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As a person who has been living with type 1 diabetes for 10 years, I am always on the lookout for new diabetes-friendly snacks. For the first few years into my diagnosis, I snacked exclusively on meat and cheese. And don't get me wrong I LOVE a good charcuterie board, but sometimes you want to change it up. Trader Joe's is one of my favorite grocery stores to shop at because they are a great selection (and great prices). But if you ever stepped into Trader Joe's on a Sunday Morning, you know it can incredibly intimidating and overwhelming. Even for someone like me who frequents Trader Joe's regularly, they have many hidden shelves that you overlook some serious hidden gems! In this blog post, I am going to share with you some of my favorite diabetes-friendly snacks from Trader Joe's so you can go in with a plan (or ask your friendly neighborhood TJ's employee to assist you)!
Trader Joe's Best Nuts, Seeds, and Trail Mix for Diabetes
Trader Joe’s has a wide-variety of nuts, seeds, and trail mix. Nuts and seeds are perfect snacks for people with diabetes as they provide healthy fats and when paired with carbohydrates can help slow down blood sugar rises. Some of my favorite options at Trader Joe’s includes:
Coconut Cashews
Salt & Pepper Pistachios
Sweet & Spicy Pecans
Thai Lime & Chili Almonds
Sliced Almonds
Pumpkin Seeds
Hemp Seeds
Breakfast Trek Mix
Rainbow’s End Trail Mix
Simply Almonds, Cashews & Chocolate Trek Mix
Trader Joe's Best Guacamole, Hummus, and Dips for Diabetes
Guacamole and hummus are great dips for people with diabetes because they offer healthy fats, fiber, and a touch of protein to offset blood sugar rises from foods that are higher on the glycemic index. Pairing tortilla chips with guacamole or hummus with pretzels can significantly reduce the blood sugar rise than when chips or pretzels are eaten alone.
Other dips offer a flavorful and fun way to add flavor to a meal. They can be a great way to snack on vegetables like broccoli, cucumbers, bell peppers, or carrots. Here are some of my favorite options from Trader Joe’s
Mediterranean Hummus Snack Pack with Pita Chips
Avocado’s Number Guacamole to Go
Avocado Tzatziki Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Everything But The Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip
Artichoke & Jalapeno Dip
Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip
Trader Joe's Best Sweets & Desserts for Diabetes
Everyone gets a sweet tooth every now and then! People with diabetes are no different, but it is important to take into consideration the amount of added sugars that desserts can have. Added sugars can rise blood sugars very quickly and it is important to limit intake whenever possible. The American Heart Association recommends men to consume 36g per day, women to consume 24g per day, and children ages 2 to 18 to consume less than 24 grams daily. Below are some of my favorite sweet treats that are available at Trader Joe’s:
Hold the Cone: Mini Ice Cream Cones (Chocolate, Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Coffee, and Seasonal Flavors)
Gone Bananas: Chocolate Covered Bananas
Gone Berry Crazy: Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Triple Ginger Snap Cookies
Joe-Joe’s Slims
Organic Animal Crackers
Coconut Whipped Topping
Cold Brew Latte Bars
Freeze Dried Fruit (Apples, Strawberries, Blueberries, Pineapple)
Dried Fruit (Apple Rings, Mango- Unsweetened, Apricots)
Ice Cream Bon Bons
Sunflower Seed Cups
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans
Greek Yogurt
Organic Toasted Coconut Granola Bark
Essential Trader Joe's Snacks, Chips, and Crackers for Diabetes
Whenever a cravings hits for something salty or crunchy, there are options that are in frequent rotation in our kitchen.
Ridge Cut Sweet Potato Chips
Bamba Puffed Peanut & Corn Snacks
White Cheddar Corn Puffs
Organic Olive Oil Popcorn
Jerk-Style Plantain Chips
Quinoa & Blank Bean Tortilla Chips
Spud Crunchies Potato Sticks
Everything Pretzel Slims
3 Seed Sweet Potato Crackers (my personal favorite!)
Kettle Corn
Mini Peanut Butter Cracker
Mini Cheese Crackers
Diabetes-Friendly High-Protein Snacks & Other Snack Options
If you want some high-protein snack options that have a bit more pizazz than rolled up deli meat and cheese sticks (Trader Joe's does sell them!), check out this list of high protein and other snack foods.
Mini Brie Bites (SO good in the air fryer!)
Mozzarella and Prosciutto Snack
Genoa Salame and Provolone Cheese
Salame Sticks
Cheddar Cheese Snack Packs
Chomp Meat Sticks
Turkey and Beef Jerky
Halloumi Cheese
Garlic Bread Cheese
Mozzarella Rolloni
Fresh Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs
Oven-Baked Cheese Bites
Canned Tuna
Canned Salmon
Sunflower Seed Spread
Bone Broth
Pickles
Pitted Salted Manzanilla Olives (single serve)
Roasted Seaweed Snack
Trader Joe’s Low Blood Sugar Snacks for Diabetes
We can't talk snacks without talking about low blood sugar options! My favorite option from Trader Joe's includes the organic fruit wraps. They are about 15g of carbs per wrap. They are convenient to throw in your pocket, purse, or anywhere else you need them. They aren't bulky and are less than $1!
Organic Fruit Wraps
Dried Fruit Bar
Dried Apricots (comes in single serve containers)
Scandinavian Swimmers
Organic Apple Fruit Sauce Crushers
Organic Mixed Berry Juice Pouches
Organic Lemonade Juice Pouches
Organic Apple Juice Pouches