Healthy Recipes Health Conditions Diabetes-Friendly Diabetes-Friendly Dinners 19 Diabetes-Friendly, High-Fiber Dinners You Can Make Ahead 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 July 31, 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 Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless A little planning goes a long way with these make-ahead dinner ideas! These dishes are conscious of calories, sodium and saturated fat to align with our parameters for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern and support healthy blood sugar levels. They’re also high in fiber, with at least 6 grams per serving, which can support healthy weight maintenance, promote healthy digestion and lower risk of chronic diseases like heart disease. With make-ahead options like our Black Bean Enchilada Skillet and One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta, you’ll have a delicious and nourishing meal ready to go when it’s time for dinner. 01 of 19 Chickpeas alla Vodka Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser This Chickpeas alla Vodka is the ultra-quick, fiber-packed dinner you’ve been waiting for! Chickpeas are swimming in a creamy vodka sauce that gets enhancements from sautéed garlic, onion and vibrant green baby kale. Crispy, toasted whole-wheat bread is perfect for dipping. You can customize this dish easily by using chard or spinach in place of kale. View Recipe 02 of 19 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This nutrient-packed grain bowl comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwaveable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights. View Recipe 03 of 19 One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless This one-pot pasta dish with white beans, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes is lively and vibrant and leaves you with an easy cleanup. View Recipe 04 of 19 Black Bean Enchilada Skillet Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall This easy version of black bean enchiladas only needs one pan and skips the hassle of stuffing and rolling corn tortillas. We use mild enchilada sauce to keep the spice level suitable for everyone, but if you prefer more heat, using medium or hot enchilada sauce will add extra zest to your meal. View Recipe 05 of 19 Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili Mac Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell Chili meets mac and cheese in this fix-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker dinner. Hot tomato sauce, a Mexican canned tomato sauce that also includes spices and chiles for heat, kicks up the flavor. View Recipe 06 of 19 Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils This earthy bowl of lentils is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness. View Recipe 07 of 19 Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy. View Recipe 08 of 19 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables. View Recipe 09 of 19 Three-Bean Chili This rib-sticking bean chili is richly flavored with cumin, chili, paprika, oregano and an assortment of peppers. Use whatever beans you have in your pantry. View Recipe 10 of 19 Curried Chickpea Stew Who says a meatless meal isn't filling? Packed with fiber-rich vegetables and chickpeas, this fragrant stew satisfies. View Recipe 11 of 19 Eggplant Gyros Eggplant's meaty texture is a delicious vegetarian stand-in for the lamb that typically fills a gyro sandwich. The vegetable absorbs the lemony-herby-spicy marinade like a sponge, so if you have time, let it marinate for the full day. View Recipe 12 of 19 Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl with Cauliflower Rice This easy-to-make and meal-prep burrito bowl is even better than takeout! You'll never miss the carbs in this protein-packed, super-flavorful meal that replaces the cilantro-lime rice with cauliflower rice. We love this with chicken but it would be just as delicious with shrimp. View Recipe 13 of 19 White Turkey Chili This healthy white turkey chili is gorgeous, with flecks of green from zucchini, oregano and green chiles, plus whole-grain bulgur to boost the volume and fiber. View Recipe 14 of 19 Florentine Lasagna Roll-Ups Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Ruth Blackburn / Audrey Davis Think portion control with these individual lasagna roll-ups. Leftovers are great for lunch the next day. View Recipe 15 of 19 Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce This veggie burger is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. View Recipe 16 of 19 Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto Your co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you'll have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days—just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning. View Recipe 17 of 19 Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes, Beans & Almond Pesto Looking at a tangle of spaghetti squash tricks your brain into thinking you're about to eat a serving of eggy noodles, when in fact, you get a nice calorie and carb savings in this healthy recipe. Giving tomatoes a stint in a hot oven makes them candy-sweet. View Recipe 18 of 19 Eggplant Tortilla Casserole This layered casserole is inspired by classic cheese enchiladas, minus the fuss of rolling and stuffing individual tortillas. You'd never guess that within this comforting casserole hides a layer of thinly sliced eggplant. The thin slices become tender when roasted and add a subtle savory note. View Recipe 19 of 19 Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you're serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce. 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