Let's start with prep @CarrieRoushNichols.
I food prep for the week and for a day or 2 when others are out. I refrigerate some and freeze some. I am then able to put food on the table to feed the 4 house guests ( a homeless family, 53 foster mom, 9,10,12 special needs children) and the 3 of us within an hour at dinner time daily.

Before my Bride and I travel for weeks at a time and longer. Our youngest daughter has me prep and make foods to last at least 2-3 weeks so she can get food on the table within 30 minutes from the time she arrives home.

Next, limiting carbs.
Eliminate all sugars in food and drink.
Do not eat processed, refined carbs, because they have the minerals, vitamins, fiber processed out. We need those things from our right eating.

Start with no more than a serving of carbs per meal. A serving of carbs is 15 carbs.
15 carbs is:
1 slice bread.
1/3 cup pasta.
1/3 cup potatoes.
1/3 cup rice.

Eat a fair amount of very low carb vegetables.

A small portion of nuts is a good snack when needed. I eat 7-10 almonds or the equivalent in other nuts.

Half an avocado is 1 net carb. Good fats and satisfying.
Protein is good at a 2-3 ounce portion and has no carbs.

Portion control.
I plate all my food on a 7 inch plate before eating.
Half plate very low carb vegetables.
Quarter plate protein.
Quarter plate or less of high fiber or whole grain carbs.
Instead of carbs, I often substitute a half serving of diabetic friendly fruit.

Walk 10-15 minutes immediately after eating each meal. This slows down digestion and lowers the glucose spike.

I eat to my meter, my blood glucose numbers spreadsheet, and my food journal. They tell me what foods I can eat somewhat freely, what foods I must limit, and what foods I must almost totally avoid.

Most diabetics can handle 100-130 carbs spread equitable throughout 3-5 meals and 1-2 snacks daily.
Diabetes progresses over time.
Some can only tolerate 80 carbs daily.
Some can only handle 50 carbs per day.
Some can only tolerate 30 carbs.

A lot has been thrown at you recently. Take some time to get your head around it. Baby steps.

Specific questions, we can answer.

Morning Fasting Blood Glucose Numbers less than 126(7.0) are desirable.
2 hour numbers 139(7.8) or less will prevent further vascular damage.
This will arrest diabetic complications and comorbidities at about the current progression.

A hypoglycemic event is blood glucose numbers 70(3.9) or less. A hypo is to be avoided at all costs. They can lead to coma and death. They are medical emergencies. But they can be treated.

The protocol is 15 quick acting carbs, test again in 15 minutes, repeat as necessary.

Is that enough for now. Book suggestion, Dr Jason Fung's 'The Diabetes Code'. Food for thought.

And never give up, never surrender, never ever.
You got this.
Have a wonderful day.

@A DiabetesTeam Member brown rice and whole wheat pasta is "a little" more blood sugar friendly than the more processed (whiter) stuff for a couple of reasons - more fiber remains, less processes starch so a little harder to digest and "suck the sugar out of them"

But that still doesn't mean "chow down" - an ounce of uncooked brown is about as much as most of us could handle without jacking our blood sugar. Same with the Whole Wheat Pasta - still lots of (starch) which jacks our blood sugars.

So in moderation either are fine as long as they are not eaten with other higher carb foods.

With the Breads, Whole Wheat is safer than white but you should always check the nutrition label - two slices that contain 25-30 carbs might be fine for you. The seed breads/rye breads may be more friendly (again, check the labels).

Weight Watchers Bread and Dave's Killer Thin sliced are two brands that are "safe enough for most diabetics" as long as you stick to two slices depending on what you put on/between them.

Mentioned Users

A Diabete...

Thank you hun.. I appreciate your response.. God Bless

I grew up in WVa, where I learned about comfort food (sausage biscuits and gravy, meatloaf dinners, cream pies, etc..) I'm just learning to change my "lifestyle" at age 68, in order to learn to eat healthier. I had to take it in small, baby steps in order to not get overwhelmed. I guess my first goal was to eat only 1500 calories a day, which meant I had to learn to count calories (for the first time in my life) and took out all starchy carbs at first (potatoes, corn, snack foods, crackers, breads) and began finding healthier substitutes. (Mashed cauliflower tastes much like mashed potatoes) I did give up sodas decades ago. Currently I am finding more ways to include vegetable into recipes and less fatty meats. I lost 30 pounds in 4 months and began exercising. If you are feeding a family, I'm not sure about the best way to handle that. I do believe that you have to "fix" yourself first and foremost though because we just don't have the power to make others lose weight until they are ready. For me, the breakfasts and lunches I now eat don't appeal to my hubby, so he often makes his own breakfast and lunch. I do make dinner for both of us, using the healthier substitutions I've learned, and he just adds bread or carbs if he wishes. Since I do the food shopping, I buy the snacks he likes for him (graham crackers, hershey bars, cheez-its, crackers) but he hides them in a plastic bin in his closet, so I don't have to be tempted. Good luck to you-let me know how it's going and take it slowly-one idea at a time.