8 Best Diabetic Meal Delivery Services—From a Health Editor
Updated: Oct. 16, 2023
Our Health Editor takes the guesswork out of preparing a meal that's low in carbs and sugar with these convenient and tasty diabetic meal delivery options.
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Do you feel like you don’t always have time to plan recipes, shop for ingredients and cook healthy from scratch? You’re certainly not alone. Meal delivery services have gained significant popularity, and they’ve quickly become the new way to whip up restaurant-quality meals without all the fuss (read: planning a grocery list and shopping).
It’s clear that consumers are turning to subscription services for their mealtime needs, and this is especially true for specialty diets, such as keto and gluten-free options. Diabetic-friendly diets are certainly no exception, but how do you find the best one? While some diabetic meal delivery services offer highly specialized plans, others offer several plant-based, keto and low-carb options.
“People with type 2 diabetes (or those with prediabetes) should look for a meal kit company that employs a dietitian to support the chef with curating diabetes-friendly recipes and ingredients,” says Senior Shopping Editor and registered dietitian, Nancy Snyder. “Additionally, a diabetes-friendly meal does not mean no carbs!”
Nancy explains that carbohydrates should be from quality sources and make up only roughly a quarter of your plate (think whole grains, beans, lentils, fruit or starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes.) “These quality carbohydrates contain fiber—and in the case of beans and lentils—additional protein, which helps slow down absorption and better regulate blood sugar,” adds Nancy. “The remainder of the meal should consist of non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli, leafy greens), lean cuts of protein and minimal amounts of healthy, unsaturated fats (avocado, nuts and seeds).”
Read on to discover our top picks for (mostly) heat-and-eat diabetic meal delivery services that’ll help you keep your sugars balanced at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Parents, make sure you check out this list of the best meal delivery services for your family too.
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Best Overall Diabetic Meal Delivery
BistroMD
Founder Dr. Caroline Cederquist, M.D., literally puts the “MD” in BistroMD, and she operates her brand with the belief that food is medicine. The menu is designed to help with weight loss and offers various customized plans, such as gluten-free, heart-healthy, diabetic and low-sodium diets. The diabetic-friendly program is designed by a registered dietitian to help you maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Each chef-prepared entree has 25 grams or less of net carbs, plus adequate lean protein to help regulate blood sugar.
There are two full program options that offer breakfasts, lunches and dinners (one is for seven days, the other for five), plus options for five or seven days of just lunches and dinners. With over 100 rotating diabetic meals—such as hickory smoked barbecue pork with broccoli and grilled salmon with creamy pesto—staying on track has never been easier or more delicious.
Pros
- #1 Doctor-created service overseen by registered dietitians
- Large menu of options (over 100 diabetic-friendly meals)
- Ready-to-eat meals
- Customizable meal plans
- Flexible delivery
Cons
- No delivery to Hawaii or Alaska
- Weekly subscription required (but you can cancel or pause at any time)
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Best Diabetic Meal Variety
Diet-to-Go
The best diabetic meal delivery services take the guesswork out of the equation. And that’s exactly what you’ll get with Diet-to-Go, which offers a chef-crafted menu that follows the American Diabetes Association guidelines for carbohydrates, fats and protein, so you can rest easy knowing their wide menu is readily accessible and truly diabetic-friendly. All meals arrive ready to eat (just heat and eat!) and are heart-healthy and nutritionally balanced with less than 45 grams of carbs and an average of 15 grams of protein.
We love that they have options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, Diet-to-Go’s breakfast menu boasts mouth-watering selections beyond smoothies or juices like an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and waffles with blueberry cream cheese.
Pros
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner options
- Ready-to-eat, chef-crafted meals
- Customized meals
- Flexible delivery with the option to pause at any time
Cons
- A little pricier than cooking yourself, but worth it for the ease of convenience and peace of mind
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Best Plant-Based Delivery Service
Trifecta Nutrition
Though Trifecta Nutrition doesn’t offer a diabetes-specific meal plan, they do offer a plant-based meal plan, plus keto- and paleo-plans. “Individuals with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes can greatly benefit from seeking out plant-based meal kits,” explains Nancy. “Choose meal kits with a variety of quality, whole plant-based foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lentils, nuts and seeds—that are naturally sweetened or flavored with herbs and spices. In doing so, you’ll replace saturated fat, sodium and added sugars with more fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthful fats.”
With Trifecta Nutrition’s plant-based meal plan, you’ll enjoy eating nutrient-dense, diabetic-friendly meals that are anything but boring (barbacoa black bean bowl, anyone?). We love that meals are crafted by health and nutrition experts to deliver the absolute best food to your table. Each meal boasts around 15 grams of protein. Plus, they’re ready to eat—no chopping, dicing or assembling the meal yourself. Need more reason to try Trifecta? Check out our review.
Pros
- Plant-based, keto and paleo meal plans
- Ready-to-eat meals
- Created by health, nutrition and culinary experts
- Environmentally-friendly meals
- Pause or cancel at any time for free
Cons
- Doesn’t offer a specific diabetic meal plan, but other plans are diabetic-friendly
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Best “Cook It Yourself” Delivery Service
Green Chef
While a lot of diabetic meal delivery services offer ready-to-eat options, sometimes you want to enjoy the pleasures of whipping up a home-cooked meal. Still, looking for a no-fuss plan that takes the guesswork out is key. Enter Green Chef. Certified organic and packed with low-carb, fiber-rich plans ideal for anyone managing diabetes, Green Chef’s low-carb meal plan delivers pre-measured ingredients and easy, step-by-step instructions to craft a home-cooked meal without having to plan a grocery list or go shopping.
Choose the exact meals you want to cook each week, with all recipes in the low-carb plan featuring only 15-20 grams of net carbs per serving. Plus, the carbs included consist of healthy fats, high-quality animal protein, fresh produce, seeds and nuts. Restaurant-quality, diabetic-friendly meals, await! Learn more in our Green Chef review.
Pros
- Pre-measured ingredients and instructions make it easy to whip up a meal on your own
- Low-carb, keto and paleo meal plans available
- Low-carb meals consist of high-quality carbs rich in healthy fats and protein
- Flexible delivery schedule
- Meals are customizable and 100% up to your choices
Cons
- Diabetic-specific meal plan not available; rather low-carb and keto options
Via Merchant
Best Keto Delivery Service
Factor
It’s important to watch carb count when choosing a diabetic meal delivery service, and the dietitians who design Factor’s meals understand how to make keto meal kits that fit your lifestyle. That’s why they offer 25 meals and 36 add-ons (think: soups, shakes and green juices) each week. By selecting the Keto plan, you’ll receive 60% of your calories from fat, 20% from protein and 10% from carbohydrates.
And you won’t be stuck with boring chicken and broccoli bowls either. Instead, enjoy fresh (never frozen) options like a spicy turkey poblano bowl, rosemary pepper pork chop and shrimp alfredo. All subscriptions come with a complimentary 20-minute consult with a registered dietitian so that the nutrition advice is tailored to your needs.
Pros
- Low in carbs
- Delivers to the 48 contiguous states
- Can cancel or pause subscription at any time
- Truly delicious meals that stay fresh for 7 days
Cons
- No low-sodium meal options
- Limited variety compared to other services
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Best Gluten- and Dairy-Free Delivery Service
Splendid Spoon
Another plant-based meal delivery service, Splendid Spoon offers a wide variety of diabetic-friendly meals and snacks crafted by chefs and nutritionists including smoothies, juices, soups, noodles and main dishes like vegan chicken parm or grain bowls. Not only are their meals gluten- and dairy-free, but they’re rich in fiber-dense complex carbs, healthy fats and protein. Though Splendid Spoon doesn’t offer a filter for diabetic meals, they help you sort through meal preferences like high fiber, high protein, low sugar, low carb and low sodium choices to customize your delivery.
Pros
- 100% gluten- and dairy-free meals
- Meals are nutrient-dense in protein, healthy fats and fiber-rich complex carbs
- Crafted by chefs and nutritionists
- Ready-to-eat options for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Cons
- Doesn’t offer a specific diabetic meal plan, but they do offer plenty of meals with high-protein and fiber-rich complex carbs
Via Merchant
Best Organic Diabetic Meal Delivery
Provenance Meals
While it doesn’t have a program specifically called “diabetic-friendly,” Provenance does ensure that its meals are organic and free of gluten, dairy and refined sugars. The Daily Essentials Program, which is only available in NYC and LA currently, is delivered straight to your doorstep and is ready to eat right out of the box. Before starting, you’ll receive a free consultation with the in-house health coach. Ongoing sessions are available for purchase.
Choose from omnivore or plant-based meals that include breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that cost $12 to $29 per meal. Not only do these meals help balance blood sugar, but they also banish bloat, support a healthy gut, reduce inflammation and increase energy. Doesn’t chicken Tikka Masala with sauteed spinach and dried tart cherries sound delish? How about a caramelized fennel frittata with tomato jam? And don’t miss the black bean soup with avocado and pepitas.
Pros
- Organic meals free of gluten, dairy and refined sugars
- Omnivore and plant-based meal options
- Dishes have gourmet flavor combinations and very fresh ingredients
- Free consultation with in-house coach
Cons
- No “official” diabetic plan
- Availability currently limited to NYC and LA
Via Merchant
Best Paleo Delivery Service
Pete’s Paleo
If you have diabetes and follow a Paleo diet because it’s generally lower on the glycemic scale, then put Pete’s Paleo on your radar. Place your order on Mondays and your meals will be shipped fresh for delivery on Friday. All of the meals are gluten-, dairy- and soy-free and the menus change with the seasons. Each meal has 4.5 ounces of protein and 7 ounces of veggies.
Customers go crazy for the pork chops over fennel sweet potato hash, arugula-basil pesto chicken with roasted veggies and beef meatballs with roasted red pepper marinara with broccoli and spaghetti squash. Choose from five, 10, 14 or a family plan, based on your meal needs. One more nice feature? This company makes the nutritional information available in case you’re counting calories and macros (protein, fat and carbs).
Pros
- Paleo meals are diabetic-friendly
- The produce is so fresh that it’s often harvested the same day it’s prepared
- Menu changes weekly
- Skip a week or cancel any time
- Includes a breakdown of your macros
Cons
- No delivery to Hawaii or Alaska
What to Look for in a Diabetic Meal Delivery Service
When choosing the diabetic meal delivery service that’s right for you, keep the following factors in mind:
- Convenience: If you don’t want to cook, be sure to choose a heat-and-eat option that’ll be ready in minutes with no mess to clean up. If you’re open to spending a little time prepping and cooking ingredients that are delivered to your doorstep, then get your apron ready. “Meal kits should also be flavorful and offer variety so that they will be a sustainable choice in your diet,” shares Nancy. “Bonus points if they can also prove educational on portion control and meal ideas for newly diagnosed diabetics.”
- Dietary needs: Most diabetic-friendly services are truly designed with diabetic customers in mind; other companies offer Paleo and Keto plans, which are popular choices for eating a low-carb diet that can help regulate blood sugar.
- Budget: Keeping your food budget in mind will help ensure these convenient options don’t break the bank. Double-check the price per serving or cost per week and look for meal kit sales.
- Nutrition: Avoiding refined carbs and added sugars is a priority, but it’s also important to get enough protein, fiber and healthy fats to help round out the meal. “Avoid meal kits that contain fried or processed foods, added sugars (<10% of calories), high amounts of sodium (<750 mg per serving) or saturated fat (<10% of calories)," adds Nancy.
With any dietary needs, “Be sure to consult with your physician or dietitian before selecting a meal kit to ensure you’re choosing one that meets your individual health goals and dietary needs, as well as staying within your daily carbohydrate and caloric range,” says Nancy.
Why You Should Trust Us
As an award-winning freelance writer with 20+ years of experience, I’ve written and edited content for a variety of well-known print and digital publications including Southern Living, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Reader’s Digest and of course, Taste of Home. I specialize in health, travel and wellness to deliver the absolute best product recommendations whether you’re shopping for the best suitcases or meal delivery services for specialized diets.
How We Found the Best Diabetic Meal Delivery Services
Our list of the best diabetic meal delivery services was chosen based on the quality of their ingredients. Many prioritize organic produce and pasture-raised meats, and most are free of gluten, soy and dairy. We also looked at their professional standards. Some companies work with registered dietitians or doctors to ensure healthy, well-rounded recipes and their ability to meet the needs of someone with diabetes.
Additional research contributed by Associate Shopping Editor, Madi Koetting
Originally Published: March 23, 2022
