10 mouth-watering Christmas dishes for diabetics

At Medpac, Christmas is our favourite time of the year. It’s a chance to cherish your loved ones and spend some much-needed quality time together – and chow-down on some delicious festive grub too!

However, Christmas menus can be a real pain for diabetics that love their food but struggle to find recipes that cater to their strict low-sugar diets. If you’re a diabetic and a self-confessed foodie, we’ve put together ten delicious diabetic-friendly dishes that you could serve yourself to family and friends over Christmas and not feel the least bit guilty about:

Poached salmon blinis

We’ll start with a few nibbles/hors-d'oeuvres that you can whip up quickly and easily for your family. Diabetes UK recommends these wonderful poached salmon blinis that feature low-fat yoghurt and cream cheese and a hint of lemon zest for a charming pre-dinner light bite.

Beef and blue cheese stuffed mushrooms

Another tasty little morsel that you can devour in one bite, Diabetic Gourmet recommends these stuffed mushrooms with lots of lovely ground beef mince and crumbled blue cheese and topped with chives. There’s only one gram of carbohydrates in a single mushroom!

Gran’s Clam Dip

A family favourite of a woman called Katie Barriera who posted this recipe on MyRecipes, this low-fat, high-protein dip is a great alternative to the standard onion and garlic or sour cream and chive dips you find on supermarket shelves.

Vegetarian stuffing

If you want to avoid the high-calorie sausage meat stuffing with your turkey this Christmas, why not opt for a vegetarian alternative? BBC Good Food recommend a vegetarian option with sage and onion or chestnut and butternut squash that can be cooked in a separate dish to the bird.

Lean pigs-in-blankets

If you’re opting for the vegetarian stuffing but still want a sausage treat, consider BBC Good Food’s lean pigs-in-blankets. Use low-fat cocktail sausages and wrap them in lean back bacon – trimming the excess fat – and grill them rather than frying or baking them, allowing any excess fat to drain away!

Simple salmon fishcakes

The brainchild of Waitrose, these salmon fishcakes can be prepared and made within 25 minutes and are an ideal starter. Combine a can of red salmon, couscous, a beaten egg and some lemon zest before moulding into fishcake patties ready for frying in low-fat olive oil spray.

Walnut-stuffed turkey breast with cider gravy

Diabetic Gourmet recommends incorporating a delicious walnut, thyme and sage stuffing into a 6-7lb whole turkey breast. The apple cider gravy is also delicious, with apples and shallots stuffed into the turkey cavities for added sweetness.

Low-carb Christmas pudding

The ‘Sugar Free Londoner’ recommends this gluten-free, diabetic-friendly Christmas pudding that takes no more than ten minutes to create. Weighing in at just eight net carbs per head, this almond flour-based dessert is creative whilst staying true to your festive traditions.

White chocolate cranberry cookies

The ideal after dinner treat with a tea or coffee whilst watching the Queen’s speech. Reader’s Digest recommends these white chocolate and cranberry cookies that add another festive feel without overdoing it with sugar.

Mulled apple cider

One of our favourite non-alcoholic alternative drinks for diabetics came from King Lasik, who recommends a mulled apple cider. Heat up apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and a pinch of nutmeg and let it simmer before serving hot in a mug – Christmas in a cup!

Don’t forget, if you’re travelling around the country or even going away on holiday during the Christmas period, read our advice for managing diabetes on holiday that is as relevant in the chilly winter as it is in the summer sunshine.