A trip to the frozen section at your local grocery store may be overwhelming with choices. Here are key things to look for when it comes to diabetes-friendly frozen meal options!
We live in a fast paced culture, and all need to rely on quick frozen meal options occasionally. And, there are a lot of great diabetes-friendly frozen meals at your local store!
Personally, as a dietitian living with diabetes myself, I love knowing there are quick and easy meal options out there that make life easier for me and my family. Even though I have diabetes, I’m a busy working parent just like many other people and sometimes cooking a full meal just isn’t an option. Frozen meals are very helpful for me. And, the dietitian in me loves that there are so many healthy options these days that I can enjoy myself and recommend to you!
Can people with diabetes eat frozen meals?
Absolutely! People with diabetes can eat lots of different types of frozen meals. Some frozen meal options are marketed specifically to people with diabetes and labeled as diabetes-friendly frozen meals, while other frozen meals for diabetes Iare a bit harder to spot. But, that’s why you’re here!
Convenient frozen foods for people with diabetes
Nearly everyone relies on frozen food at some point or another. And people with diabetes are no different. Convenient blood sugar-friendly frozen meals for diabetes do exist!
What to look for in diabetes-friendly frozen meals
When we’re looking at frozen meals and which ones to choose for diabetes, we want to look for as many of the following characteristics as we can:
| Nutrient | Targets |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10g or more |
| Fiber | 4g or more |
| Sodium | <900mg |
| Fat | Plant based sources |
New Diabetes-Friendly Frozen Meals in 2024
I originally wrote this post back in 2021, so it was time for a 2024 update! These are some new products I’ve discovered this year and have been included in the lists below!
- Life Cuisine Carb Wise Chicken Flatbread Melt
- Real Good Foods Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burritos
- Real Good Foods Orange Chicken
- Against the Grain Three Cheese Pizza
What are the best frozen meals for diabetes?
Are Amy’s frozen dinners healthy? Are Lean Cuisines better? Or what about Stouffer’s? Is that one ok?
I’ve been asked all of these questions and more. So, let’s dive in. What are the best frozen meals for diabetes? I tried to pick at least 4-5 options for each of the categories below. Some have more and some have less. And these are not the only great diabetes-friendly frozen meals available. There’s no way I could cover every great option out there. These are some of my favorites!
Categories for Frozen Meals
Interested in a particular type of frozen meal that is diabetes-friendly? Jump to one of the sections below:
- Best diabetes-friendly frozen dinners
- High protein frozen meals
- Frozen pizzas
- Frozen meals with pasta
- Frozen low carb meals
- Frozen burritos
- Meatless frozen dinners
- Freezer meals for kids
- Frozen lunches
- Frozen breakfast meals
List of best diabetes-friendly frozen meals
*Some of the meals below are great quality options, but the portion provided is quite small. Remember, you’re allowed to be satisfied when you eat. If a portion seems too small or you’re still hungry, it’s ok to eat more food to feel satisfied. Just remember to adjust medication dosages accordingly if needed.*
- Blake’s Chicken Pot Pie
- Lean Cuisine Cauli Bowls
- Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Chicken
- Don Lee Farms Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Life Cuisine Carb Wise Chicken Flatbread Melt
- Real Good Foods Orange Chicken
- Amy’s Cheese Pizza Snacks
- Urban Pie Pizza Co. Spinach & Roasted Mushrooms Thin Hemp Seed Crust Pizza
- Against The Grain Three Cheese Pizza
- Lean Cuisine Favorites Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Evol Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli
- Healthy Choice Zero Bowls
- Lean Cuisine Balance Bowls
- Red’s Organic Chicken, Cilantro & Lime Burrito
- Amy’s Greek Spanakopita Wrap
- Evol Chicken Bean & Rice Burrito
- Amy’s Black Bean Veggie Burgers
- Evol Veggie Burrito Bowl
- Applegate Chicken Nuggets
- KidFresh Spaghetti Loops with Meat Sauce
- Dr. Praeger’s Sweet Potato Dinosaurs
- Healthy Choice Power Bowls
- Hilary’s Eat Well Veggie Burgers
- Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl
- Real Good Foods Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burritos
- Good Food Made Simple Tomatillo Salsa Verde Scramble Breakfast Burrito
- Start Right Waffle Sliders
- Kashi Go Protein Waffles
Best diabetes-friendly frozen dinners
The following frozen meal options are great for any situation and can be found at most grocery stores! They offer quality carbohydrates and protein and make a great blood sugar-friendly meal.
1. Blake’s Chicken Pot Pie
I love chicken pot pie! Blake’s Chicken Pot Pie has 12g protein and only 33g carbohydrate.
- Fat: 24g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 13g
- Sodium: 720mg
2. Lean Cuisine Cauli Bowls
Lean Cuisine Cauli Bowls come in several different varieties and and pack a ton of fiber thanks to all that cauliflower!
- Fat: 8g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 11g
- Sodium: 660mg
3. Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Chicken
Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Chicken is delicious and lower in sodium compared to similar meals. It also offers 16g protein per serving.
- Fat: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 16g
- Sodium: 540mg
Best high-protein frozen meals
All of the meals below have 20g protein or more. Higher protein meals can help stabilize blood sugars and keep you full and satisfied.
4. Don Lee Farms Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos
I first discovered Don Lee Farms Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos at Costco and they are a staple in our house now. I usually eat 3-4 for dinner which totals 21-28g protein!
- Fat: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 260mg
5. Life Cuisine Carb Wise Chicken Flatbread Melt
Not only does the Life Cuisine Carb Wise Chicken Flatbread Melt have 31g protein it also has 16g fiber!
- Fat: 22g
- Fiber: 16g
- Protein: 31g
- Sodium: 790mg
6. Real Good Foods Orange Chicken
Real Good Foods Orange Chicken is gluten free, and it has 23g protein per serving. Add some broccoli or your favorite veggie, and you’ve got a delicious low carb and high protein meal!
- Fat: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 23g
- Sodium: 550mg
Best diabetes-friendly frozen pizzas
These frozen pizzas and pizza crusts are lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and fiber than most options on the market.
7. Amy’s Cheese Pizza Snacks
Imagine a blood sugar-friendly pizza pocket and that’s what you have with Amy’s Cheese Pizza Snacks! Each serving has 9g of protein and 25 Total carbohydrates.
- Fat: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 460mg
8. Urban Pie Pizza Co. Spinach & Roasted Mushrooms Thin Hemp Seed Crust Pizza
Urban Pie Pizza Co. Spinach & Roasted Mushrooms Thin Hemp Seed Crust Pizza is an amazing ready to cook frozen pizza option. They add nuts and seeds to their crusts and pile on the veggies too.
- Fat: 13g
- Fiber:2g
- Protein: 14g
- Sodium: 610mg
9. Against the Grain Three Cheese Pizza
I’ve love Against the Grain’s frozen bread for a long time and they’ve taken the same flavor and texture and put it into pizza form. Against the Grain Three Cheese Pizza is a high in protein and surprisingly low in sodium.
- Fat: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 16g
- Sodium: 180mg
Best diabetes-friendly frozen meals with pasta
Remember, pasta is never off limits just because you have diabetes! These meals do a good job of offering moderate portion sizes and combining pasta with protein sources and veggies.
10. Lean Cuisine Favorites Spaghetti and Meatballs
Lean Cuisine Favorites Spaghetti and Meatballs is delicious though smaller in portion size. It’s ideal for a smaller meal situation but still packs 17g protein.
- Fat: 4.5g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 17g
- Sodium: 670mg
11. Evol Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli
For ravioli, this is my top pick! Pair Evol Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli with some veggies and you’ve got a great well rounded meal!
- Fat: 7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Sodium: 650mg
Best low-carb frozen meals
These low-carb frozen meals all have <20g carbohydrate. You may want to pair an additional carbohydrate source with them if needed, or enjoy them on their own!
12. Healthy Choice Zero Bowls
Healthy Choice Zero Bowls bowls are great for a small lunch since they’re smaller serving size. But, they pack a ton of flavor and have no added sugar.
- Fat: 7g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 27g
- Sodium: 530mg
13. Lean Cuisine Balance Bowls
Lean Cuisine Balance Bowls are a fairly new offering from Lean Cuisine. They’ve earned the new American Diabetes Association Better Choices for Life seal (the first frozen meal to do so)!
- Fat: 5g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 13g
- Sodium: 560mg
Best frozen burritos for diabetes
The following frozen burritos offer moderate carbohydrate amounts from veggies and complex carbohydrate tortillas and 12-17g protein per burrito.
14. Red’s Organic Chicken, Cilantro & Lime Burrito
The cilantro and lime flavor combo in Red’s Organic Chicken, Cilantro & Lime Burrito is amazing! Each burrito has 12g protein.
- Fat: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Sodium: 520mg
15. Amy’s Greek Spanakopita Wrap
Amy’s is known for their delicious meals and frozen burritos, and the Amy’s Greek Spanakopita Wrap is one of my favorite flavors! It also has 12g protein.
- Fat: 13g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Sodium: 810mg
16. Evol Chicken Bean & Rice Burrito
The flavors in this Evol Chicken Bean & Rice Burrito are a bit milder than the other options, but still equally delicious! My kids love these, and with 17g protein, they’re always satisfied.
- Fat: 11g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 16g
- Sodium: 630mg
Best meatless frozen dinners for diabetes
If you’re looking for a plant-based diabetes-friendly frozen meal, these meals offer a great option. They’re loaded with plant-based sources of protein and complex carbohydrates.
17. Amy’s Black Bean Veggie Burgers
For frozen veggie burgers, Amy’s Black Bean Veggie Burgers have always been my favorite for flavor. Each burger has 6g protein, 3g fiber, and 18g carbohydrate.
- Fat: 4g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Sodium: 300mg
18. Evol Veggie Burrito Bowl
If you’re looking for a higher-fiber meatless meal, the Evol Veggie Burrito Bowl has 8g fiber/meal!
- Fat: 16g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 850mg
Best diabetes-friendly freezer meals for kids
We can’t forget about the kids! These meals are more kid-friendly but offer ample amounts of protein and fiber!
19. Applegate Chicken Nuggets
Every person needs a good go-to frozen chicken nugget! Applegate Chicken Nuggets are my pick for quality and flavor.
- Fat: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 12g
- Sodium: 350mg
20. KidFresh Spaghetti Loops with Meat Sauce
KidFresh Spaghetti Loops with Meat Sauce incorporate more veggies than other alternatives which means they have more fiber.
- Fat: 4g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 350mg
21. Dr. Praeger’s Sweet Potato Dinosaurs
Dr. Praeger’s Sweet Potato Dinosaurs adorable little dinosaurs are a great way to get kids excited about eating more veggies.
- Fat: 7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 200mg
Best healthy frozen lunches for diabetes
For lunchtime, we want to focus on high-quality fiber and protein-rich options. I like these meals because they can be paired well with other foods too.
22. Healthy Choice Power Bowls
Healthy Choice Power Bowls are big on veggies. They run ~15g carbohydrate in each meal, with 5-7g fiber.
- Fat: 9g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 23g
- Sodium: 600mg
23. Hilary’s Eat Well Veggie Burgers
Hilary’s Eat Well Veggie Burgers are another delicious veggie burger option. I prefer them cooked on the stovetop but you can also heat them up in the microwave.
- Fat: 5g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 200mg
Best diabetes-friendly frozen breakfast meals
All of these frozen breakfast options are rich in protein and will help keep you satisfied without spiking blood sugar levels. And, more additional breakfast options, check out this post on quick and easy breakfasts!
24. Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl
Jimmy Dean may be better known for their sausage and breakfast sandwiches, but they nailed the egg white bowl category too with their Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl! This is a hearty breakfast option with 22g carbohydrate and 19g protein.
- Fat: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 19g
- Sodium: 730mg
25. Real Good Foods Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Burrito
Real Good Foods has mastered the low-carb breakfast wrap. Real Good Foods Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Burrito is made from a low-carb flour tortilla, and balanced with sausage, egg, and cheese. They discontinued one of my other favorites but these come in a close second – Real Good Foods Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches.
- Fat: 17g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 15g
- Sodium: 700mg
26. Good Food Made Simple Tomatillo Salsa Verde Scramble Breakfast Burrito
If you’re in the mood for a breakfast burrito, Good Food Made Simple Tomatillo Salsa Verde Scramble Breakfast Burrito will give you a breakfast with 12g protein and 35g carbohydrate.
- Fat: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Sodium: 540mg
27. Start Right Waffle Sliders
Start Right Waffle Sliders offers a delicious breakfast sandwich option that’s blood sugar friendly!
- Fat: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Sodium: 640mg
28. Kashi Go Protein Waffles
Kashi Go Protein Waffles have only 11g carbohydrate but 6.5g protein each!
- Fat: 9g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 13g
- Sodium: 230mg
Keto frozen meals
Many of the frozen meals listed above could be labeled as a keto frozen meal. There may be times when you want a lower-carb option. But, you don’t have to look for ket frozen meals specifically if you’re living with diabetes.
My go-to brand when my blood sugar is running higher and I want something lower carbohydrate is Real Good Foods. Their product line includes everything from chicken nuggets to breakfast sandwiches, to enchiladas. And, all are very low in carbohydrates and offer large amounts of protein.
Make your own diabetes-friendly frozen meals
If you’re feeling up for a day of freezer cooking, make sure to check out my e-book “Freezer Cooking“… it walks you step by step through a day of meal prepping and stocking your freezer with yummy diabetic frozen meals!
This post was updated from its original post date in June 2021.
11 Responses
I signed up several times for your subscription to get your Costco list but have not received it in my email to date.
Hi Bud, I’m so sorry to hear that, have you tried checking your junk/spam folder? or sometimes it goes to the promotions folder.
I do see Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice among your selections I don’t see one Smart Ones listed. I thought I was doing good for myself by stocking up on them, some are good others not so good. I look at the sugar content but I see the carbs and protein seam to be more important. I will make a list of some of your selections and try them out. thank you, JP Brannigan
Thank you for this comprehensive list Amy! My father has such a hard time with picking the right foods.
How do I request the Costco list, as they frequent their’s often.
i am going blind online trying to find easy frozen meals for pre diabetes. i’m am considering to go all out for a keto diet. please include me on your list. i think i’ll do better with some guidance. thanks
Hi thanks for the help.
I shop at Safeway
Could I please get your Safeway or Costco list?
Thank you
Bob layton
Blayton@shaw.ca
Hi Bob! You can find my costco list here: https://www.milkandhoneynutrition.com/healthy-costco-grocery-shopping-list-by-aisle/
Thank you for such an extensive list!
i’m prediabetic having hard time finding breakfast meals , good use some advice