Eating well is the best tool you have to help you manage your diabetes (along with exercise, of course). But sometimes after a long day of work, the effort to put together a healthy, balanced home cooked meal can be too much to handle. You might be tempted to simply go to a fast food restaurant to get something quick and easy—but there’s a better way. 

Discover simple solutions to home cooking that fuel and nourish your body, help you manage your diabetes, taste great, and best of all, are quick and easy! 

Tips for Cooking Quick and Easy Meals at Home

• Meal prep
  • Choose your least busy day of the week to make a large meal that you can enjoy for the rest of the week. Divide into single meal portions, and store in the freezer or refrigerator for quick and easy meals that you can reheat to enjoy. 
     
• Try a meal delivery service
  • Choose from a variety of menu options (including ones that fit the Diabetes Plate Method) and the service of your choice will send you a box with everything you need to create a balanced meal. Explore services that provide healthy premade meals or quick and easy meals you prepare yourself for those days when getting food on the table in a dash is your priority. 

• Stock up on ready-to-go items to use as building blocks for a quick and healthy meal, like: 
  • Canned veggies with no salt added
  • Canned fruits packed in water
  • Canned meats with no salt added and packed in water
  • Frozen produce
  • Frozen prepared meats
  • Packaged salads
  • Other prepared foods—like frozen veggie-based versions of classics from CAULIPOWER^®! 

Healthy Meals Made Easy with Premade Products

For a lot of people, premade products at the grocery store are likely to be the quickest and most convenient way to get food on the table. But when choosing prepared and ready-to-go items, look for foods that are low in sodium and less healthy fats (trans and saturated), and high in nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. 

And you don’t have to pick premade items that are a complete meal—try ones that act as a base to customize a meal that will help you reach your nutritional goals. Get inspired with these recipes we created using CAULIPOWER’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust:  

• Avocado Egg Pizza
• Nuts for Pine Nuts Pizza
• Pesto Peach Pizza

The Takeaway

Healthy, balanced food is our body’s fuel and protection against high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels and cooking it doesn’t have to be difficult. For those days when cooking seems impossible, turn to meal prepping, meal delivery services, and premade items from the grocery store to get healthy food on the table fast.

This article brought to you by CAULIPOWER^®, a proud supporter of the American Diabetes Association^® and Diabetes Food Hub^®.