Choose traditional soul food dishes that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, and low in fat. Great choices are beans, peas, lentils, and dark green vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, cabbage, spinach and turnip greens. Go for the green bean, three-bean, black bean and black-eyed pea dishes or pasta salads mixed with summer vegetables. Sweet potatoes are also high in fiber and very nutritious. Whole wheat bread and cornbread are good sources of fiber and are good for everyone.

Watch out for dishes loaded with butter, cheese and mayonnaise. Choose fresh or steamed vegetables that are light on salad dressing, cheese or cream. If you can, make your own dressing for salads with a little olive oil and vinegar.

Vegetables and grains should fill up most of your plate, but leave room for some lean meat, poultry or fish. Be sure to choose grilled chicken-and remove the skin-instead of the fried variety. For something different, try grilled fish and turkey burgers made with onions and chopped green peppers. Top your burger and sandwiches off with mustard rather than mayonnaise.

What's for dessert? Summer means terrific fruits. It's hard to beat a fresh fruit salad, cantaloupe or watermelon. Fruit is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and has zero fat. Everyone, including people with diabetes, should eat three to four servings of fruit a day. Cobblers, pies and cakes are high in fat and cholesterol. If you can't resist, have a small serving.

It's best to drink water, unsweetened tea or diet soda. Add a wedge of lemon for flavor. If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, limit your intake to no more than one drink a day for women, two for men, and drink only with a meal.

Eating the right foods to control your blood sugar means being prepared and planning ahead. If you need help putting together a meal plan, ask your doctor or nurse to refer you to a dietitian or diabetes educator. For more information about controlling your diabetes, call the National Diabetes Education Program at 1-800-438-5383 or visit the program's web site at http://ndep.nih.gov for information on planning a diabetes-healthy family reunion.