Our best diabetic-friendly recipes are designed to balance flavor and nutrition, creating delicious mains, sides and desserts everyone will love. No wonder our readers couldn’t stop talking about these dishes this year!
Every year, Taste of Home readers remind us that the best recipes come straight from home kitchens. We get thousands of recipe submissions, each one earning a Test Kitchen-approved stamp before it’s published to the site.
There are so many recipes that it would be impossible to choose the best of the best without your help! You pinned them on Pinterest, shared them on social media and saved them to your recipe box, helping us determine which ones rise to the top.
These are the dishes that won hearts (and taste buds!) everywhere, whether they’re brand-new recipes or tried-and-true classics. From family dinners to bake-sale favorites, every recipe here is reader-approved, home-tested and downright delicious.
Having diabetes can make the holiday season feel more frantic than festive, especially when searching for diabetic Christmas desserts that people actually want to eat. As a dietitian, let me let you in on a little secret: you can enjoy delicious, easy Christmas desserts and treats, even if you’re working hard to manage your blood sugars. While traditional desserts can lead to blood glucose spikes, these diabetic-friendly Christmas treats have all the flavor and fun you need, with a lot less sugar.
From apple desserts to peppermint cookies and eggnog mousse, these blood sugar-friendly sweets are the perfect sweet addition to your diabetic-friendly Christmas recipes. So you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for health, I’ve rounded up the best diabetic Christmas desserts that balance sweetness with nutrition, so you can feel good about your macros while joining in on the holiday fun.
Oats are high-carb, but that doesn’t mean they’re off-limits to people with diabetes. These lighter oatmeal recipes have a moderate amount of carbohydrates and can be included in most diabetic meal plans.
When you’re cooking with blood sugar in mind, chicken becomes a go-to, both for its lean protein as well as how well it pairs with a wide range of flavors and textures. These diabetic-friendly chicken dishes use nutrient-dense ingredients like artichoke hearts, spinach, citrus and fresh herbs to create balanced meals without relying on refined starches or sugary sauces. The result is satisfying diabetic-friendly dinners that support steady energy, without sacrificing taste or comfort.
We chose these recipes because they help keep blood sugar steady and are easy to prep and adapt, like chicken cacciatore. Even more elevated dishes, like chicken stuffed with spinach and goat cheese or a tropical cauliflower rice bowl, start with lean protein, add low-glycemic vegetables and finish with herbs or spices for depth.
Most of these easy chicken dinner recipes use pantry staples you likely already have. With a few diabetic exchanges and smart cooking techniques, like stovetop searing or slow braising, you have healthy diabetic dinner ideas without trading off flavors. Each recipe aligns with healthy eating patterns and what people with diabetes can eat and drink in everyday routines
The holidays, especially Thanksgiving, are laden with carb-heavy dishes and sweet treats, so managing diabetes can feel challenging. But this collection of diabetic Thanksgiving dinner recipes highlights how many delicious dishes you can make for your holiday table, while still being mindful. From stuffing and non-starchy vegetable recipes to lean proteins, grains and healthy fats, there is enough variety to craft the perfect menu for your dietary needs.
These carefully chosen Thanksgiving dinner recipes are built around nutrient-dense, whole foods, so you don’t have to navigate long ingredient lists on packaged goods. For a balanced meal, pair a main dish like slow-cooker turkey breast or lean pork tenderloin with high-fiber sides featuring broccoli, turnips or leafy greens. Low-carb keto stuffing or roasted root vegetables make the plate hearty, so you feel satisfied.
End the celebration by whipping up some of the best diabetic holiday dessert recipes for a sweet treat that fits your needs. Between portion control and these diabetic-friendly Thanksgiving recipes, the holiday can be a time to relax, enjoy company and eat well.
Salmon is a powerhouse for diabetes-friendly meal planning. This healthy fish is one of the best food sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a good fat not readily found in many other common foods. What makes this “good fat” so special? Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, which research shows can help prevent and control diabetes.
Another reason to dig into salmon recipes: Your body may absorb salmon’s healthy fats better than it would from other sources, such as supplements. Salmon has the benefit of being packed with nutrients such as iodine that help optimize digestion of omega-3s, according to research.
Salmon is also an excellent source of protein, which doesn’t raise blood sugar. Eating protein-rich foods alongside carbohydrate-containing foods like grains or starchy vegetables can help steady blood sugar. It can also leave you feeling more satisfied for longer since it takes a longer time to digest carbs and protein than just carbs alone.
Last but not least, serving up salmon or other seafood has been linked with more stable blood sugar after eating. How so? By reducing insulin resistance, a common problem for those with type 2 diabetes.
Mix diabetic-friendly and family-delicious in one easy pot.
If you are one of the 30 million Americans struggling with diabetes, the biggest obstacle to meal preparation can be life. Since staring into the refrigerator waiting for inspiration isn’t an option, having a simple, delicious, and practical diabetic cookbook like The One-Pot Diabetes Cookbook, is essential to managing your condition.
With clear recipes and guidance, this dedicated diabetic cookbook will help you prepare balanced, full meals that will feed your whole family in one pot. Cooking becomes more convenient, mealtime becomes more integrated, and all with just a few kitchen tools and basic cooking techniques—a truly family inclusive diabetic cookbook.
This diabetic cookbook features:
Simplify your life and health with a diabetic cookbook written around delicious one-pot meals.
Recipes include: Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad, Steak Fajitas, Pot Roast with Vegetables, One-Pot Beef and Veggie Lasagna, Jamaican Jerk Ground Beef Skillet, and Slow-Cooked Seafood Chowder
Kathy Birkett, RDN, LD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a passion for helping people get and stay healthy while enjoying flavorful meals. She has led weight loss groups, diabetes classes, cardiac rehab nutrition programs, and individual nutrition therapy sessions. Connect with Kathy on Twitter @KathyBirkettRDN and Facebook at Facebook.com/NutritionForTheHealthOfIt. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
“I would recommend this book if you are trying to cut carbs to reduce your HbA1c and obtain a healthier body weight. This book is different from other reduced-carb meal plans in that it is based on a carb % rather than limiting everyone to the same number of grams per day, and these meals are healthy rather than low carb and high fat/high protein. Low carb dieting has to be done correctly to produce healthy results, and with Kathy’s book, you should be on your way to a healthier you!”—Tamara S. Herman, RD, LD, CDE
“I love this cookbook! The first two chapters, while written for diabetics, are very informative and useful for anyone who wants to follow a healthy diet. The recipes are easy to follow and are great for any diabetic who is wanting to eat healthier but doesn’t know where to begin. I plan to share this cookbook with my patients and families to help them better navigate the world of healthy eating!”—Nancy Farrar, NP
“The One-Pot Diabetes Cookbook is a treasure of healthy, delectable meals made simply in one pot for diabetes. Kathy Birkett includes important teaching points that are easily understood.”—Ann Shalley, MD –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Good Food, Good Meat, Good God, Let's Eat! 