30 delicious diabetes friendly dinner ideas

30 Delicious Diabetes Friendly Dinner

Ideas These healthy, balanced meal ideas are safe for people with type 2 diabetes

Get the Recipe

Choose red over green cabbage to boost the amount of beneficial vitamins and

minerals such as choline, potassium and vitamins A and C. Even better? Add a slice

of avocado to each chalupa to increase the amount of insoluble fiber and heart-healthy

benefits.

Nutrition Facts

1 chalupa: 206 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 45mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium,

17g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 19g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean

meat, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.

and tasty enough for the whole family to enjoy.

Day 1: Baked Chicken Chalupas

https://bit.ly/3kHqUxi



Day 2: Ginger Halibut with Brussels Sprouts

Get the Recipe

To cut the sodium without losing that unique umami flavor, use Worcestershire,

coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 fillet with brussels sprouts: 234 calories, 12g fat (2g saturated fat), 56mg

cholesterol, 701mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 24g

protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 fat, 1 vegetable.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ginger-halibut-with-brussels-sprouts/



Day 3: Chipotle Shredded Beef

Get the Recipe

This beef is delicious whether you serve it all rolled up in a tortilla, with corn salsa in

a burrito, in a bun or over rice or mashed potatoes. So many options! —Darcy

Williams, Omaha, Nebraska

Nutrition Facts

2/3 cup beef mixture with 1/2 cup cooked rice (calculated without optional

ingredients): 345 calories, 13g fat (4g saturated fat), 74mg cholesterol, 194mg

sodium, 31g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 26g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3

lean meat, 2 starch.




Day 4: Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chops

Get the Recipe

The cinnamon that zests up this main dish has a stabilizing impact on blood sugar as

well as a cholesterol-lowering effect, two benefits people with diabetes can

appreciate. Pair it with this cauliflower mash, which is similar to mashed potatoes but

without the same calories, carb content or blood sugar-spiking impact.

Nutrition Facts

1 pork chop with 2/3 cup apple mixture: 316 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 62mg


protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 fat.




Day 5: Mushroom Turkey Tetrazzini

Get the Recipe

This creamy, comforting casserole makes a fantastic way to use up that leftover

Thanksgiving turkey. And it’s a real family-pleaser! —Linda Howe, Lisle, Illinois.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 357 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 71mg cholesterol, 717mg sodium, 38g

carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 34g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 3 lean

meat, 1/2 fat.




Day 6: Rosemary Chicken with Spinach & Beans

Get the Recipe

Don’t be fooled by their high carbohydrate content. Regularly eating beans is linked

with better blood sugar control and lower blood pressure, making these complex carbs

an excellent choice for people with diabetes.

Nutrition Facts

1 chicken breast half with 3/4 cup sauce: 348 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 94mg


protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 fat.




Day 7: Turkey-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Get the Recipe

These well-seasoned ground-turkey-stuffed peppers are so tasty, you won’t even miss

having real cheddar cheese. Round out the meal with a salad or a side of rice. —Judy

Hand-Truitt, Birmingham, Alabama

Nutrition Facts

2 stuffed pepper halves: 323 calories, 10g fat (0 saturated fat), 45mg cholesterol,

771mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 4g fiber), 40g protein. Diabetic

Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.




Day 8: Bow Ties with Sausage & Asparagus

Get the Recipe

Fast and easy, this dish can also be tweaked to cut the carbs and more than double the

fiber simply by replacing the whole wheat pasta with a chickpea-based pasta. Boost

flavor further by tossing in roasted cherry or sun-dried tomatoes.

Nutrition Facts

1-1 /3 cups: 247 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 36mg cholesterol, 441mg sodium,


meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable.





Day 9: Tuscan Fish Packets

Get the Recipe

Tilapia is an excellent source of B12, a vitamin that gets depleted with regular

Metformin use. Make the dish feel more substantial by doubling to tripling the amount

of zucchini, a low starch vegetable that’s perfect for people with diabetes. The foil

packets also make this low-calorie fish a snap when it comes to cleanup.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 270 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 83mg cholesterol, 658mg sodium,


meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable.




Day 10: Rosemary Pork Medallions with Peas

Get the Recipe

It's nice to have a quick meal to fix after coming home from work. It's simple to

prepare and doesn't use a lot of ingredients, so it's great for beginner cooks. —Laura

McAllister, Morganton, North Carolina

Nutrition Facts

3 ounces cooked pork with 1/3 cup peas: 260 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated fat), 69mg


protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.




Day 11: Chicken Ole Foil Supper

Get the Recipe

Comforting and complex, this dish boasts four (or more, depending on the salsa you

choose) different plant-based ingredients, making it a healthy home run for people

managing diabetes.

Nutrition Facts



meat, 2 starch, 1 fat.




Day 12: Quinoa Unstuffed Peppers

Get the Recipe

Quinoa is definitely a “go-for-it” grain for people with diabetes since it is high in

protein and low on the glycemic index, meaning it causes a slower, steadier rise in

blood sugar. It’s also a good source of at least seven other vitamins and minerals that

promise to protect your body from the effects of aging, including vitamins C and E,

calcium, folate, manganese and potassium. Since this dish is solid on flavor and

protein, you can even skip the sausage to create a nutritionally complete and filling

meal.

Nutrition Facts


carbohydrate (3g sugars, 4g fiber), 17g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2

medium-fat meat.




Day 13: Cedar Plank Salmon

Get the Recipe

Improving blood levels of vitamin D is known to help prevent and reverse diabetes,

and salmon is an excellent source of this tough-to-find nutrient. The fish also does a

double number on hunger because it’s packed with a decent dose of omega-3 fatty

acids as well as protein! Since each fillet is naturally low-carb, you can still serve

them over a starch, such as one-half cup brown rice, quinoa or amaranth to make it

feel plentiful and complete.

Nutrition Facts

1 fillet with 2 tablespoons sauce: 304 calories, 16g fat (3g saturated fat), 84mg


protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1/2 starch.




Day 14: Artichoke Ratatouille Chicken

Get the Recipe

This Mediterranean-inspired meal includes artichokes, a vegetable that’s extra

beneficial for people with diabetes thanks to surprisingly high amount of blood-sugar

steadying fiber in each piece. You can also make the dish more robust by adding

another heart-healthy Greek staple, olives.

Nutrition Facts

1-2 /3 cups: 252 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 468mg sodium,


meat, 1 starch, 1 fat.




15 day : Spicy Roasted Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers

Get the Recipe

I love to share my cooking, and this hearty meal-in-one has gotten a savory reputation

around town. People have actually approached me in public to ask for the recipe. —

Laurie Sledge, Brandon, Mississippi

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 257 calories, 11g fat (3g saturated fat), 65mg cholesterol, 759mg sodium,


meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.




16 Day : Wild Mushroom Pizza

Get the Recipe

What's great about this wild mushroom pizza is you don't need to worry about finding

the right toppings. Whatever wild mushrooms are in season or at your market will

work beautifully. I like to get as many different ones as possible. —James

Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 284 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 22mg cholesterol, 357mg sodium, 37g

carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 12g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 2

medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat.




Day 17: Chicken with Peach-Avocado Salsa

Get the Recipe

If you love fruit but fear its high sugar content, this recipe is a perfectly balanced way

to bring it back into your diet. By pairing this sweet stone fruit with the glucose-

steadying chicken, you can enjoy this dish without worrying about sugar spikes.

Peaches also contain plant compounds called phenols that the body uses to take down

disease-causing inflammation.

Nutrition Facts

1 chicken breast half with 1/2 cup salsa: 265 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 94mg


protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1 fat, 1/2 starch.




Day 18: Mediterranean Pot Roast Dinner

Get the Recipe

If you crave old-fashioned comfort foods, this diabetes-friendly dish will easily

become a favorite. Ingredients such as lean beef and low carb vegetables work

together to help offset the blood sugar spikes normally linked with starchy potatoes.

To reduce the calories and bring down the carbohydrate count, cut the number of

potatoes by one-third and replace with extra helpings of more flavorful ingredients

such as mushrooms, tomatoes and onions.

Nutrition Facts

5 ounces cooked beef with 1 cup vegetables: 422 calories, 18g fat (6g saturated fat),

111mg cholesterol, 538mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 4g fiber), 37g

protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.




Day 19: Cod with Hearty Tomato Sauce

Get the Recipe

This savory recipe is great for people looking for a simple, satisfying way to increase

their fish intake. Eating fish two to three times weekly is recommended for people

with diabetes since it is a lean protein that doesn’t wreak havoc on blood sugar the

way fatty options do. Swap out traditional pasta for zucchini noodles to get an extra

serving of vegetables while also slashing calories and carbs.

Nutrition Facts

1 fillet with 3/4 cup sauce: 271 calories, 8g fat (1g saturated fat), 65mg cholesterol,


Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 fat.





Day 20: Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice

Get the Recipe

At the base of this Korean-inspired dish is cauliflower, a non-starchy, cruciferous

vegetable that is loaded with suforaphane, a plant compound known to protect blood

vessels from diabetes-related damage. Bonus: Kimchi is a fermented cabbage that

bolsters beneficial bacteria in the gut. To cut the amount of cholesterol-raising

saturated fat, swap out pork for turkey bacon or nix it altogether.

Nutrition Facts


13g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 6g fiber), 15g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 high-fat

meat, 2 vegetable.




21 Day : Curried Chicken Skillet

Get the Recipe

Warm and aromatic, curry powder is a blend of spices—including cardamom,

cinnamon, coriander and turmeric—which adds pungent flavor to chicken as well as

supplies the body with increased protection against diabetic vascular disease.

Nutrition Facts

2 cups: 367 calories, 11g fat (2g saturated fat), 62mg cholesterol, 450mg sodium, 39g

carbohydrate (8g sugars, 6g fiber), 29g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2-

1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.




22 Day Lentil Loaf

Get the Recipe

This modern take on an American classic is hearty, yet it’s healthier than the

traditional beef-based version because it’s low in saturated fat. Plus, people with

diabetes who regularly eat legumes have been found to have lower blood pressure and

better blood sugar control compared to those who don’t.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 213 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 580mg sodium, 29g

carbohydrate (5g sugars, 5g fiber), 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1-

1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.




Day 23: Pork Tacos with Mango Salsa

Get the Recipe

Pork tenderloin is a lean protein, making it an excellent choice for people with

diabetes. Plus, pork is particularly gentle on blood sugar when combined with whole

grains and non-starchy vegetables, such as the high fiber corn tortillas and salsa in this

recipe.

Nutrition Facts

2 tacos: 282 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 64mg cholesterol, 678mg sodium, 30g

carbohydrate (5g sugars, 5g fiber), 26g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2

starch.




Day 24: Sweet and Sour Beef

Get the Recipe

The top round in this recipe is a great choice for people with diabetes since it is an

extra lean cut. Extra lean cuts of beef (like eye round and sirloin) contain significantly

less saturated fat than other cuts, which means they’re less likely to trigger insulin

resistance and inflammation associated with diabetes.

Nutrition Facts


carbohydrate (17g sugars, 3g fiber), 28g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2

vegetable, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.




Day 25: Crispy Almond Tilapia

Get the Recipe

The nuts in this delicious dish are packed with magnesium and fiber, two nutrients

linked to improved blood sugar balance. Swap out the panko breadcrumbs for almond

meal to create a crunchy coating that has one-fourth the carbohydrates, triple the fiber

and two-thirds the calories.

Nutrition Facts

2 fillet pieces: 251 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 102mg cholesterol, 537mg

sodium, 9g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 3g fiber), 28g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4

lean meat, 2 fat.




Day 26: Southwestern Vegetarian Bake

Get the Recipe

Adding more meatless dishes to the dinner rotation can benefit people with diabetes.

Often, it automatically ratchets up the number of beans, vegetables and whole grains

in your diet, which is a change associated with increased insulin sensitivity, more

balanced blood sugars and a leaner body weight.

Nutrition Facts


carbohydrate (6g sugars, 4g fiber), 15g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 2 starch, 2

vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 fat.




Day 27: Goat Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Get the Recipe

Spinach is loaded with magnesium, a mineral that’s known to improve the body’s

ability to use insulin, resulting in more well-managed blood sugar. Pair it with a

roasted, non-starchy vegetable side dish, such as asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower.

Nutrition Facts

1 stuffed chicken breast: 347 calories, 14g fat (4g saturated fat), 111mg cholesterol,


Exchanges: 7 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.







Day 28: Mushroom and Brown Rice Hash with Poached Eggs

Get the Recipe

Surprisingly, the soft, delicate eggs that top this dish are an excellent and inexpensive

source of appetite-suppressing protein, particularly for people with diabetes. This is

because, contrary to what was once thought, regularly eating eggs doesn’t raise

cholesterol.

Nutrition Facts


26g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 13g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2

starch, 1-1/2 fat, 1 medium-fat meat.




Day 29: Salmon with Mango Citrus Salsa

Get the Recipe

The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon offer extra special protection to the heart since they

help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol. In fact, people who eat the highest

amount of fatty fish have the lowest rates of diabetes.

Nutrition Facts

1 fillet with 1/2 cup salsa: 433 calories, 26g fat (4g saturated fat), 85mg cholesterol,


Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat, 1 fruit.




30 Day : Moroccan Vegetarian Stew

Get the Recipe

Good news: 25% of the carbohydrates in this steamy North African stew come from

fiber, an undigestable saccharide that doesn’t raise blood sugar at all! Plus, unlike

other soups and stews, it’s a blessing to blood pressure because it is unusually low in

sodium.

Nutrition Facts

1-1 /2 cups: 180 calories, 3g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 174mg sodium, 36g

carbohydrate (8g sugars, 9g fiber), 5g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1

vegetable.




30 delicious diabetes friendly dinner ideas

Healthcare

diabetes dinner ideas

diabetes 2 dinner ideas

dinner ideas for diabetes

dinner ideas for diabetes type 2

dinner ideas for diabetes type 1

what is a good diabetic dinner

healthy dinner ideas diabetes

best diabetes food plan