Last Updated on October 26, 2024
Enjoying the holidays while trying to keep your blood sugar in check is not without its challenges. With most holiday recipes consisting of carb-heavy ingredients like mashed potatoes, bread, pies, and other components packed with sugar and sodium, it’s easy for people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes to feel like they’re missing out on the classics. Fortunately, maintaining a balanced diet while enjoying your favorite holiday meals is possible. With a little creativity and a few adjustments, you’ll find that there are plenty of healthy recipes loaded with seasonal flavor that also help in maintaining your blood sugar levels.
We’ve rounded up ten of our favorite diabetic-friendly holiday recipes to make sure your season is filled to the brim with all the things you love — including yummy food!
Easy Low-Carb Stuffing
Stuffing is such an easy dish to customize so there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t enjoy this holiday staple every single year. While most recipes call for high-carb pieces of bread, you can easily swap them out for your favorite low-carb bread or roasted eggplant like in this low-carb alternative. Loaded with other seasonal ingredients like thyme, oregano, basil, and sage, you’ll never feel like you’re missing out on traditional stuffing again. At only 5.8g net carbs, you don’t have to feel guilty about reaching for seconds.
Hot Spinach Apple Salad
Your salads don’t have to be boring either. Another versatile dish, salads can be adjusted to be healthy, filling, and packed with holiday flavor. This hot spinach apple salad makes a unique and delicious appetizer or side dish that pairs perfectly with stuffing and other holiday classics. Made with apples and coated in a warm, sweet dressing, this salad is both comforting and fitting for the season — all under 7g of fat.
Herb-Roasted Turkey
It wouldn’t be the holidays without a delicious roasted turkey. While generally lean, healthy meat, the skin is home to high-fat content. Luckily, it’s an easy fix. This herb-roasted turkey recipe is savory, delicious, loaded with seasonal flavor, and sans skin. What we love about this particular recipe is that the bird is seasoned under the skin, so you don’t lose any of that delicious, hearty flavor after you remove it. Drizzle with your favorite hot sauce to add a little heat and enjoy.
Triple Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese
If you thought mac and cheese was out of the question, think again. The trick here is to swap out the typically not-so-healthy ingredients for diabetic-friendly alternatives, which is easier than you might think. This triple cheesy mac and cheese recipe calls for veggies, low-fat cheese, and replaces your everyday pasta with a more nutritious substitute. The best part? This one’s done in 30 minutes. In under half an hour, you can have a rich, ooey-gooey mac and cheese that only contains 15g of fat.
Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad
Brussel sprouts are delicious all year round. As a superfood, they are rich in antioxidants, fiber, nutrients, and minerals. They also provide a variety of health benefits such as potentially reducing the risk of cancer, decreasing inflammation, and improving blood sugar control. However, it’s easy for the fat and sugar to add up when you are experimenting with different recipes. This shaved brussel sprout salad only contains 3g net carbs and is a tasty, healthy way to pair some greens with the rest of your holiday meals.
Low Carb Cornbread
If you’re skeptical about diabetic-friendly cornbread, we’re here to change your mind. This low-carb cornbread recipe uses almond flour and reduced sugar — making it sensible for blood-sugar management without compromising its famous, savory taste or rich moisture. Unlike traditional cornbread mix, this diabetic-friendly alternative only contains 15g net carbs per portion.
Cheddar Biscuits
If bread is your kryptonite, we’ve got you covered. Only 22g of carbs per serving, these cheddar biscuits are fluffy, flaky, and no longer feel like a holiday indulgence you need to avoid. They make the perfect side dish and are addictively tasty for every guest at your dinner table this holiday season. Bonus: they can keep for up to 2 months when frozen, so feel free to make extra!
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
When it comes to potatoes, you don’t necessarily have to avoid these high-carb foods entirely. However, when you tack on all the extra high-fat additives used in mashed potatoes, like butter, sour cream, or salt, balancing them within your low-glycemic diet can get tricky. Luckily, mashed cauliflower is a delicious and healthy alternative. One cup of cauliflower is only 3g of net carbs versus the 37g in one cup of mashed potatoes — between 62-82% of the recommended carb intake per meal for diabetics.
Sugarless Pumpkin Pie
It wouldn’t be the holidays without our favorite, versatile gourd. This sugarless pumpkin pie is as decadent and seasonal as they come. This delicious recipe calls for artificial sweetener and promises no yucky aftertaste. At only 7.9g net carbs, this is the quintessential, guiltless holiday dessert that you and your guests won’t feel guilty for indulging in (but we can’t blame you if you don’t want to share). After the holidays, feel free to swap out the pumpkin spice and puree for a new seasonal fruit of choice (like tropical pink guava) for an equally guiltless summer dessert.
Eggnog for Diabetics
Alcohol can be tricky when you’re diabetic, but the good news is you’re allowed to indulge now and then. Eggnog typically packs a heavy punch of high saturated fats and sugar content with its heavy creams, eggs, and sugar. Store-bought versions are even worse. Fortunately, there are eggnog recipes that don’t leave you missing out on this quintessential holiday classic. As with most of our favorite recipes, a few easy adjustments make this boozy, sugary seasonal favorite a diabetic-friendly cocktail that won’t set you back on your health goals.
No Need to Miss Out
Controlling your diabetes doesn’t mean you have to suffer from endless FOMO during the holidays. With some simple tweaks and a little creativity, you can enjoy all your favorite seasonal comfort foods and keep your blood sugar levels in check. We promise that even your non-diabetic family and friends will love these recipes, so dig in and enjoy the holidays!
