When you are diagnosed with diabetes, it can feel overwhelming. Suddenly you may be questioning everything you eat. Is this too many carbs? How will this affect my blood sugar? What is healthy for me? Feeding yourself may feel like a difficult task. If you are busy, not an avid cook, or have an inability to cook for yourself, it can feel even harder. If you’ve thought about using meal delivery for diabetes management, you may have also wondered if they were a healthy option. The reality is, meal delivery kits, whether they require prep and cooking or are ready to heat and eat, can provide balanced, nutritious meals.
Who Should Get Diabetes Friendly Meal Delivery?
The reality is, anyone can benefit from meal delivery services. Not everyone has the ability to cook – whether it be from lack of experience, inability to stand to cook, lack of equipment necessary to cook, lack of access to grocery stores, being overly busy with multiple jobs or commitments, etc. There is no shame in utilizing these services to help feed yourself or your family.
What should I look for when considering diabetes friendly meal delivery?
When choosing your meals from these programs, look at the nutrition facts provided for the meals. Carb goals can range from person to person, but look at the total carbohydrate to see if it fits within your goal. If you don’t know what your goal should be, talk to a diabetes dietitian!
Next, check out dietary fiber. The more fiber, the slower the rise in blood sugar. Finally, check to see how much protein is in the meal. I usually recommend 20-30 grams of protein in a meal for stable blood sugars.
Cost of diabetes friendly meal delivery kits
9 Diabetes Friendly Meal Delivery Kits to Consider
Sunbasket
- Diabetes friendly meal kits and pre-made meals
- Meals start at $9.99 per serving
- Carb Conscious meals are less than 35 grams of net carbohydrate
- Diabetes Friendly meals are 20-70 grams carbohydrate
BistroMD
- Frozen, pre-made meals
- Diabetes option available
- 25 g net carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 25-30 g protein
- Meals start at $10.99 for full program
Mom’s Meals
- Premade meals
- Diabetes friendly option
- Meals start at $7.99 per serving
- Some individuals may qualify for government or health plan assistance
- 30-60 g carbohydrate
Magic Kitchen
- Premade meals
- Diabetes friendly option
- Primarily marketed as food for seniors with specialized diets
- Meals start at $8.99 per serving
- 20-45 g carbs, not to exceed 65
Factor
- Premade meals
- “Carb Conscious” options are around 35 g carbs or less
- Cost $11.49-13.99/meal
Hungry Root
- Meal kit, requires cooking
- “Carb conscious”, high protein, and lower sugar options available
- Starting at $8.99/serving
Hello Fresh
- “Fit and wholesome” meals or “meat and veggie” options available
- Nutrition information available for each meal
- Generally known for their meal kits however they now have premade meal options
- $9.99/meal
Home Chef
- Carb conscious meals – under 35 g
- Meal kits as well as premade options; premade includes oven options and microwave options
- Dinners starting at $7.99 per serving
Whether you are looking for meal kits to relieve the burden of meal planning, or premade meals to skip the prep and get nutritious food right to the table, there are plenty of options out there. Some are more tailored to medical needs but they all have options that would be appropriate for someone with diabetes.
Get Expert Help: Connect with Our Diabetes Dietitian Today
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
