What’s the Best Diabetic Meal Delivery Program? Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

The 5 Best Diabetic Meal Delivery Programs

Managing diabetes can be stressful, especially if you aren’t comfortable in the kitchen. Being able to source ingredients, gather recipes, and find time to cook is a luxury we don’t all have. Counting carbs alone can leave you unmotivated to cook.

Knowing what to eat is an important part of living with diabetes. When you don’t have the time to deal with the hassle, your health can suffer. Meal delivery kits can remove that stress, while still providing you with healthy, tasty choices.

A meal delivery plan is a service that delivers pre-cooked dinners to your door. All you need to do is spend a few minutes heating them up. Many services now create meals to cater specifically to a diabetes-friendly diet.

We’ve rounded up some kits, so you can have delicious meals that suit your needs, delivered to your door.

BistroMD Diabetic Plan

Best All Round

BistroMD is the full package, a doctor-designed meal kit for every part of the day. Their diabetic-friendly plan caters to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a range of foods to ensure you won’t get bored. 

The BistroMD Diabetic Plan was created by Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist, the founding physician of BistroMD, as a response to the needs of the customers.

She listened to what was required from a meal plan, to formulate a system that delivered regular, healthy, no-fuss meals that were still tasty. The result is a hugely popular meal delivery service.

BistroMD isn’t just designed to accommodate diabetes, but also to encourage weight loss. This is where the doctors and dieticians are put to work, creating delicious meals with 25 grams or fewer of net carbohydrates.

Maintaining a healthy blood glucose level is vital for those dealing with diabetes, and this goal is at the forefront of the plan. There are no trans fats or added MSG, but a focus on delicious ingredients.

BistroMD believes dieting should be about more than just cutting calories, designing entrées that leave you satisfied for sustained weight loss. If you’re struggling with your health, then BistroMD has registered dieticians on hand to offer individual support.

This service is incredibly easy to use while remaining flexible. The full program offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, across 7 or 5 days. Or instead, choose the lunch and dinner option, which again can be tailored for either 5 or 7 days.

Once you’ve chosen your plan, you select your meals online and wait for delivery. The meals are delivered frozen, to be heated through in a matter of minutes.

Pros

• Dietician approved – BistroMD uses science to ensure their meals are as good as they can be.
• Over 100 meals – There’s a huge variety to prevent food boredom.
• Individual care – If you’re struggling, BistroMD provides support.

Cons

• No reduced plan – There’s no option for just dinner choices, making it a full-on option.

Diet-To-Go

Best Weight Loss

Diet-to-go has been formulated by following the American Diabetes Association’s nutritional guidelines, to create a meal plan that manages diabetes and aids weight loss. There are 4 different plans offered by diet-to-go, all with a focus on high-quality, healthy food.

Balance is their standard plan, recommended for pre-diabetics. These meals are calorie-controlled and nutritionally balanced, with a massive variety. Vegetarian Balance is also available, featuring the same great benefits but meat-free.

While this isn’t formulated for diabetes, it is controlled for carbs, cholesterol, fat, and sodium. 

Balance Diabetes builds on the highly-rated balance plan while tailoring it to better meet the needs of diabetics. Meal options are slightly more limited, but each one is designed to naturally control blood sugar levels. They’re also heart-friendly, and calorie-controlled to assist weight loss.

Diet-to-go also has a Keto-Carb30 plan, with carb-restricted meals. Keto has been shown to be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. The Diet-to-go Balance Diabetes menu is ideal for those who have type 2 diabetes, or pre-diabetes. Diet-to-go can manage the condition, and may even eliminate it.

Using the service is incredibly simple, while still allowing room for customization. Their website is easy to navigate. Once you’ve picked your menu, substitutions are free for any meals you’re less interested in trying. The meals are delivered ready to heat or can be frozen to consume later. 

Diet-to-go is a supportive service, so they have staff on hand to guide you through your health journey. With over 27 years of experience, you can feel in safe hands trusting diet-to-go. If you still aren’t convinced, check out some of the impressive success stories on their website.

Pros

• Free substitutions – It’s easy to tailor a diet for your tastes.
• Proven history – The company was founded in 1991, and there are a multitude of success stories.
• Stress-free – Their diet plan takes out the stress of meal planning.

Cons

• No reduced plan – You can choose from 3 or 2 meals a day, but there are no single entrée options.

 

Metabolic Meals

Best for Active Lifestyles

Designed for the busy lifestyle, Metabolic Meals have created a diabetes-friendly delivery service that’s a low hassle and promotes activity. These meals are intended to manage your condition, encourage weight loss, and leave you time to get out and enjoy life. 

Metabolic Meals have put a real focus on food selection, with organic ingredients and grass-fed proteins. Their team of chefs and nutritionists have designed meals that don’t sacrifice flavor or nutrition. Each meal is delivered fresh, ready to be heated from the refrigerator, or frozen for later consumption.

As well as their standard menu, Metabolic Meals also offers a diabetic menu. They focus on 3 key areas to balance blood sugar for healthy living: proteins rich in omega-3 fats, vegetables high in fiber, and nuts and seeds filled with healthy fatty acids.

For those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, or pre-diabetes, Metabolic Meals are formulated for success.

There are 2 ways to order from Metabolic Meals, depending on how much control you want. The Chef’s Choice Plan is a structured menu that you opt into. All the meals are chosen, and you can view what’s coming next online. The My Choice Plan offers more control, as you can pick from a rotating menu. 

Metabolic Meals encourage an active lifestyle, and the Chef Choice menu is designed to give you more hours in the day. Remaining active is a big part of managing diabetes, and the protein-rich meals keep you fueled. 

If you enjoy more control over your food, then the My Choice plan is slightly less intuitive than other options. Both meal plans have fewer choices than some larger services. But the food is tasty, with quality ingredients.

Pros

• Ingredient choice – Everything is organically sourced, with grass-fed free-range proteins.
• Environmentally friendly – Green packaging is used to keep you and the planet healthy.
• Chefs Choice Plan – Perfect for busy lifestyles.

Cons

• Limited choice – The menu is less extensive than some other options.
• Price – The service can be expensive, especially if you pick for yourself.

Sunbasket

Best for Beginner Chefs

Often the stress of preparing diabetes-friendly meals is in sourcing recipes and ingredients. Sunbasket understands that many of those with diabetes still love to cook, they just don’t know where to start.

With Sunbasket, you can order diabetes-friendly meal kits straight to your door. These kits contain ingredients and cooking instructions, to keep you active in your food choices. Each meal is balanced to accommodate your health requirements while using organic products and clean ingredients.

For new cooks, some of the meals may be slightly complicated, but Sunbasket assists you along the way. One huge advantage of this is learning more about cooking. The meal kits are a good starting point for anyone who rarely cooks. 

The diabetes plan is approved by the American Diabetes Association. Each meal contains high-quality carbohydrates from whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. There are at least 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving, for an all-around healthy menu.

While their meal kits are fantastic, Sunbasket also offers ready-to-eat meals. These options are prepared with the same quality ingredients and focus on flavor, already cooked for you.

And you don’t have to choose one or the other! Mix and match meal kits and prepared meals to fit your lifestyle and time constraints. Sunbasket accommodates a range of diets alongside their diabetic-friendly meals. You can even filter your options to avoid certain foods.

Managing diabetes can be difficult, especially if you aren’t used to cooking. Sunbasket is a slow introduction to the world of healthy meal preparation. 

Pros

• Meal kits – Learn to prepare and cook healthy ingredients.
• Flexible plans – Options for both ordering and delivery are varied.
• Organic ingredients – The foundation of all their meals is carefully sourced ingredients.

Cons

• More effort – The meal kits are a necessity for a varied plan, so it isn’t as easy as a simple delivery service.

 

Freshly

Best for Individuals

Freshly may not be specifically designed as a diabetes-friendly option, but every meal is health-conscious, low in carbs, and built on vegetables. This makes it a great option for those who need some help to eat healthily, but have a good understanding of their diet.

What sets Freshly apart is the single servings and reduced options. Many of us shy away from meal delivery programs because they require a commitment that doesn’t fit our lifestyle.

Freshly navigates this by offering every meal as a single serving with as few as 4 meals per week. This means you can be flexible with your cooking, without building up a backlog of uneaten meals.

Convenience is key at Freshly. Each week you can pick your meals from a rotation, and they’re delivered fresh to your door on the day of your choosing.

Then it’s just a few minutes in the microwave, and you’re ready to go! If you can’t finish them all in time, dinners can be frozen to extend shelf life, and heated up with only a little extra time microwaving.

The meals at Freshly vary from the traditional to the adventurous. All are based around the 3 philosophies Freshly prides itself on: less sugar, less processed, more nutrients. By emphasizing these principles, Freshly aims to create health-conscious dishes that taste good and make us reflect on what we eat. 

Freshly stands out because it’s perfect for a single person with a busy lifestyle. Where other meal delivery programs take the stress out of every meal, Freshly lets you stay in control. You can pick what you want when you want it, and when you don’t want it. Healthy food for busy people.

Pros

• Single servings – Ideal for single households, but adaptable for couples and families.
• Thoughtful ingredients – Freshly look for quality, and have over 85 banned ingredients.
• Varied choices – Servings include both the standard and the unusual, for adventurous eaters.

Cons

• Pricing – It’s cheaper to get more, so small orders can be expensive.

 

Buyer’s Guide

Nutrition

The absolutely most important thing when choosing a diabetic meal delivery program is to consider the nutritional benefits. Those that are formulated specifically to accommodate diabetes are best because these will be designed to manage the condition with the low hassle.

Other healthy meal delivery kits may be good, but be careful to check what makes them healthy. A simple weight loss program may not balance the meals effectively.

Many meal delivery programs work with nutritionists and chefs. This combination should result in quality meals that deliver flavor without compromising health. 

If you have other health conditions to take into consideration, services such as BistroMD and Sunbasket offer tailored choices. Some programs also offer support services, so you can consult a nutritionist about your diet.

Delivery

The two essential factors of delivery are: where they deliver, and when they deliver. Some services allow you to choose a delivery day that suits you, where others will only deliver to your area on a predetermined day.

And while most meal delivery programs cover continental America, there are still some with a limited range. If you live in Hawaii or Alaska, you may struggle to find a service that delivers to you.

Costs of delivery are varied, and you should factor this into your budget. Delivery can get expensive, especially if you’re only ordering a small amount. While some services do offer free delivery, this isn’t common.

Plans

Before you start looking for a meal delivery program, you need to decide the type of plan you want. Consider how many meals you want to be catered to and for how many days a week. Many subscription services can be full-on. They’ll cover all three meals, seven days a week.

However, this may not work for many types of lifestyles. Be sure about the kind of service you need before you start looking. It’s also important to know if you can pause or cancel a program.

Whether you’re off on holiday, or simply won’t be in the house much, there’s sure to be weeks when a meal delivery won’t be necessary. Most services do allow you to pause deliveries, so long as you inform them in advance.

Meals

This may seem obvious, but the type of food provided is a major factor in deciding on a program. While health is the focus of all these services, some are more adventurous than others. In the past, these services have had a reputation for being slightly bland. Luckily, as the market expands, so does the range.

Now, diabetes-friendly programs are cooking food that tastes fantastic while maintaining health benefits. Before you decide what to pick, have a browse through the menu and see what’s on offer.

Budget

Eating a diabetes-friendly diet can be expensive, especially if you live in an area with limited access to fresh ingredients. A major benefit of meal delivery programs is that you can eat healthily, year-round, without wasting food. However, a meal delivery service is unlikely to be a cheaper option.

With many of these places, you’re paying for restaurant-quality food to be delivered to your home. Set a clear budget before you start shopping.

Frequent Asked Questions

Are there any diabetic meal delivery services?

Yes, and they’re growing in number. There are meal delivery services tailored specifically for those with diabetes, such as Diet-to-go and Metabolic Meals. Other subscription services, like Sunbasket, are also expanding their range to cover more diabetic-friendly meals. 

How do I prepare the meals?

Each meal should come with instructions on how to heat through. Many will only require a few minutes in the microwave to be ready to eat. Some companies, such as Sunbasket, provide meal kits. These come with ingredients and a detailed preparation plan, to guide you through the process.

What makes diabetic meals different?

Diabetic meal delivery programs will deliver food that is low in carbohydrates, to help regulate blood sugar levels. Instead, the meals will be high in protein and packed full of nutrients. A good service will leave you feeling full, and fueled up to take on the day.

 

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