Lunch Ideas for Diabetes: Tips, Recipes & More (2024)

A healthy, balanced eating pattern is an important part of diabetes management, and that includes eating at regular mealtimes. Although mealtimes will vary from one person to the next depending on the medications and/or insulin they take, age, activity level, and lifestyle, following your meal plan and not skipping meals can help you manage your blood sugar.

Planning your lunches in advance can help you make more nutritious and heart-healthy meal choices while helping you save money. More importantly, planning your lunches can help you manage your blood glucose levels, make it easier to maintain a healthy weight, and ensure that you receive your daily recommended intake of vitamins and nutrients.

In this article, we’ll offer tips, insights, and diabetes-friendly lunch recipes to promote a healthier diet.

Tips to get started
What does a healthy lunch for diabetes look like?
Eating lunch on the go with diabetes
20 delicious lunch recipes for diabetes meal planning

Tips to Get Started

Here are a few simple recommendations to help make your diabetes lunch planning more successful:

Consult a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). An RDN has the qualifications to help you create a meal plan that is tailored to your particular health needs and that can support diabetes management.
Use the Diabetes Plate Method as a guideline. Getting the right mix of proteins, carbs, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats can be tricky. Fortunately, following the Diabetes Plate Method, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), eliminates much of the guesswork, so you can enjoy a lunch that’s healthy, filling, and delicious.
Count carbohydrates. If your healthcare professional recommends carb counting as a meal planning method, you should stay within your carbohydrate target while still aiming for a balanced plate by keeping the Plate Method in mind. Our meal planning blog post, which includes a free meal plan chart, can be a useful asset to help you create a meal plan while counting carbs.
Prepare your meals ahead of time. Meal prepping can eliminate much of the stress around cooking, especially for people with busy schedules, which can reduce the temptation to take unhealthy shortcuts.

The CDC recommends a simple, five-step approach to meal prepping:

1. 1. 1. Talk to your family about their preferences.
    2. Shop at home before you shop in stores. (See what needs to be used up in your pantry and plan your meals around those items).
    3. Find recipes that are tasty and meet your health goals.
    4. Track the meals you’ve planned in a diabetes meal planner.
    5. Make a grocery list.

Keep it simple. A healthy lunch that is diabetes-friendly does not have to be cooked or fancy. Instead, it can be as simple as a sandwich on whole grain bread, a piece of fresh fruit or a fruit cup, some raw veggies, and a sugar-free beverage. Soup is also easy to pack in your lunch and a vegetable soup can be a great way to get more veggies in your diet.

Packing your lunch the night before can help you save time in the morning. You can even put your keys in the refrigerator with your lunch to help you remember to take it with you.

Always check the nutrition labels. Any time you make a trip to the grocery store, make sure you know what’s in your food before you buy. Food labels can sometimes be confusing, so we recommend that you check out this helpful resource from the ADA that breaks them down. Make sure to focus on the nutrition facts panel and not claims shown on the front of the label.
Keep A1C target levels in mind. Your A1C targets are unique to you and determined by your healthcare professional. According to the ADA, to reach your A1C target, glucose levels taken two hours after meals should not exceed 180 mg/dL. The best way to monitor your blood glucose levels and learn about how different foods affect your blood sugar is to test them before and two hours after the start of the meal, especially if you’ve recently made any dietary changes and/or changes to your insulin or medication.

What Does a Healthy Lunch for Diabetes Look Like?

What makes for a healthy, diabetes-friendly lunch varies depending on multiple factors, including your age, overall health, level of activity, whether you have type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes, any medications you may be taking, and so on. Ultimately, though, lunch recommendations for a person with diabetes are similar to those for any other meal:

Strike the right balance of carbohydrate, protein, and fat by working with your RDN to develop meal plan guidelines.
Low-fat dairy products, such as low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, and 2% fat cheese or cheese sticks, will add good nutrition to your lunch bag.
Choose lean meats, such as lean roast beef, ham, sliced turkey, chicken, or fish (including tuna), or plant-based sources of protein, such as nut butters or hummus.
Lower fat and boost fiber intake with healthy swaps, such as whole grain bread instead of white bread. Opt for foods that are baked, broiled, or grilled instead of fried.
Fruits can be fresh, frozen, canned (such as fruit cups) or dried (such as small boxes of raisins). For more tips on how to incorporate fruit in your meal plan, you can check out our blog post on the subject. Raw veggies, such as cherry tomatoes, red pepper strips, and baby carrots, pack well.
When in doubt, apply the principles from the Diabetes Plate Method — you can use this meal planning chart to help.

Eating Lunch on the Go with Diabetes

Eating healthy can be challenging when you’re constantly on the go. It’s best to consult your certified diabetes care and education specialist to learn new ways to incorporate quick and easy (and still healthy) meals into your busy days if you find yourself frequently eating lunch on the run.

If you find yourself in a pinch for a diabetes-friendly lunch, here are a few pointers to keep in mind that will help you make more nutritious choices:

Refer to the CalorieKing website, app, or the 2021 edition of the Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate book to check nutrition information for fast food and restaurant meals if it is not posted on the menu.
Take a minute to look for healthy swaps — can you choose a baked potato instead of fries, or a fruit cup as your side? Changing up your usual order can be a great way to incorporate healthier choices.
Keep an eye on portions of carbohydrate foods, such as bread, potatoes, pasta, and so on, and instead try to fill up by adding a salad or non-starchy vegetables.
Make sure to count breads, tortilla chips, and crackers toward your carb target for the meal.
Choose foods that are baked, broiled, or grilled instead of fried to save on fat and calories.
Go easy on added fats, such as salad dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream, guacamole, and oils.
Stay well hydrated by choosing water or a calorie- and carbohydrate-free beverages.

Fast Food Options

Consider the lunch options listed below for healthier fast food choices. With any of these meals, make sure to choose a beverage that is calorie- and carbohydrate-free and avoid soda. Look for fresh fruit sides or grab a piece of fruit to take in the car.

McDonald’s hamburger Happy Meal with fries, apple slices, and milk
Wendy’s grilled chicken sandwich with a side of fresh strawberries or apple bites
Chick-fil-A grilled chicken sandwich with a fruit cup, or grilled nuggets, small friends, and a fruit cup
Taco Bell Power Menu bowl
Chipotle salad with your choice of protein, rice, and beans (watch the serving size of sour cream and guacamole)
Chipotle burrito bowl with your choice of protein, rice, and beans (watch the serving size of sour cream and guacamole)
Subway six-inch sub made with turkey, ham, or roast beef; add veggies that you like and go easy on oils and dressing
Panera Bread Asian sesame salad with chicken or a strawberry poppy seed with chicken salad; add a cup of vegetables or black bean soup to meet your carb goal

Frozen Food Ideas

People who have access to a freezer and microwave at work often find that packing a frozen meal makes eating a healthy, diabetes-friendly lunch quick and easy. To make sure that you get enough to eat, include a serving of fruit or yogurt and add raw veggies or a salad. Be sure to read the nutrition facts panel on frozen meals, check out the carb content and compare it to your target, and take a look at the total fat.

Frozen meal brands that are typically lower in saturated fat, sodium, and calories include:

Amy’s (you can sign up for the Amy’s newsletter to get free coupons)
Eating Well Frozen Entrees
Lean Cuisine
Healthy Choice
Weight Watches

20 Delicious Lunch Recipes for Diabetes Meal Planning

Mango Salsa with Broiled Tilapia
Pretend you’re on a tropical getaway with this Mexican-inspired dish. Fresh lime juice and cilantro make this salsa bright and full of flavor, while still being low calorie.

Nutrition Facts: