These healthy breakfast ideas for type 1 diabetes are all quick, easy, and delicious recipes you can either whip up in the morning or make in advance. It’s super important with diabetes to start our day off right. Your morning meal may be the most important meal of the day. And these recipes will help you start well and help you with your daily diabetes management.
I’m providing you with a full week of diabetic friendly breakfast foods below. Plus, I’m including a complete shopping list download so you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. So don’t miss that below!
Breakfast Ideas for Type 1 Diabetes
This full week of breakfast options for diabetics will have you looking forward to waking up each day. Why are they diabetic friendly? These ideas are balanced with fiber, fat, and protein, and that’s a great way to help maintain stable blood sugar levels. Plus, they’re a delicious variety of meals with a mix of good nutrition. (Who said food for diabetics has to be boring?!)
Some of these recipes below do have a link to a full post and recipe, but most don’t. That’s because they are that simple and quick — it doesn’t even take a fully built out recipe to make it! So let’s start with Sunday, shall we?
1. Bacon, White Cheddar, and Scallion Quiche
SUNDAY
Let’s start our week of diabetic breakfast recipes with this one: my low carb quiche with bacon, white cheddar, and scallions. The reason we are making this on Sunday is that you can also eat it throughout the week for lunch!
This quiche is super delicious, and it doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes. You can’t go wrong with salty bacon, creamy white cheddar cheese, and the mild onion flavor of the scallions.
While there is basically no fiber in this recipe, you can certainly add that in with a whole grain muffin or some raspberries. But this is low carb enough that the grams of protein and fat do their job not to spike my blood glucose levels.
I have previously posted this recipe and step-by-step directions on the blog, so you can find that here: Low Carb Quiche with Bacon, White Cheddar, and Scallions. Nutrition facts are also included in that link. (Try my spinach and feta quiche too!)
2. Peanut Butter Banana Toast
MONDAY
This is my #1 go-to balanced breakfast. I literally eat it almost every day in my morning routine! I love the crunch of the toast, the creaminess of the peanut butter, and the flavor of the banana and peanut butter together. This is a delicious and easy way to get a great start on the day, and it’s a super easy diabetic breakfast recipe!
Personally, I eat Big Dave’s Killer Bread as my toast, instead of white bread. I love that it’s made of whole grains and seeds, and I love the smaller thin sliced whole grain bread as a good option too. And the peanut butter adds some fat and protein. Between those two things, they help slow the digestion of the sweetness in the banana. Thus, we have successfully reduced the blood sugar spike.
I used 1 piece of toast, 2T of peanut butter, and half a banana in what is pictured below. Carbs for this recipe are a total of 34g (minus 6 grams of fiber is 28g net carbs), while there are 17g of fat, and 10 g protein with the ingredients I used. But please count the carbs in the foods you prepare.
3. Breakfast Burrito
TUESDAY
Now, here’s one of my breakfast ideas for type 1 diabetes that you can make ahead the night before. My new breakfast burritos. These are packed with flavor and protein, and even my kids love them! This recipe makes 16 burritos, so you can easily freeze several for later.
In these burritos, I included a dozen scrambled eggs, 1 1/2 pounds of crumbled bacon, 1/2 a chopped green bell pepper, 4 diced green onions, and a cup of shredded cheese. But you can fill them with whatever you like. For the avocado spread, I use a combination of 2 avocados and the juice of 1 lime. That lime juice will help keep it from browning for a couple days in the fridge if there are leftovers.
For the wrap portion of the burrito, I like to use Mission Carb Balance Tortillas. You can find them at Wal-Mart, and likely at whatever grocery store you frequent. But I love them because they are packed with dietary fiber.
Now it’s just an assembly job! First, I lay out my tortilla and spread the avocado and lime mixture on top. Then I top that with all the other ingredients, wrap it like a burrito, and place it seam-side down. That’s it!
You can definitely warm these in the microwave if you like, or place them in a 9×13 pan and heat them in the oven to help brown the tortillas. Totally your call!
The nutrition for these burritos comes out to be 23 grams of carbs (minus 16g fiber is 7g net carbs), 16g of fat, and 16g of protein per burrito.
The good news is that these also freeze well for later, but it’s a good idea to omit the avocado and lime spread if you plan to freeze them.
4. Apple Pie Breakfast Oats
WEDNESDAY
If only you could smell this photo. This amazingly warm apple cinnamon fragrance fills my kitchen every time I make this breakfast recipe. It’s like a big fall-flavored hug in a bowl.
This delicious oatmeal recipe makes one serving per recipe, or maybe 2 servings for kids. I know overnight oats have become a big hit recently, but this recipe comes together so quickly of a morning before the rush of the day it’s an easy morning job.
The first thing I do is chop up and steam half a medium apple in a microwave steamer. I prefer to use a fuji or gala apple, personally. Once I get that going, I combine all the other ingredients in a bowl: 1/2 c. rolled oats, 1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce, 2 T. apple juice, 1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. I give that a good stir and microwave it covered on high for two minutes.
Then I stir in the steamed apples and top with a touch more cinnamon. That’s it — a quick and simple one-bowl microwave breakfast. I will say, if you prefer more of a wet oatmeal, simply add more almond milk. You can decide the consistency of this recipe very easily.
Carbs for this recipe come mainly from the oats and apple. With the ingredients I used, the carb total was 51g. When considering the 8g of fiber in this recipe, the net carbs end up being 43g. Fat totals 3.5 grams, and protein is 11g.
5. Avocado toast with Spinach and Egg
THURSDAY
Here’s another chance to eat whole grain toast for breakfast, but in a very different taste than I shared above. And while I eat my peanut butter banana toast with my fingers, it’s a good choice to grab a knife and fork for this nutritious breakfast.
After toasting my bread, I spread it evenly with half an avocado, which is packed with heart-healthy fats. Then I top it with some fresh baby spinach leaves, and I add an over medium egg. Now, I know there’s debate on the runny egg yolk. From what I have heard, you either love it or hate it. So feel free to cook your egg to your liking. A little pinch of salt and pepper to taste, and it’s time to eat on of my favorite diabetic breakfast recipes!
The carb count for this breakfast is pretty low because of all the extra fiber. The total carbs equal 26g, but there are 8 grams of fiber, so net carbs total 14g. Fat comes out to 20g, and lean protein is 11g. It’s another one of my delicious and tasty breakfast ideas for type 1 diabetes!
6. Ham, Egg, and Cheese English Muffin
FRIDAY
Let’s continue our diabetes-friendly breakfast ideas with this gem. Who doesn’t love a good English muffin breakfast sandwich? And who doesn’t love the combination of ham and cheese? This is a great option for the taste buds.
I like to spread the other half of the avocado from yesterday onto the bottom and top of the English muffin after it’s toasted. Then I build on a few leaves of baby spinach, a piece of sliced cheese, a few pieces of shaved ham, and top with an egg.
The whole grain English muffins I buy have good fiber and are a source of protein, and the avocado adds fat and fiber as well. There’s even extra protein in the ham, cheese, and egg. What a great start to the day to fill you up and keep you going.
Carbs for this breakfast total 33 grams, but fiber totals 9 grams, so the net carbs are 24 grams. Fat is 26g, and protein is a whopping 27g!
7. Triple Berry Oatmeal Bake
SATURDAY
And now we finish our week with the perfect whole fruit oatmeal bake for brunch. This is a favorite all around at our house. Serve this guy alongside some eggs, bacon, or yogurt, and you have yourself a delicious breakfast or brunch!
Packed with delicious oats, crunchy almonds, and fresh fruit, this is a delicious “treat” for breakfast the whole family will enjoy. This recipe does have added sugar, but only a very small bit.
Nutrition for this recipe is also a good balance of fat, fiber, and protein all in one to help keep your blood sugar stable. I have blogged about this specific recipe in the past, so detailed instructions and nutrition facts can be seen here: Triple Berry Oatmeal Bake. Enjoy!
Leftover Ingredients from Breakfast Ideas for Type 1 Diabetics
You will have a few ingredients left over from your shopping list that you’ll want to use before they go bad. Here are my tips for you on these items so they aren’t wasted:
- Make a salad for lunch with the baby spinach, green pepper, shredded cheese, sliced almonds, and a hard-boiled egg.
- Enjoy a ham and cheese and spinach sandwich with the other half of banana for lunch one day.
- Freeze the leftover Dave’s Killer Bread and whole grain English muffins and thaw them when needed. I do this all the time. I package them up in ziplock bags and then in freezer bags in small portion sizes, and they thaw wonderfully!
CARBS FOR diabetic breakfast recipes
Carb counts are either included above or in the links above. But be sure to work these recipes into your diet how you best manage your diabetes. And be sure to count the total carbs (or net carbs when dealing with fiber content) in the specific products you use. Different brands vary in ingredients, so be doubly sure of the nutritional information in what you’re eating for your own individual needs.
NOTE: I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician. Nothing here should be taken as professional medical advice. Any nutritional information provided should be used as a general guideline and estimate only. For the most accurate information, please calculate based on the specific ingredients and brands you use, as well as any changes you make to the recipe.
DID YOU MAKE THese Breakfast Ideas for Type 1 Diabetes?
If you’ve made this recipe, would you please leave a comment? I would love to hear from you!
If you want more diabetic friendly recipes and other goodies, please join my VIP list and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for the latest updates.
SHOPPING LIST INSTANT DOWNLOAD
PIN FOR LATER
MORE RECIPES TO ENJOY
COUNT CARBS and Nutrition Facts EASILY
Looking for a way to count your carbs, fat, fiber, and protein easily? Look no further…
I love how this template makes counting nutrition facts SO easy. You literally list the total grams from each ingredient, total it at the bottom, and divide by the number of servings. Voila!
This recipe template walks you through every step. And you can keep it for future reference. Just calculate it once and you’re done!
Check my Etsy store for an instant download that includes a cover page, section header pages for different kinds of recipes, section tabs, and this recipe template.
