Quick Dinner Ideas for Diabetics

By Digital Editor Dilgam H. Published February 26, 2017 Diet, Living With Diabetes

Do not have the time and energy to cook a huge dinner at the end of a busy day? Thankfully, healthy cooking doesn’t have to be time-consuming or hard. On days like these, it’s crucial to have your kitchen stocked with a few essentials that can be whipped into a fast and healthy meal.

Contents

What to Eat for Dinner with Diabetes?
- Stock Your Kitchen
- Quick & Nutritious Dinner Ideas

What to Eat for Dinner with Diabetes?

Stock Your Kitchen

Here are some healthy staples to keep in your cooking area for nights when time is tight. When you go shopping, think of the standard foods you need to Create a Healthy Plate which is: 1/2 non-starchy veggies, 1/4 lean protein, 1/4 entire grains or starchy foods, and some fruit and/or dairy on the side.

Veggies

Frozen vegetables — keep a few of your favorites in the freezer
Fresh vegetables — keep some basic salad ingredients like greens, a few tomatoes, a cucumber and a bell pepper
Reduced-sodium canned tomatoes are terrific for contributing to pastas, casseroles and more
Other canned veggies that you like such as artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and so on

Starchy Foods

Reduced-sodium canned beans — pick from black, kidney, navy, garbanzo and more
Quinoa, quick-cooking entire barley, whole grain pasta, whole wheat cous
Pre-cooked brown rice — all you need to do is heat it up in the microwave
Whole wheat tortillas or corn tortillas

Protein Foods

Rotisserie chicken — use it throughout the week in salads, pastas, sandwiches or tacos
Frozen fish filets
Frozen chicken breasts
Eggs

Fruit

Fresh fruit makes a good side at dinner, and even a dessert
Keep some berries or grapes around which are easy to clean and serve in a bowl
Canned fruit — choose ranges canned in juice, not syrup
Lemons and limes — juice from these citrus fruits makes a terrific flavoring for veggies, fish or chicken

Dairy

Skim or 1% milk — unsweetened soymilk or almond milk are likewise choices, especially for lactose intolerance
Light/non-fat yogurt (regular or Greek) — note that flavored varieties will have more carbohydrate than plain

Some Extras to Have Around

Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Different spices and dried herbs
Light salad dressing
Salsa
Salt and pepper
Nuts — contribute to salads and other vegetable meals
Trans-free margarine
Minced garlic (jarred)

If you have the tendency to be short on time during the week, it’s essential to prepare ahead.

5 Superfoods for Diabetics

Quick & Nutritious Dinner Ideas

Defrost frozen fish filets in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use them. Brush the fish gently with olive oil and season with newly ground pepper and other dried herbs. Bake the fish in the oven up until done and serve with 1/2 cup of pre-cooked brown rice and steamed green beans.
Make a salad for your entrée. Slice up your preferred non-starchy vegetables and serve them over a bed of greens. Add some rotisserie chicken breast, home cheese or another reduced-fat cheese. Have your salad with a side of entire wheat garlic bread or some fresh fruit.
Attempt chicken tacos. Use rotisserie chicken or thaw and roast up some frozen chicken. Fill a corn or whole wheat tortilla with shredded chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, fresh cilantro and black beans. If you want, top all of it with a spoonful of salsa and some non-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Rush up a few eggs for dinner. Top them with peppers and onions that you &’ve heated from frozen. Include a piece of entire wheat toast with some trans free margarine.
Try pasta primavera (veggies with pasta). Add frozen vegetables to pasta during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain pipes the water and then toss with a two tablespoons of light salad dressing and cooked diced chicken. Or, toss in pasta sauce if you choose a red sauce.
Stir fry is another simple alternative! Keep a frozen vegetable stir-fry collection in your freezer. Sauté on the range with vegetable oil. Add some frozen shrimp or heated chicken and serve over wild rice, quinoa or entire farro.
Make a veggie flatbread. Sauté some frozen or fresh veggies and pile them onto a premade entire wheat pizza crust (or a whole wheat pita will also work!) and leading with reduced-fat mozzarella cheese and tomato slices. Bake in the oven up until the cheese melts.
In the early morning, toss some canned beans, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and frozen corn in a crockpot with some cumin, chili powder and garlic. Cover and prepare on low for 6-8 hours to make a chili that will be prepared when you get home. You can likewise include other veggies that you have on hand like diced onions, bell pepper or carrots.