Being a diabetic, although the diabetic lunch ideas are not just for diabetics, you have the same needs as everyone else when it comes to what you should and shouldn’t eat. But when you’re dealing with blood sugar that is either too high or too low, it can be difficult to know what’s good for you and what isn’t.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of healthy diabetic lunch ideas to help you stay healthy and avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Salad
Most salads are low in fat, high in fiber , and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals, making them a great choice for lunch.
If your salad is the first thing you eat in the morning, you are very likely to feel full until dinnertime, so you won’t want additional carbs in the evening. Protein is essential to keep you from getting hungry throughout the day, so include protein in your salad too .
If you do have carbs, limit them to a small handful to avoid spiking your blood sugar and making you tired. And make sure to include good sources of fiber and protein like peaches, lettuce, and sliced turkey breast.
Fish
Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which keep your blood thin and prevent it from clotting , which can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. It also keeps your arteries clean, reducing the risk of plaque buildup that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Fish is also high in protein and will help keep you full until dinnertime, so you won’t be tempted to snack on carbs later. Top your fish with half a lemon and plenty of salt and pepper for flavor. Try baked tilapia with black pepper and lemon, or grilled salmon with lemon and pepper.
Nuts
Nuts are a great source of healthy fats and protein that are required for your body to function well, as well as fiber to keep your digestive system healthy and are a star of the diabetic lunch ideas.
Plus, they’re small enough that you don’t need to worry about eating a lot of them to spike your blood sugar or make you gain weight. Nuts are also loaded with antioxidants, which protect your body from inflammation caused by free radicals and oxidative stress.
Try almonds, walnuts, pecans , pistachios, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts .
Soup
Soups are naturally low in carbs and high in fiber, so they’re a great choice for lunch when you need more nutrients to stay healthy or help control your blood sugar. They are also naturally low in calories, so they won’t add unnecessary calories to your diet and cause weight gain.
Try chicken noodle soup for a light lunch or vegetable soup for a light dinner. Or add beans to your soup for protein and fiber.
Yogurt
Yogurt is packed with protein that will keep you feeling full until dinnertime, as well as calcium and B vitamins that are great for your bones and skin, and help with weight loss. It also keeps your skin looking young and healthy by fighting inflammation that causes wrinkles, fine lines , and dark spots and makes you age faster.
Mix in berries or other fruits with plain yogurt for a filling but healthy dessert at the end of your meal. Or try Greek-style yogurt or kefir for a probiotic boost that will help keep your digestive system healthy and fight inflammation in your body and on your skin that can cause acne and other skin problems.
Popcorn
Popcorn is a low-glycemic food because it contains few carbohydrates and is light on the taste buds so you don’t feel cheated after eating it. Popcorn is also high in fiber to keep you feeling full longer, and magnesium to keep your blood pressure down and prevent heart disease and stroke.
Popcorn is also a good source of antioxidants that fight inflammation and oxidative stress in your body that cause the appearance of aging signs like wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, and more.
Add a little butter or olive oil to your popcorn for flavor and good fats that will help keep you healthy longer and prevent heart disease and stroke. Add salt to bring out the natural sweetness of the popcorn and add plenty of pepper for flavor as well.
Veggies
Vegetables are low in calories and high in protein to keep you feeling full longer so you won’t have room for unhealthy snacks later, as well as lots of vitamins and other nutrients you need to stay healthy and fight off disease. They are also naturally low in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain. Add veggies to every meal to build them up slowly throughout the day so you don’t eat too many at one meal and spike your blood sugar. Try adding veggies to scrambled eggs for breakfast or toss some green beans into your soup at lunch.
Meat
Meat is high in protein and will keep you full longer so you won’t have room for unhealthy snacks later , as well as lots of vitamins and other nutrients you need to stay healthy and fight off disease. It is also naturally low in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain like other meats do. Try a sandwich with turkey or ham for lunch or a wrap with lean meat for lunch or dinner instead of a sandwich or wrap made with carbs like bread or rice paper wraps. You can also roast a chicken for dinner and add vegetables to your diet instead of eating fries or mac and cheese with your meal.
Fruit
Fruits are naturally low in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain like other fruits do. They are also full of vitamins and other nutrients you need to stay healthy and fight off disease.
Try an apple with peanut butter for an afternoon snack or slices of fresh pineapple for dessert after dinner instead of cake or cookies. Or try blueberries or other berries for a refreshing snack instead of chips or other junk foods that should not be a part of the list of diabetic lunch ideas.
Baked potatoes
Baked potatoes are naturally low in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain like other carbs do. They are also filled with vitamins and other nutrients you need to stay healthy and fight off disease. Try baking a potato and adding bacon, ground beef, or beans to it for dinner instead of potatoes served with gravy and pasta or another carb-laden side dish like fries or mac and cheese with your meal. Or you can bake sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes for dinner instead and serve it with veggies instead of potatoes served with gravy and pasta or another carb-heavy side dish like fries or mac and cheese with your meal.
Bread
Bread is high in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain like other carbs do. It is also high in fiber to help you feel full longer and keep you healthy by keeping your digestive system healthy and preventing colon cancer and other digestive diseases .
Try a whole wheat sandwich instead of a white bread sandwich for lunch or a whole wheat wrap instead of a white bread wrap for lunch instead of a sandwich or wrap made with bread or other carbs like pasta or rice paper wraps instead. You can also try a whole grain bagel instead of a white bread bagel for breakfast instead of white toast made with bread or other carbs like pasta or rice paper wraps instead for a quick but healthy breakfast that will keep you full until lunch without spiking your blood sugar. Although it is not part of the perfect diabetic lunch ideas, whole grain or whole wheat are a good choice.
Cereal
Cereal is high in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain like other carbs do. It is also high in fiber to help you feel full longer and keep you healthy by keeping your digestive system healthy and preventing colon cancer and other digestive diseases.
Try a bowl of cereal topped with blueberries or other berries for dessert after dinner instead of cake or cookies for a healthy snack that will keep you full longer without spiking your blood sugar after dinner like many sweets do. Or try oatmeal instead of rice for breakfast instead of instant oatmeal made with white sugar and white flour to keep you healthy longer without spiking your blood sugar when you wake up in the morning like many instant oatmeals can do.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar or cause weight gain like other carbs do. It is also high in fiber to help you feel full longer and keep you healthy by keeping your digestive system healthy and preventing colon cancer and other digestive diseases . Try old fashioned rolled oats instead of instant oatmeal made with white sugar and white flour for breakfast to keep you healthy longer without spiking your blood sugar when you wake up in the morning like many instant oatmeals do with white sugar and other additives.
