Managing Diabetes: Cooking at Home

Cooking healthy foods can help keep your blood glucose (sugar) within your target range.

The Healthy Teaching Kitchen Program has a video library with many recipe videos that can help you learn how to make healthy foods at home.

Budget-friendly recipes are marked with *.

Breakfast

• Egg Cups (Less than 15g carb)

• Peanut Butter Overnight Oats (45g carb)

• Breakfast Burrito (30g carb)

Lunch and dinner

• Bunless Burgers (Less than 15g carb)

• Pasta with Veggies (30g carb)

• Mediterranean Salad (45g carb)

• Pinto Bean Burritos (60g carb)*

Snacks and sides

• Warm Cinnamon Apples (15g carb)

• Orange Bavarian Cream (15g carb)

• Roasted Chickpeas (15g carb)

• Pesto Veggie Wrap (15g carb)

Reducing sodium

Reducing sodium (salt) in your diet is important when you have diabetes. It helps to keep your heart and kidneys healthy. Try to limit your sodium to 2,300 mg per day.

• Tips to Reduce Sodium Intake

• Low Sodium Diet Tips

• Low Sodium Cooking

Increasing fiber

Eating enough fiber in your diet helps to regulate blood glucose. It keeps your heart and bowels healthy.

High fiber foods include:

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Nuts

• Legumes, such as beans and peas

• Whole grains

Learn how to increase fiber in your diet:

• High Fiber Recipes

• Tips to Increase Dietary Fiber

For more information

Take a look at these resources to learn more: 

• Diabetes Information - Nutrition and Food Services (va.gov)

• Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (va.gov)

• Healthy Teaching Kitchen Program - Nutrition and Food Services (va.gov)

• VHA Food Security Office - Nutrition and Food Services (va.gov)