Protein first. Everything else is a side dish.

The trick to a diabetic-friendly lunch is simple: make protein the center of the box, fill the rest with non-starchy vegetables, and add a solid fat. You’re not cutting carbs out entirely — you’re just demoting them from the main event.

Think of the box in rough thirds. Half is vegetables with crunch: cucumber, bell pepper, broccoli, snap peas, cherry tomatoes. A quarter is protein: chicken, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, tofu, or plain Greek yogurt. The final quarter is fat: avocado, olives, cheese, or a handful of almonds. That combo keeps blood sugar steady because protein fills you up, fiber slows digestion, and fat smooths out the curve.

If you want carbs in there, pick the slow ones and keep the portion small — a cupped handful of berries, a few whole-grain crackers, or a spoonful of chickpeas. The goal isn’t zero carbs, it’s no carb bomb. A sandwich is a carb bomb. This is not.

Keep it interesting or you’ll abandon it by Thursday. Rotate proteins, change the dip, and don’t be afraid of a little cheese.

That’s a lunch that won’t fight you at 3 p.m.