73 Best Packaged Snacks for Diabetes in 2024 (2024)

Overview

• Written by Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, LD
• UpdatedApril 24, 2024

There are so many great packaged snacks for diabetes on the market, but you need to know what to look for! Here are 70+ best diabetes snacks you don’t want to miss.

Having easy to grab, on-the-go snacks makes life a lot easier when you are managing diabetes. Keep reading for my comprehensive list of the best packaged snacks for diabetes!

*Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored in anyway. These are all truly my favorite packaged snacks for diabetes. However, I do work with some of these brands occasionally. That’s actually one of my favorite things about my job… some of my favorite foods to eat are also my clients! And some of the links in this post are affiliate links. What does that mean? It means that if you click on a link and end up purchasing that product, I may get a small commission, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

Also, this article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services. This article and the links contained in it provide general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical care and should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or registered dietitian.

What to look for in healthy snacks for diabetes?

Before we dive into healthy snacks for diabetes, I thought it would be good to review what to look for in recommended diabetes snacks to buy. There are a few factors I considered when choosing the recommended packaged snacks for diabetes below.

We want packaged diabetes snacks with the following criteria:

• Have at least 4g of protein or4g of fiberor both
• Preferably contain some sort of plant-based fat source, though not required
• Made from whole grains (if applicable)
• Low glycemic index
• Made from quality ingredients
• Easy to consume on-the-go
• Low in sugar relative to the overall carbohydrate count

Now, obviously there are going to be some exceptions to this and I will try to note those as best I can. But it’s important to remember not to approach food with a list of black and white guidelines. Food has nuance. There is an ebb and a flow to what works sometimes and doesn’t work at other times. Just something to keep in mind.

And, if you want to read more in depth on this idea of balancing blood sugars and choosing the right foods, make sure to check out my tips for blood sugar balance.

What’s on my list of best diabetes snacks?

If you keep scrolling, you’ll see the following categories of packaged snacks for diabetes: crackers, chips, popcorn, bars, cookies, desserts, eat with a spoon, low blood sugar treatments, kid-friendly and new snacks available in 2024. If you have another category you’d like to see me tackle, leave a comment at the end and I’ll add it!

The evolution of top choices

Sometimes I think about the packaged snacks I grew up with as a kid that were marketed to people with diabetes: 100 calorie packs, Snackwell cookies, etc. Not only were these things not very blood sugar friendly at all, they simply just didn’t taste all that great… though we tried to convince ourselves they did.

Today, we have so many options when it comes to packaged snacks for diabetes. Snacks that are higher in protein and fiber, and super easy to grab at the grocery store, throw in your purse, and enjoy on-the-go. Because while hummus and crackers are great, it’s not the most portable snack in the world. Having bars, cookies, cracker packs, etc. that are portable and blood sugar friendly makes life with diabetes so much easier.

Category list of best packaged snacks for diabetes

Jump to one of the categories to see my top choices:

• New packaged snacks for diabetes in 2024
• Best crackers for diabetes
• Best chips for diabetes
• Best popcorn for diabetes
• Best snack bars for diabetes
• Sweet snacks for diabetes
• Best store-bought cookies for diabetes
• Best dessert snacks for diabetes
• Best snacks you eat with a spoon for diabetes
• Best low blood sugar treatments
• Best snacks for kids with diabetes

Choosing the right diabetes snacks to buy

I’ve listed several options in each category for diabetes snacks. Does this mean these are all of the best out of every product on the market? No. In spite of how much research I do, there’s just no way to know every single product that’s on the market. Each category has my favorites for both “diabetes-friendliness” and flavor/taste/texture etc.

*As you’ll see noted below, I decided to expand on the energy/protein/snack “bar” category and havea whole separate blog post on energy and protein bars.

Snacks for type 1 diabetes vs snacks for type 2 diabetes

Since I get asked pretty frequently if the products I recommend and recipes I develop are just for people with type 1 diabetes (probably because I myself have type 1), I want to clarify…

Just like all of the other content I put out here on my website and on social media, the recommendations for snacks in this post apply to people with all types of diabetes (gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes included), and anyone looking to balance blood sugars and energy levels.

A note about snacks for diabetes type 2

All of the snacks below are appropriate for people with type 2 diabetes. How much and when to eat them is what will differ person to person. Choosing diabetes snacks (type 2 and prediabetes especially) will be impacted by the type of medications you take and your daily routine.

New packaged snacks for diabetes in 2024!

I originally wrote this post back in December 2020 and like to update it once/year. So, it was time for a 2024 update! These are some new products I’ve tried this year and highly recommend!

1. KIND Zero Bars: Sweetened with allulose, these newer bars from KIND are so good! And, I love that half of the carbohydrate is fiber! 15g total carb and 7g of that is fiber for the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt flavor.
2. Quest Frosted Cookies: These cookies come in three different flavors and pack 5g fiber per serving. They’re sweetened with erythritol which tends to be tolerated well by most people.
3. Magic Spoon Treats: Think of a blood sugar friendly rice krispie treat with 11g protein and 8g fiber per treat! They come in a classic marshmallow flavor (which tastes just like a regular rice krispie treat!) double chocolate, blueberry, and chocolate peanut butter flavors.
4. Legendary Foods Popped Protein Chips: These chips come in a ranch flavor that is so tasty! The perfect amount of salty and zingy. Each serving has 20g protein and only 4g total carb. They come in other flavors as well, but the ranch is my favorite!
5. Ratio Protein Dairy Snack: If you’re looking for a tasty yogurt-like product that will truly keep hunger at bay, this is your snack. I love the key lime flavor, but they’re all good! Each cup has 25g protein!

Best crackers for diabetes

I figured we’d start this list of best snacks for diabetes with my favorite food: crackers! As a general guide, try to choose crackers that are made from whole grains or nuts and seeds.

1. Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers: I love finding the big box of these almond flour crackers at Costco. They offer a lower carbohydrate version of traditional sea salt crackers.
2. Simple Mills Sprouted Seed Crackers: Similar to the almond flour crackers, these sprouted seed crackers are a nut-free lower carb option.
3. Wasa Multigrain Crackers: Wasa crackers are larger in size and perfect for layering on protein and fiber rich toppings.
4. Triscuit Thin Crisps: If you’re looking for an easy and tasty to way to add some fiber in, these crackers are just the way to do that! Each serving offers 4g fiber.
5. RW Garcia Veggie Crackers: My go-to crackers for every charcuterie board I make. These veggie-rich crackers are perfect with everything from cheese to guacamole.
6. Crunchmaster Multi Seed Crackers: If you’re in need of another gluten free, blood sugar friendly option, these crackers should be on your list!
7. From the Ground Up Cauliflower Crackers: Don’t let the name scare you away, these crackers are made with a variety of veggies and nutrient dense ingredients.
8. Bob’s Red Mill Oat Crackers: Oat flour gives these crackers a protein and flavor boost you’ll love. They come in 4 different flavors.
9. Good Measure Almond Crisps: The flavors on these crackers are out of this world delicious! And, they have the perfect crunch all while having very little impact on blood sugar levels.

Best chips for diabetes

Many of the options below use beans as a base. This adds additional protein and fiber.

1. Beanitos chips: Fun fact: I lived off the nacho cheese flavor of these chips during both of my pregnancies. With 5g protein, 4g fiber, and delicious flavor, they were perfect!
2. Hippeas White Cheddar Chickpea Puffs: While they don’t taste exactly like Cheetos, these cheese puffs are tasty and higher in fiber than the original version.
3. Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips: Tortilla chips with more fiber and protein are perfect for pairing with guacamole!
4. Late July Organic Chia & Quinoa Tortilla Chips: These chips offer another great higher fiber and protein tortilla chip option.
5. Beanfields Chips: Similar to the Beanitos chips mentioned above, these Beanfields chips come in different flavors and are another great option!
6. Quinn Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets: I discovered these PB filled pretzels last year and they’re super yummy! The added fat from the peanut butter helps balance out the carbohydrate of the pretzels.
7. Jackson’s Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips: One of my favorite more nutrient dense potato chip options!
8. Quevos Pita Style Protein Chips Made From Egg Whites: Normally, I’d be pretty skeptical of something made from egg whites like this, but these are so tasty and the sour cream and onion flavor is spot on.
9. Legendary Foods Popped Protein Chips: These chips come in a ranch flavor that is so tasty! The perfect amount of salty and zingy. Each serving has 20g protein and only 4g total carb. They come in other flavors as well, but the ranch is my favorite!

Best popcorn for diabetes

Popcorn is naturally higher in fiber than other crunchy/salty snacks (making it a must on this list of best sPopcorn is naturally higher in fiber than other crunchy/salty snacks (making it a must on this list of best snacks for diabetes), but when flavorings are added like caramel or kettle corn, it’s important to pay attention to how much sugar is being added.

1. SkinnyPop Original Popcorn: This is hands down my favorite plain/original flavored popcorn.
2. Store brand popcorn: With minimal oil and salt- I typically do most of my grocery shopping at Sprouts, H-E-B, and Costco. Both Sprouts and H-E-B have store brand popcorn options that are low in salt and oil with no added sugar.
3. Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop Popcorn: I love all the flavors Angie’s offers… especially the lower sugar kettle corn!
4. Late July Original Sea Salt Popcorn: Similar to their tortilla chips mentioned above, this is another great original popcorn flavor option.
5. Pop Zero Cinema Popcorn: Pop Zero offers great popcorn flavors with added protein, in addition to the natural fiber of popcorn!
6. Lesser Evil Pink Himalayan Sea Salt Popcorn: This popcorn seems like another general plain flavored popcorn, but the coconut oil gives it that perfect extra bit of flavor!

Best snack bars for diabetes

This was by far the most requested category! I’ve listed a few of my favorites below, but make sure to check out this full blog post here that breaks down every category of “bar.”

1. MunkPack KETO Bars– Looking for that classic granola bar flavor without the blood sugar spike? These bars are tasty and super nostalgic, with only 2g net carbs.
2. Simple Mills Soft Baked Bars: These bars are great as a breakfast option and offer a lower glycemic alternative to muffins or other more breaded bars.
3. Clif Kids Protein Bars: I love the taste and texture of these higher protein Kids Clif bars.
4. GoodMeasure Bars: GoodMeasure bars offer a nutrient dense bar option that has both fiber and protein. And, barely any impact on blood sugars.
5. KIND THINS bars: With only 10g carbs, these thin crunchy bars are delicious and a great quick option.
6. KIND Zero Bars: Sweetened with allulose, these newer bars from KIND are so good! And, I love that half of the carbohydrate is fiber! 15g total carb and 7g of that is fiber for the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt flavor.

Best snacks you eat with a spoon for diabetes

From yogurts to puddings to everything in between, my favorite lower sugar and higher protein options are below.

1. Siggi’s 4% yogurt: Most of the Siggi’s flavors are quite low in sugar, but the primary reason I love Siggi’s is the super creamy texture!
2. Chobani Less Sugar Greek Yogurt: This is by far my favorite and preferred yogurt. I buy it every week!
3. Chobani Zero Sugar Yogurt: Similar to the Chobani Less Sugar line, this yogurt is a tasty alternative to their higher sugar regular flavors.
4. MUSH Overnight Oats: Made from simple ingredients and delicious flavors, MUSH overnight oats is a great sweeter-tasting breakfast that’s also higher in protein and fiber.
5. Ratio Protein Dairy Snack: If you’re looking for a tasty yogurt-like product that will truly keep hunger at bay, this is your snack. I love the key lime flavor, but they’re all good! Each cup has 25g protein!

Sweet snacks for diabetes

The next two sections will cover some of my favorite sweet diabetes snacks. Sweet snacks are not off limits with diabetes. Look for options, like the snacks below, that also have fiber and protein.

And if you’re in the mood to make your own sweet snacks at home, make sure to check out my cookbook, The Easy Diabetes Desserts Cookbook!

Best store-bought cookies for diabetes

When it comes to cookies, we want to decrease the sugar as much as possible but still have a delicious cookie! One way to do this is to find grain free cookies made with nut-based flours so there’s less carbs, and more protein and fat… but still a delicious cookie!

1. Simple Mills Crunchy Cookies: Picture a more blood sugar friendly version of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies, and that’s what these are. So good!
2. Simple Mills Soft Baked Cookies: These soft baked cookies are slightly larger than their crunchy counterparts and are a great alternative to traditional packaged cookies.
3. Soozy’s Grain Free Cookies: I love the flavors that Soozy’s cookies come in, and just like the Simple Mills cookies, they’re made from almond flour, which decreases their glycemic load and ability to impact blood sugar levels.
4. Catalina Crunch Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies: While these don’t taste exactly like Oreo’s by any means, they’re a delicious sandwich cookie option with only 4g carbohydrate/cookie.
5. Catalina Crunch Lemon Creme Cookies: I love anything lemon flavored and just like the Chocolate Vanilla version, these cookies are tasty and low carb.
6. MunkPack Protein Cookie These are big cookies and could substitute as a higher protein meal!
7. HU Grain Free Cookies: Much like the Simple Mills cookies, these cookies are deliciously crunchy and easy on blood sugars.
8. High Key Chocolate Chip Cookies: HighKey cookies aren’t my personal first pick for flavor, but I know enough people who prefer these above all the others in this list that I thought it was worth including them.
9. Wise Bites Soft Mini Cookies: I haven’t had the opportunity to try these yet, but I’ve seen enough positive reviews to tell me they’re going to be quite good! Each serving offers 4g fiber and 4g protein.
10. Quest Frosted Cookies: These cookies come in three different flavors and pack 5g fiber per serving. They’re sweetened with erythritol which tends to be tolerated well by most people.

Best dessert snacks for diabetes

The desserts below are an assortment of lower sugar and higher protein chocolates and candies, as well as some of my favorite lower sugar and higher protein frozen treats! Want more ideas? Check out this full post on the best desserts for diabetes!

1. JoJo’s Chocolate Bark: Ever heard of snacking chocolate? Well, JoJo’s made it a thing by combining dark chocolate, extra protein, and all the fun toppings.
2. Lily’s Sweets Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: I love almost all of Lily’s products, and the peanut butter cups are one of my favorites! And they have no added sugar and 5g carbohydrate/cup!
3. Lily’s Sweets Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds: Who doesn’t love a good bag of chocolate covered almonds? And, these Lily’s almonds have no added sugar.
4. Endangered Species Chocolate Dark Chocolate Bites: When we talk about the health benefits of chocolate, we’re usually referring to 1-2oz of dark chocolate/day. These snackable bites are perfect for your daily chocolate fix.
5. GoodPop Frozen Pops: I’m obsessed with the Orange n’ Cream & Coconut Lime flavors!
6. Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars: Ice cream bars (actually frozen Greek yogurt) with 5g+ protein/day? And, they taste delicious?? Yes!
7. KIND Frozen Bars: Eating a KIND Frozen bar is like biting into a frozen Snickers that only has 16g carbohydrate and 7g fiber!
8. Hail Merry Dark Chocolate Bites: Deliciously protein rich chocolate balls make a great afternoon snack!
9. Lily’s Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels: Here’s another delicious and tasty sweet treat from my friends at Lily’s chocolates. You’ll want to eat the whole bag in one sitting!
10. Magic Spoon Treats: Think of a blood sugar friendly rice krispie treat with 11g protein and 8g fiber per treat! They come in a classic marshmallow flavor (which tastes just like a regular rice krispie treat!) double chocolate, blueberry, and chocolate peanut butter flavors.

Best diabetes snacks for low blood sugar treatments

Did you know you can treat a low blood sugar with more than just candy and glucose gel? These are some of my favorite store-bought packaged options. (Check with your doctor to make sure they are ok with these options for you.)

1. Applesauce pouches (I just grab the store brand unsweetened variety. Most are 12-15g carb/pouch)
2. Raisins (The mini boxes are typically 11-12g/box)
3. Juice boxes (Most stores offer shelf stable juice boxes that are 12-18g carb depending on the flavor you choose.)
4. Fruit snacks (So quick and easy, and cheap!)
5. Banana (Pre-packaged by nature, and highly portable!)
6. Nature Nate’s Honey Co. honey minis: These are perfect for on the go easy low blood sugar treatments.
7. Bear YoYo’s Real Fruit Rolls: Since treating a low blood sugar can be anything but fun, it helps to have some fun snacks ready to go.

Best snacks for kids with diabetes

Kids love salty, crunchy snacks it seems. These are some of my favorite lower carbohydrate crunchy options. (Note: I am not saying kids with diabetes need to eat low carb. All of the snacks in this post are good for kids, but sometimes a child’s blood sugar might be high and they are hungry. These lower carb options are good for those situations.) Also great for adults too! And all of the snacks listed in this entire blog post are great for kids too!

1. Moon Cheese: Moon Cheese is super crunchy and comes in a variety of flavors with 0g carbohydrate.
2. Whisps: Similar to Moon Cheese, but slightly larger in size, Whisps offer some additional flavor options.
3. Country Archer Meat Sticks: These are great for keeping in your purse or a child’s backpack for a quick shelf stable protein source.
4. Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Crunch Mix: Catalina Crunch hit it out of the park with this product. Crunch Mix offers a more blood sugar friendly option to Chex Mix.
5. Biena Super Crunch Mix: This is another product I haven’t had a chance to try yet. But, the original Biena Chickpea flavors are so tasty. I’m sure this will be great for on-the-go snacking.

What are you favorite packaged snacks for diabetes? Tell me in the comments below! And of course, feel free to share this with anyone you know who is in search of good diabetes-friendly snacks!

For more helpful tips about food choices with diabetes, here are some of my other popular articles:

• The 9 Best Protein Powders for Diabetes
• List of Best Packaged Drinks for Diabetes

This post has been continuously updated with new content from its original recommendations in 2020.