Food Sequencing: Why Eating Protein and Veggies First Matters

By Nutritional Weight and Wellness Staff
August 10, 2025

Have you ever heard of “food sequencing”? Lately, more people are curious about whether the order you eat your food can make a real difference in how you feel—and the answer is yes! If you’re looking for a simple way to support steady energy, fewer cravings, and avoid blood sugar spikes & crashes, the order in which you eat your foods might be worth some attention.

 

What’s a Blood Sugar Spike—and Why Should You Care?

A blood sugar spike is when your blood sugar rises quickly and sharply after eating, especially after a meal or snack high in sugars or simple carbohydrates. It’s a bit like a rollercoaster for your energy: you might feel a sudden burst of energy or focus, but soon after, you’re left feeling tired, cranky, or craving more sweets. Behind the scenes, your body is scrambling to make extra insulin to bring that blood sugar back down—sometimes leaving you with an energy crash not long after you eat.

When this cycle happens again and again, it gets harder for your body to keep up. Over time, frequent blood sugar spikes can lead to insulin resistance, make cravings worse, and set the stage for bigger health problems like prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or even weight gain.

“High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is a serious condition; it’s also very common. When conditions become common we tend to take them less seriously. But with Type 2 Diabetes on the rise (data shows that one out of three people will develop the disease in their lifetime¹), high blood sugar is not something we should be taking lightly." Teresa Wagner, RD, LD

That’s why finding simple habits to steady your blood glucose levels—like food sequencing—is so important. By changing up the order you eat your food, you can help prevent those spikes, keep your energy steady, and avoid the cravings and crashes that follow.

How Food Sequencing Looks in a Real Meal

Let’s say you’re sitting down to a meal of grilled chicken, roasted broccoli, and a side of brown rice.

How can you use food sequencing?

Instead of digging into the rice first, start your meal with a few bites of the broccoli, then the grilled chicken, which are both low in carbohydrates. Once you’ve had your protein and veggies, move on to the brown rice. This simple switch of food order—eating vegetables and protein first, eating carbs last—helps keep your blood sugar steadier and your energy more even throughout the evening.

This approach isn’t about restriction or making things complicated. It’s just a small shift that helps your body process the meal in a way that supports steady energy and fewer cravings later on.

“Eat high fiber vegetables, then fats and protein. And lastly, we want to eat those starchy carbohydrates, root vegetables and fruit that spike blood sugar." Melanie Beasley, RD, LD

Why Is It Helpful To Eat Vegetables First?

When you start your meal with non-starchy vegetables (like broccoli, a green salad, or green beans), you slow down how quickly any carbs or sugars you eat next will turn into blood sugar. This is because protein and fiber work together to help your body absorb carbohydrates more slowly. As a result, you get steadier energy, avoid those post-meal crashes, and sidestep intense cravings later in the day.

“Food sequencing, the order in which you eat your food, can affect blood sugar levels. Actually, the correct order for eating the best glucose control and less insulin resistance is to eat high fiber vegetables, then fats and protein...the high fiber vegetables, fat, and protein, what they do is they slow down your digestion of the simple sugars and carbs so that blood glucose levels don't spike as high." Melanie Beasley, RD, LD

Who Could Benefit Most From Food Sequencing?

• Anyone who experiences low energy or “crashes” after meals

• People who struggle with carb or sugar cravings

• Anyone looking to support steady blood sugar levels (great for prediabetes, insulin resistance, or just feeling better day-to-day)

• Those seeking simple, real-food changes that actually make a difference

• Honestly...everyone.

"Weight loss, health, both physical and mental, plus energy, positive moods, and good memory, they all go back to good blood sugar balance and avoiding insulin resistance so that our liver, kidneys, heart, brain, bone, nervous system continues to function optimally in our sixties, in our seventies, in our eighties and nineties..." Melanie Beasley, RD, LD

Food sequencing is an easy, no-cost strategy to help with blood sugar balance, energy, and improve satiety. It can make meals more satisfying and cut down on that urge to snack on sweets afterward. There’s no need to overhaul your diet or cut out entire food groups—just try switching up the order you eat foods at your next meal. And don't worry about being perfect...just use food sequencing as another tool to help your meet your health goals.

Want to Learn More?

Check out our podcast episode:
Why Does Eating Protein or Vegetables First Give You More Energy and Fewer Cravings?

Listen for a practical, down-to-earth look at how food sequencing works and why it can help so many people feel their best.

Learn more about prediabetes: What To Do When Your Lab Values Indicate You Are Pre-Diabetic