In this post we cover a full round up of dietitian-approved easy sides for diabetes. Keep reading for easy healthy sides, low carb sides, veggie sides, and more!
Easy side dishes for diabetes
Managing diabetes means you have to pay closer attention to your food choices than the average person. Planning out meals can take more effort. So, having a set of recipes for easy sides for diabetes can be incredibly helpful!
What are good sides for people for diabetes to eat?
Whether you’re looking for a great side dish to take to your next potluck or bbq party, or just want some new recipes to make at home, we want to pay attention to how the side dish is balancing out the main course of our meal. Because of this, the nutritional profile of good side dishes may differ greatly.
If our main dish has a lot of protein, we may focus more on fiber with our side dishes. But, if the main dish is more carb heavy, then our side dish may need to be focused more on protein or be a low carb side dish.
Healthy side dishes for diabetes: What to look for
As we mentioned above, what to look for in easy sides for diabetes (and what to pair with diabetes-friendly side dishes) is going to depend on what you’re eating them with, but generally we want to look for side dishes that are:
- Low in saturated fat
- Low in added sugar
- Higher in fiber
- Vegetable-centric
The best diabetes side dishes
The recipes below are all easy sides for diabetes. Let us know in the comments of this post which ones are your favorites!
- Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Low Carb 6-Ingredient Coleslaw
- Broccoli Ranch Salad with Bacon
- Lower Carb Gluten Free Potato Salad
- Caprese Mozzarella Balls
- Almond and Oat Flour Protein Cornbread
- Cheesy Baked Zucchini and Yellow Squash Casserole
- Mediterranean Veggie Pasta Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Pecans
- 3-Ingredient Air Fryer Okra
- Healthy Carrot Souffle with Tri Color Carrots
- Easy Air Fryer Carrot Fries
- Grape Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Sunflower Seeds
- Perfectly Crispy Air Fryer Potato Wedges
Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice
I love Mexican food and Tex-Mex food! And, this recipe for Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a perfect side dish and a great way to get in your veggies. This dish is ideal for pairing with carb-rich foods like tortillas and rice.
Low Carb 6-Ingredient Coleslaw
This low carb coleslaw will be a crowd-pleaser for sure! Coleslaw is a perfect non-starchy side dish to enjoy before carb rich foods like potato salad.
Low Carb Broccoli Ranch Salad with Bacon
My low carb broccoli salad is so easy to throw together and the perfect addition to your easy sides for diabetes list. It makes for a quick lunch or easy spring or summer time side dish! Research has shown each non-starchy vegetables (like broccoli salad!) before carb-heavy foods may improve blood sugar levels after eating.
Lower Carb Gluten Free Potato Salad
This lower carb gluten-free potato salad is the perfect side dish for people with diabetes or someone looking for a delicious lower carb alternative! And, potato salad when served cold, takes advantage of resistant starch formation which may help improve blood sugar levels after eating.
Caprese Mozzarella Balls
I originally came up with this recipe as a fun Halloween appetizer idea, but now we make them year round. They’re high protein, low carb and super fun!
Almond and Oat Flour Protein Cornbread
Most cornbread recipes aren’t super high in protein. But, there are some recipe swaps and additions we can make to increase the protein in our cornbread like almond flour, oat flour, and Greek yogurt. Increased protein intake may be helpful in managing blood sugars while living with diabetes.
Cheesy Baked Zucchini and Yellow Squash Casserole
This zucchini and squash casserole uses just a few ingredients and requires little prep time, making it a perfect weeknight dish! It pairs well with your favor protein-rich main dishes.
Mediterranean Veggie Pasta Salad
Pasta salad, like potato salad, is a great way to reap the benefits of resistant starch when it’s served cold. And, for this recipe, we load it up with delicious non-starchy veggies too!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Another delicious pasta salad recipe that’s perfect for any time of year. I like making this pasta salad with a higher protein pasta and enjoying it as a full meal sometimes too!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Pecans
Roasted brussel sprouts and butternut squash are the perfect veggie side dish for your family meals. Pair this diabetes-friendly side dish with your favorite protein-rich main dish.
3-Ingredient Air Fryer Okra
Air fryer okra is a super simple side dish that’s high in fiber and perfect for pairing with more carb-heavy main dishes.
Healthy Carrot Souffle with Tri Color Carrots
This healthy carrot soufflé is perfect as a side dish for Thanksgiving or any holiday celebration! It’s higher in fiber and super tasty.
Easy Air Fryer Carrot Fries
Air fryer carrot fries are a nutrient dense, lower carb alternative to traditional French fries. Using the air fryer makes them super simple to prep, and it’s a great opportunity to get the kids involved too. Everyone will love these easy air fryer carrot fries.
Grape Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Sunflower Seeds
Grape Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Sunflower Seeds is the delicious, blood sugar friendly, salty sweet combo you’re looking for in easy sides for diabetes. This dish is perfect for taking to your next tailgate party or football watching party.
Perfectly Crispy Air Fryer Potato Wedges
Crispy air fryer potato wedges are super easy to make and even tastier than your favorite restaurant-made potato wedges. Air frying them reduces the fat content, and makes them perfect for paying with a protein-rich main dish.
Looking for more diabetes nutrition resources…
Check out these great resources!
- 11 Diabetes Slow Cooker Recipes (+ Planning Tips)
- Diabetes and Pasta: Best Choices, Glycemic Impact, and Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
- 11 Diabetes Chicken Recipes for Lunch or Dinner
- 15 Diabetes Breakfast Recipes: Low-Carb, High-Protein, and More
- 35 Easy Low Carb Diabetes Recipes
Sources
- https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/reading-food-labels/protein
- https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/understanding-carbs/types-carbohydrates
- https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/38/7/e98/30914/Food-Order-Has-a-Significant-Impact-on
- https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1541-4337.12143
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21207203/
