Healthy Recipes Health Conditions Diabetes-Friendly Diabetic Lunch Recipes 19 10-Min Lunch Recipes for Better Blood Sugar By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 19, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Get the most out of your lunch break with these quick and easy lunch recipes. Each dish takes just 10 minutes or less to make so you’ll have a yummy meal ready in a jiff. They’re also lower in calories, carbs, sodium and saturated fat to align with a diabetes-appropriate eating pattern. Make sure to try options like our Open-Face Goat Cheese Sandwich with Tomato & Avocado Salad or our Chicken & Cabbage Bowls with Sesame Dressing for a delicious, blood sugar-friendly lunch. 01 of 19 Shrimp Salad with Peanut Dressing Using applesauce in the peanut dressing lends a sweet, tart flavor that pairs wonderfully with shrimp. View Recipe 02 of 19 Open-Face Goat Cheese Sandwich with Tomato & Avocado Salad This simple lunch comes together in just 10 minutes, making it a great option for busy days. View Recipe 03 of 19 Green Goddess Tuna Salad Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco Canned tuna makes this recipe convenient and pantry-friendly while also offering an impressive punch of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, sardines or mackerel would work just as well in this quick recipe. Use the remaining herb sauce as a dressing for salads or grain bowls, as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip for vegetables. This recipe is easily doubled to make a big batch to meal-prep for the week. Serve on bread or in a wrap, over a bed of greens or scooped up with your favorite chips, crackers or cucumber slices. View Recipe 04 of 19 Chicken & Cabbage Bowls with Sesame Dressing Photographer: Rachel Marek, Prop stylist: Holly Dreesman, Food stylist: Gabriel Greco Four convenience products are all you need to prepare these tasty bowls. A bag of shredded coleslaw serves as the base that’s topped with seasoned chicken strips, crunchy flavored almonds and a drizzle of sesame dressing. Leftover chicken can easily stand in for the chicken strips. Traditional cabbage coleslaw works well, as does broccoli slaw for a slightly different look and flavor. View Recipe 05 of 19 Cucumber Sandwich with Cotija & Lime Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman This easy vegetarian cucumber sandwich draws flavor inspiration from elote, the Mexican street corn dish. Instead of corn, we flavor cucumber slices with cotija cheese, lime and cilantro for a tasty filling. Cotija cheese, a salty, crumbly Mexican cheese, is similar in flavor and texture to feta cheese, which can be used as a substitute. Arugula adds a peppery flavor, but any tender greens will work well here. View Recipe 06 of 19 Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender. View Recipe 07 of 19 3-Ingredient Salmon & Veggie Sandwich Photographer: Carson Downing, Food stylist: Annie Probst, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek This 3-ingredient salmon sandwich recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked veggies and salmon (you can also use canned salmon). Pulling out the insides of the bread makes a nice pocket for the filling. Use those bread pieces to make breadcrumbs or croutons. View Recipe 08 of 19 Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts. View Recipe 09 of 19 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables, depending on your mood. View Recipe 10 of 19 Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls Curry doesn't have to take hours to prepare. With the help of our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken (see associated recipe) and some cooked whole grains, you can make these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes! Keep them in the fridge for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or for healthy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. View Recipe 11 of 19 3-Ingredient Cucumber Boursin Wrap Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle An easy lunch is only three ingredients away with this cucumber Boursin wrap. Boursin spreadable cheese is flavorful and functional, as it holds the chopped cucumber in place as you roll up the wrap. You can slice and enjoy this easy sandwich right away, or pack it up for lunch. If you are saving it for later, pat the chopped cucumber with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. View Recipe 12 of 19 Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly. View Recipe 13 of 19 Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple This salad with lentils, feta and apple is a satisfying vegetarian entree to whip together for lunch. To save time, swap in drained canned lentils—just make sure to look for low-sodium and give them a rinse before adding them to the salad. View Recipe 14 of 19 Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich Brie Passano When you boil eggs ahead of time, it's easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free. View Recipe 15 of 19 Tuna Salad & Tomato Sandwich Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser This classic deli-style tuna sandwich is packed with protein and topped with a juicy slice of fresh tomato. This recipe makes one sandwich, but you can easily double or quadruple the recipe to make more. Sweet pickle relish adds a contrast of flavors to the mix, but if you prefer something less sweet, dill pickle relish can be used in its place. View Recipe 16 of 19 Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead. View Recipe 17 of 19 Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco This easy vegetarian wrap makes a great grab-and-go lunch for work or school. Roasted red pepper hummus adds color and a little extra flavor, but any flavor hummus will work well here. Cucumber, sprouts, salad greens or spinach all add a refreshing crunch. For a peppery kick, try using arugula. View Recipe 18 of 19 Chicken Avocado BLT Wrap Who doesn't love a BLT? In this Mexican-inspired version, we've added chicken and avocado and wrapped it in a tortilla, making it easy to eat. View Recipe 19 of 19 Cabbage, Tofu & Edamame Salad Craving crunch? Bite into this salad loaded with crisp red cabbage, edamame, bamboo shoots and chow mein noodles. This salad is slightly sweetened with baked tofu, mandarin oranges and sesame vinaigrette. View Recipe Medically reviewed by Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit