Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean you’ve been given a life sentence of eating boring “healthy” food. Yes, healthy food is part of the diet “prescription,” but we’re here to change your mind about what that looks like. We know that eating with diabetes isn’t so different from how we should all be eating.
Hopefully you’ve seen a registered dietitian and, along with your health care team, they’ve helped you become better acquainted with everything from your diet to medications (get our list ofthe best foods to eat for diabetes).
Now that you’re armed with that information, you’re also going to need some guidance when it comes to cooking. We’ve got you covered with tips on essential kitchen tools, how to stock your pantry, and easy meal ideas. Whether you’re a beginner cook or pro chef, newly diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes or just need a refresher, these tips can help you cook healthier meals at home when you have diabetes.
Pictured recipe:Summer Skillet Vegetable & Egg Scramble
The Essential Kitchen Tools
Before you get cooking, you’ll want to make sure you have some basic tools in your kitchen. You don’t need to go out and buy out the entire kitchen department, but there are a few key tools that will make healthy cooking a lot easier.
For prepping your food, you’ll want a few cutting boards, a couple of good knives, some utility tools (think peeler, box grater and microplane) as well as a good set of measuring cups and spoons and mixing bowls.
You’ll also want a good mix ofkitchen utensilsto cook with—a spatula, whisk, wooden spoons and tongs. Get yourself a variety of pots and pans as well as baking sheets and dishes. An instant-read food thermometer will help you cook meat safely.
While not necessary, anInstant Pot,slow cookerandair fryercan all be fun kitchen tools to help you make healthy recipes.
Food-Prep Tips
Cooking feels labor-intensive if you don’t do any prep. It makes sense to get things ready ahead of time to make cooking more efficient and fun. Here are some of our prep tips that you can easily put into practice.
Before You Get Started:
Produce:Don’t hurry through the process of properly washing and prepping your produce. Doing it right can keep you and your family safe. For leafy greens, remove outer leaves, rinse under running water a few times and dry in a salad spinner. Delicate greens should be prepped right before eating, but heartier greens, such as romaine or leaf lettuce, can be rinsed and stored in a container with a few clean paper towels (to help absorb moisture) in the vegetable produce drawer in your refrigerator. For heartier veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), you can wash and cut those up to 2 to 3 days in advance, so they’re ready to go when you’re ready to cook.
Give everything else a good rinse under running water, using your hands to rub the exterior. The exception? Delicate fruits, like berries. They’ll need a good rinse, but shouldn’t be washed until you’re ready to eat them.
Proteins:Consider asking the butcher to cut large pieces into ready-to-go 4-ounce servings. If you’re making stew or soup, cut your protein in equal-size pieces for uniform cooking. For flavorful meats, marinate in advance.
Pantry Staples
You’ve got the tools and prep tips, now it’s time to figure out how to stock your fridge, freezer and pantry! Take a peek at our list of healthy ingredients to keep on hand to whip up easy meals. As a rule of thumb, only purchase what you know you’ll consume. It’s better to start off small and stock up over time. Get oursuper-detailed guide to stocking a healthy pantry.
Pantry
Refrigerator
Freezer
Keep in mind that these staples should include anything that makes sense for you and your family. Stock your kitchen with foods you all love. And let’s not forget about leftovers! They can make meals come together quickly. Consider doubling recipes and freezing one half for another meal later. And don’t overlook convenience items too; just be sure to reach nutrition labels.
Build Flavor as You Cook
Pictured recipe:Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers
Salt is often labeled the “bad guy.” But salt is a necessary part of our diet. The problem isn’t the salt we add when we cook, it’s our overconsumption of packaged and processed foods. Unlike packaged and processed foods, fruits, veggies, beans and whole grains don’t naturally contain copious amounts of sodium. That means that when you cook meals from scratch, you’ll need to add a bit of salt. This puts you in control of salting your foods, so you can use just a little bit. Try to keep your intake to no more than 2,300 mg of sodium each day, which is around 1 teaspoon of salt.
Here are our tips for salting with confidence.
Build Flavor Faster
Salting correctly is just the first step to building flavor. Did you know there are other great methods to develop flavorful food? Let’s focus on a few to get you started.
Meal Ideas
A 4-ounce portion of seafood, poultry, meat or avegetarian proteinadds a little boost of protein to help with satiety. This plate combination is a winner, keeping blood sugars in check while leaving you feeling happy, satisfied and nourished.
Dinnertime Shortcuts
We all want to make our lives easier, so don’t forget to utilize shortcuts in the kitchen! Here are some ideas to get your meals prepped and ready faster.
Have Fun in the Kitchen
Most importantly, you should enjoy cooking! We just laid out a lot of information that may feel overwhelming, but when it comes down to it, we want you to have fun! Here are some ideas to make it an awesome experience every time:
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
