21 Diabetes-Friendly Snacks You'll Want to Make Forever

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Published on May 1, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

Prepare your taste buds for something delicious with these snacks. From nut clusters and muffins to snack jars and dips, these dishes are as tasty as they are nutritious. Each serving is appropriate for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. They’re not only packed with complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes to help you digest food more slowly, they’re also made conscious of calories, carbs, saturated fats and sodium to help you keep your blood sugar levels stable. Our Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark is a cold, protein-rich snack perfect for a hot afternoon. And no matter when you grab them, our Peanut Butter Energy Balls bring you bliss in every bite.

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Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips and then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack is perfect for kids and adults alike.

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Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Peanut butter energy balls spread out on a blue tray — Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

These healthy peanut butter and chocolate energy balls deliver a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates to help fuel you up whenever you need a little boost.

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Garlic Hummus

Garlic Hummus

This garlic hummus recipe couldn't be easier—just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away!

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Medium-Boiled Eggs

Medium-boiled eggs have a jammy texture that's delicious on toast, salads and so much more.

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Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls

Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls

Sweet, sticky dates act as the glue for these no-bake energy balls. Perfect for hikes or during sports, this healthy snack travels well.

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Cottage Cheese Snack Jar

Side view of a clear glass jar of Cottage Cheese Snack Jar recipe — Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

This creamy, crunchy snack packs 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in one small mason jar. Adding the chickpeas right before serving will keep them crunchy. If you want to store everything in one jar, opt for 1/4 cup rinsed canned chickpeas instead.

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Bread with Peanut Butter

This quick-and-easy snack is a hearty treat that is packed with protein and has heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

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Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas — Diana Chistruga

Try this satisfying snack instead of nuts. The tasty legumes are lower in calories and packed with fiber.

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Creamy Strawberry Smoothie

Creamy Strawberry Smoothie — Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis

It's hard to beat this recipe for quick and easy strawberry smoothies. All you need is five ingredients and five minutes. It's versatile too: you can use any unsweetened milk for creaminess, your preferred yogurt, and the maple syrup or honey is optional. The vanilla extract acts as a great flavor backdrop that will work with most fruits. Get blending!

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Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters

a recipe photo of the Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters — Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Sue Mitchell, Prop stylist: Skylar Myers,

These 3-ingredient sweet treats are a breeze to make and, because dark chocolate clusters take just 15 minutes to prepare, they can be made on short notice to feed a crowd. While cashews contribute a sweet and mild flavor, don’t hesitate to swap them out for an alternative like almonds or peanuts, or try adding dried cranberries or cherries for a delightfully tangy twist.

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Breakfast Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cakes

Three breakfast peanut butter-chocolate chip oatmeal cakes, the one in the front halved with a dollop of peanut butter showing filling showing — Alexandra Shytsman

Peanut butter is the star ingredient in these oatmeal cakes, providing not only flavor, but a boost of plant-based protein too. Hiding a bit in the center of each muffin is a fun way to ensure that peanut butter makes it into every bite.

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Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Pulsing rolled oats with eggs, banana, brown sugar and oil creates the moist dough of these chocolaty muffins without a bit of all-purpose flour. These are two-bite muffins with a dense and gooey texture. They're delicately sweet and rich, too, so baking them as mini muffins makes them a perfect snack or quick morning bite.

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Avocado Hummus

This vibrant green hummus recipe couldn't be easier—just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) and avocado make this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.

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Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls on a white background

All you need are four simple ingredients to make healthier crispy peanut butter balls that kids and grownups will love. Make this easy recipe for a bite-size treat, on-the-go snack or easy homemade gift. You can swap the peanut butter for almond butter or even sunflower seed butter if you need a nut-free snack for school.

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Pumpkin-Oat Mini Muffins

Pumpkin-Oat Mini Muffins

These easy pumpkin muffins are packed with oats and chocolate chips. Plus, these mini gluten-free pumpkin muffins are made entirely in the blender, making cleanup a breeze. If you'd rather make 12 regular-size muffins, bake for 18 to 20 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pan.

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Baked Blueberry & Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups

Baked Blueberry & Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups — Jamie Vespa

Muffins meet oatmeal in these moist and tasty grab-and-go oatmeal cups. The nutty flavor of the pecans and the sweetness from fresh blueberries and banana make for an extra-tasty snack or breakfast. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your fridge or freezer for quick and easy breakfasts all week. Reheat in the microwave for about 40 seconds. This healthy muffin recipe is a variation on our popular Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups by Carolyn Casner.

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Breakfast Lemon-Blueberry Oatmeal Cakes

Four breakfast lemon-blueberry oatmeal cakes, the one most in front cut in half, showing the blueberry filled center of the cake — Alexandra Shytsman

A cross between muffins and baked oatmeal, this diabetic cake recipe is perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack. You can also make a double batch and enjoy one during the week and store the other batch in the freezer to savor later.

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Super-Seed Snack Bars

Super-Seed-Snack-Bars

Thanks to a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and chia seeds, these healthy snack bars are packed with protein, fiber, minerals and healthy fats. Because these bars pack well, they're great for taking along on all-day adventures.

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Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Chickpeas

Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Chickpeas in white bowl

Roasting canned chickpeas until crispy makes a simple and healthy snack. In this riff on candied nuts, chickpeas are coated with cinnamon sugar to make them irresistible! This snack is best enjoyed the day it is made.

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Kale Chips

Kale Chips — Christine Ma

Not a fan of kale? These crispy baked kale chips will convert you! For the best result, don't overcrowd the baking pans.

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Banana-Blueberry Protein Muffins

Overhead view of a blue plate of Banana-Blueberry Protein Muffins recipe with butter added — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss

These super-moist and tender muffins get a protein boost with the addition of cottage cheese and peanut butter. The banana, which adds natural sweetness, doesn't overpower the flavor of the blueberries. Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh. For a different twist, try raspberries or chopped apple.

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