Diabetic Meals from the Freezer

Stocking the freezer with the right foods helps people with diabetes ward off temptations. Reaching for junk food or fast food in a rush is always a poor choice. Make healthier decisions by keeping quick and easy diabetic meals in the freezer.

• Keep plenty of diabetes-friendly foods in your freezer to grab on-the-go. Frozen strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are tasty snacks and desserts. Heat up frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots for a side dish or quick meal by adding a protein source. Top them off with no-fat, no-calorie Walden Farms Sauces for robust flavor. Other yummy frozen vegetables to keep on hand include spinach, sugar snap peas and whole green beans. Fruits and vegetables are rich in essential vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C.
• You can also keep sources of lean protein in the freezer. Stock up on frozen tuna and salmon for dinner. Make breakfast a breeze with frozen low-fat turkey sausage and egg substitutes. Get ground flaxseed to sprinkle over yogurt or fruit for a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator the night before you cook it. Frozen food can also be thawed on a low setting in the microwave.
• Often pre-packaged frozen foods are high in fat, calories and sodium. Carefully read the labels before you get tempted by the convenience of packaged frozen foods. Certain brands make low calorie, low carbohydrate frozen dinners including Kashi, Atkins and Smart Ones. Shop wisely and limit your intake of pre-packaged frozen meals.
• Make your own meals ahead of time and freeze them to eat right in a hurry. For example, you can make mouthwatering broccoli and cheddar breakfast burritos that take just two minutes to heat up in the microwave. The ingredients include 12 tortillas, 10 eggs or equivalent of egg beaters, 1 cup of chopped broccoli and 1 cup of grated low fat cheddar cheese as well as cooking oil spray and pepper. Spray a frying pan with cooking oil, fry the eggs and chop them into pieces. Lay out the tortillas to fill with equal amounts of egg, broccoli and low fat cheese. Sprinkle some pepper over the mixture to taste. Fold in the sides, then the bottom of the tortilla like a burrito. Let them cool then freeze each burrito in plastic wrap. Heat for two minutes in the microwave for breakfast. They can also be unwrapped and heated in an oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Hot soup is perfect for lunch, dinner or anytime you feel hungry. This tasty chicken and rice soup is quick and easy to make. Mix 4 cups of low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup of water and some dried rosemary in a saucepan then boil. Stir in 2 cups of your favorite frozen mixed vegetables and 1 cup of fast-cooking brown rice. Lower the heat and simmer until the rice gets soft. Add 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken then heat for another few minutes. You can also use turkey instead of chicken for a change of pace. Let the soup cool then store it in plastic containers to freeze and reheat. The soup can be reheated in the microwave or simmered in a pot on low heat for a few minutes.
• Everyone likes something sweet and satisfying for dessert or a fast snack. Chocolate and banana pudding pops are the perfect freezer treat. All you need is 2 packages of 4-serving size sugar-free instant pudding, milk, aluminum foil, wooden sticks and 3-ounce disposable cups. Prepare sugar-free instant chocolate pudding in a mixing bowl with 2 cups of milk. Beat it with a rotary beater or whisk until completely mixed. Spoon 2 tablespoons of pudding into each cup, cover with aluminum foil and freeze for an hour. Prepare the banana pudding just like you made the chocolate pudding. If you like, add chopped tidbits of real banana. Spoon 2 tablespoons of banana pudding over the frozen pudding in each cup. Cover with foil and put a wooden stick in the top layer of pudding in each cup. Freeze for about 6 hours. Thaw the pudding pops for 15 minutes before serving and remove them from the cups.

When you plan ahead, it is easy to make diabetic meals from the freezer. Keep plenty of basics on-hand and always read the labels on packaged frozen foods. Prepare meals in advance and freeze them to have plenty of healthy choices on hand.