How to Use Pinterest to Build Your Glucose-Friendly Meal Plan

I’m going to share how I use Pinterest to plan meals and snacks that support stable blood sugar. I’ll walk you through what I look for in recipes, how I tweak them to fit my needs, and the search strategies I use to discover meal ideas. Plus, I’ll share some tips on what to avoid when you’re building a glucose-friendly meal plan.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m guilty of pinning a ton of recipes that I never get around to making. I’ve had my Pinterest account for years, and while I’ve pinned hundreds—maybe thousands—of ideas, I find myself going back to the same handful of recipes over and over.

Sound familiar? If you’re nodding along, this blog is for you. I’ll share how I use Pinterest as a practical tool to build a glucose-friendly meal plan that works for my lifestyle. Whether you’re tackling dinner, snacks, or even desserts, I’ve got tips on how to search smarter, adapt recipes, and make Pinterest a real asset for your health goals.

---

Listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify!

---

What I Look for in Recipes

When I’m scrolling through Pinterest, I focus on recipes that:

• Are simple. I’m not about recipes with 100 ingredients or endless chopping.
• Use whole, unprocessed ingredients.
• Have a good balance of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and carbs.

Sometimes, I’ll go rogue and make recipes my own. For example, if I find a delicious pasta dish, I might sub in a pasta alternative like chickpea pasta or spaghetti squash. Or, if I see a recipe for enchiladas, I might use zucchini strips instead of tortillas. Switch out the starchy carbs for non-starchy veggie alternatives.

My Pinterest Search Strategies

When I’m searching for ideas, I use keywords that align with glucose-friendly eating. Some of my go-to search terms include:

• Paleo
  • The Paleo diet, short for Paleolithic diet, is based on the idea of eating foods similar to what our ancestors might have consumed during the Paleolithic era. The focus is on whole, unprocessed foods that could be hunted, fished, or gathered. It emphasizes high-quality proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds while avoiding processed foods, refined sugars, grains, dairy, and legumes. The goal is to mimic a “caveman-like” diet to support health and reduce inflammation.
• Whole30
  • Whole30 is a 30-day elimination diet designed to reset eating habits and identify potential food sensitivities. During the program, participants eliminate foods like sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy, and processed additives. The focus is on consuming whole, nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, fruits, proteins, and healthy fats. After 30 days, foods are gradually reintroduced to observe their impact on energy, digestion, mood, and overall health. Whole30 is not a long-term diet but rather a short-term program to kickstart healthier eating habits and promote mindful eating.
• Gluten-free or dairy-free
• Keto – with some caveats
• Almond flour baked goods
• Peanut butter-based desserts
• Snacks with limited ingredients (e.g., “5-ingredient snacks”)
• Recipes with olive oil or avocado oil as a base

I also search for “low-carb” recipes, but I don’t stop there. For example, I’ll look for something like a Philly cheesesteak bowl or a pizza bowl, and then I’ll add my carbs of choice, like corn or roasted sweet potatoes, to round out the meal.

Another fun search category is “unstuffed” recipes, like egg roll bowls, stuffed peppers, or zucchini enchiladas. These are great because they use veggies as a substitute for more carb-heavy options like tortillas, rolls, or rice.

Things I Try to Limit or Avoid

Now let’s talk about what I try to skip when planning my meals:

• Flours like white or whole wheat.
• Added sugar. I do use natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup but in moderation.
• Vegetable oils. Instead, I opt for healthier fats like olive or avocado oil.
• White flour pasta or carb-heavy meals without balance.
• Recipes that rely too much on starches like tortillas, rice, buns, or potatoes. I try not to include these every day to avoid overloading on carbs.
• Soups that are flour-based or low in fiber and fat—these don’t usually keep my glucose levels steady. IF want this, I will definitely find some extra protein or fiber to have before the soup like a loaded up salad with dressing and avocado – skip the croutons (although I just made homemade sourdough croutons – good once in a while!)
• Overly complicated recipes with tons of ingredients I won’t use again.

Real-Life Examples

Let’s say I find a recipe for a Philly cheesesteak bowl (this could come up in a “Keto search” since its low carb. I might follow the recipe but add roasted sweet potatoes or a small serving of rice for carbs. Another example is a pizza bowl. It could be considered keto with few carbs, but you could add in a salad with some non-starchy veggies (maybe some croutons here if you want)

For desserts, I’ll search for almond flour or peanut butter-based treats. These tend to have more protein and fat, which helps slow the glucose spike compared to traditional desserts made with white flour and sugar.

Something I want to note is that sometimes mixing things together such as a casserole or stir frys can be problematic for me personally. For example, maybe your tracking your macros – a common technique for building muscle/losing weight/changing your body composition. These types of dishes can be really good for your macros, but when the fiber and carbs and all blended together, I find my glucose can rise quicker since I can’t really eat the fiber first.

You could be tracking your macros to a T but I still find that my glucose can spike even if my meal was on point for macros – for example maybe its sauce or the pasta or rice mixed in with a stir fry.

I try and focus on fat and fiber with carbs and protein separatly so I can have more glucose control.

Pinterest can be an amazing tool for building a glucose-friendly meal plan if you know what to look for and how to tweak recipes to fit your needs. I hope today’s episode gave you some inspiration and practical tips for your own meal planning!

If you try any of these ideas or have a favorite Pinterest recipe hack, I’d love to hear about it. You can find me on Instagram or drop me a message. Until next time, happy pinning and happy eating!