12 Recipes to Make in the Crockpot for Diabetics

Making recipes in the crockpot for diabetics and blood sugar management can be helpful meal prep tool! Home prepared meals can help ensure a good balance of protein, carb, fat and fiber to set you up for a better blood sugar response. I love to use my crockpot for meal prep while I’m at home getting other things done or even overnight. 

But what makes a crockpot recipe diabetes friendly?

Most meals can be appropriate for someone with diabetes, but you may need to be mindful of the portion. For example, something with a lot of pasta, rice, or potatoes, may have a large carb count so pairing it with some non-starchy veggies will help up the fiber and help you feel more full. Or maybe the sauce contains sugar or honey, so the carb count is a little higher and serving it over riced cauliflower (or using a low carb alternative) can help balance it out. 

When it comes to blood sugar, it’s not about cutting out all the carbohydrates. It is more so about being mindful of the carbohydrate portion and also balancing it appropriately with protein, fat, and fiber. At the same time, everyone is different and the foods that spike your blood sugar may not spike someone else’s and vice versa. So it can be helpful to test your blood sugar 1-2 hours after eating a meal to assess how your body responds to certain foods. 

Diabetes friendly meals can also be simplified by stocking up on some great products at the store! We have a great list of our favorite food options at Costco! If you don’t have time to cook, it’s ok to grab a restaurant or fast food meal when needed. We made a guide for eating fast food with diabetes.

12 Recipes to Make in the Crockpot for Diabetics

Dairy Free Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This pot pie soup is reminiscent of a pot pie filling. It’s cozy and creamy, and without cream for those dairy free folks. Blending up the cauliflower and potato gives it that creamy texture. 21 g carbs, 23 g protein and 5 g fiber per serving. 

Honey Sesame Chicken

Now you may hear honey and think, pump the breaks. Yes, honey is sugar and sugar raises blood glucose. But this honey sesame chicken is one of my favorites. It has a lot of flavor, a good source of protein, and you can serve it over cauliflower rice to up the fiber. 19 g carbs, 29 g protein, and 1 g fiber per serving. 

Chicken Fajitas

The slow cooker and instant pot are easy ways to make shredded meats. Use this flavorful shredded chicken to make an easy meal by loading up tortillas (can be low carb tortillas if needed), or on a burrito bowl. 12 g carbs, 23 g protein, and 3 g fiber per serving. 

Beef Teriyaki

Make an easy meal with a store bought bottle of teriyaki sauce. Yes, it has sugar. But you can also use cauliflower rice for this beef teriyaki depending on your carb goals (or a mixture of rice and cauliflower rice). 21 g carbs, 30 g protein, and 5 g fiber per serving. 

Dairy Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup is so cozy and comforting. It is loaded with veggies and has lots of flavor. Am I dairy free? No. Did I eat this for days on end because no one in my house eats mushrooms but I found it to be delicious? Yep, sure did! 35 g carbs, 29 g protein, and 5 g fiber per serving. 

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Chili is always a go to for us. You can load it up with so many fiber-rich foods (thanks to beans and veggies!). The pumpkin in our pumpkin turkey chili adds a nice touch of sweetness that pairs well with the chili seasonings. 36 g carbs, 17 g protein, and 13 g fiber per serving. 

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I just love the flavors of enchilada and tortilla soups. This enchilada soup is packed with veggies and beans and can be topped with avocado, tortilla chips (try black bean chips!), sour cream, and/or cheese. Yum! 41 g carbs, 31 g protein, and 7 g fiber per serving. 

Carnitas Tacos

Tired of chicken and beef tacos? Carnitas it is! So flavorful and delicious. It may be a higher fat meat but we need some variety. Loading up your tacos with beans helps add heart healthy fiber! 33 g carbs, 21 g protein, and 5 g fiber per serving. 

White Bean Soup

We tend to gravitate towards animal proteins in our crock pot recipes, especially for diabetes management because the high amount of protein can help stabilize blood sugar. However, it is still possible to balance blood sugars and improve your A1C on a vegetarian diet. Beans are a great slow carb and a source of protein. Bean soup is a tasty way to incorporate more beans! 47 g carbs, 12 g protein, and 12 g fiber per serving. 

Sweet and Spicy Chicken with Pineapple

I love pineapple and yes I will put it on my pizza. The addition of sweet and tangy pineapple helps balance out the heat of the pepper flakes. Serve this chicken over rice or cauliflower (or something like Right Rice if you want to give that a try). 46 g carbs, 26 g protein, and 2 g fiber per serving. 

Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Chops

People often tell me they don’t eat pork with the thought that pork is bad for your health. The reality is that some cuts of pork are actually quite lean. Pork chops are a great option if you’re sick of chicken and need a little variety! These slow cooker pork chops are perfect for an easy meal! 49 g carbs, 24 g protein, and 7g fiber per serving. 

Salsa Verde Chicken

I love making salsa verde chicken in the crock pot or pressure cooker for tacos, green chile chicken enchiladas, burrito bowls, taquitos, etc. Our salsa verde chicken is pretty easy but you can also simplify it by just using a jarred salsa verde. 3 g carbs, 24 g protein, and 1 g fiber per serving. 

More on eating with diabetes:

• Mastering Diabetes Nutrition: Your Ultimate Guide to Thriving
• 3 Tips for Picking a Diabetic Friendly Breakfast Cereal
• Should I Eat Low Carb Ice Cream to Manage Diabetes
• Best Protein Bars for Diabetes?

Work with a Diabetes Dietitian: