adds flavor or texture, like a dollop of avocado on a baked chicken breast with sauce; nuts or seeds in low- or no-sugar yogurt; or olive oil mixed with lemon and dill on a salmon salad.

Taking into account the dish, create a meal plan.

To start, keep it simple, but vary it so you don't eat the same thing all the time. Choose two breakfasts, lunches and dinners and rotate them.

“Plan your meals around protein and vegetables, rather than basing them on carbohydrates,” says Fineberg. “Instead of thinking of it as pasta for dinner, think of pasta as a side dish for chicken and vegetables.”

The same goes for bowls of cereal or rice, which can quickly increase your carb count.

“Latin foods get a bad rap because beans, potatoes, and tortillas are high-carbohydrate foods,” says Fineberg. “If you're somewhere and rice and beans are part of the experience, eat half of them. Instead of white flour tortillas, use corn because it has much more fiber.”

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Use the American Diabetes Association's food hub for meal planning templates or find an app that makes sense for you.

“Using an app, I was able to track my food and grams of sugar,” says Herrera de Banchs. “Once I got comfortable using the app, which helped me memorize numbers, it made shopping and eating out less frustrating. Having an app that can search for every restaurant and food and provide all the nutritional labels for the food gave me control over what I could order and buy.”

And don't forget snacks: Opt for nuts, cheese, cold cuts, vegetables and hummus, apples and peanut butter, or bananas and yogurt with low or no added sugar.

Once you've defined your meal plan, map out the ingredients. You can divide it into categories. – vegetables, proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates full of fiber and fats – List foods by aisle or whatever makes the most sense to you.

“My husband and I talk about what we would like to eat: friendly foods that taste delicious and give us the fuel we need,” Herrera says of Banchs. “Chicken and fish usually top the menu. Basic fruits such as apples, grapes, strawberries and vegetables such as spinach, green onions and asparagus. Some dairy cheese, milk and eggs. Snacks such as almonds, walnuts and pretzels. Pretty basic: nothing too fancy. We tend to be creatures of habit because, in the end, it is our numbers that we want to continue to improve.”

If you don't have access to fresh produce, or even if you do, frozen fruits and vegetables are your friends.

“When you pull a fruit or vegetable by the root, it begins to lose nutrients quickly,” says Fineberg. “Frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen at their maximum vitamin and mineral content, so it doesn't matter when you eat them.”

Until you feel comfortable, plan to go shopping when it's not crowded to keep frustration levels down. Try to time it so you don't get hungry while you're there.

In most cases, the fresh and chilled produce sections are located at the edges of the store. These are the best places to focus your attention and your money. Most processed and packaged foods are found in the center aisles. You don't have to avoid them (remember, it's all about balance!), but choose your carbs wisely.

“Keeping up with the labels was overwhelming at first. I had to activate an application that would help me count not only the grams of sugar but also the carbohydrates,” says Herrera de Banchs. “You start to realize that what is labeled fat-free may not be a healthy option for a diabetic. “Companies tend to substitute fats for sugars, which can hurt someone who is doing everything they can to keep their A1c level.”

After reading a few labels and making meal plans, shopping lists, and trips to the store for a couple of weeks, it will start to feel like second nature. Diabetes changes the way you approach food, but it doesn't have to take away the pleasure.

“I consider food as fuel, but my husband would prefer not to. “He comes from a family full of flavor!” Says Herrera de Banchs. “He has had to understand that in order for us to live longer and remain active as we approach our 50s, we must look at food differently. Nobody likes a salad every day for lunch, but if it helps you keep your sugar level level, then eat the salad!