Diabetes-Friendly Emergency Meals: What to Keep on Hand

The latest round of storms knocked the power out at my brother-in-law's house for nearly a week. He spent the first dry day collecting eight bags of debris from his yard. By the time we talked, it was late afternoon. He was done cleaning up and ready for some supper.

"I think I'll try to get a pizza delivered," he said as I checked in with him on the phone long distance. He was tired and hungry, and his garage door was stuck closed. It wasn't that he didn't have any food or water in the house. It was that he wanted something easy and warm.

This got me rethinking my emergency food supply.

Why diabetes-friendly emergency meals matter

The right emergency foods can help keep your energy up, your blood sugar in check, and your stress levels down. The key is finding shelf-stable options that don’t require cooking or refrigeration—and still taste like real food.

What if I was without power for several days? That would mean no cooking, probably not even boiling water. So whatever I put together, I'll be eating it cold.

The convention says to keep at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water for each person in your household. The possibility of eating peanut butter crackers for three days straight is in no way appealing, so I need to make sure I have something more appealing on hand.

Even in an emergency situation, I'm still dealing with diabetes. Working my way through the emergency will be stressful enough. I don't need to rely on a lot of highly processed, carb-heavy food that will also increase my glucose levels.

So, I considered my options and devised a few emergency-ready food ideas.

Key nutrition tips for emergency meal planning

The first thing I'm looking for is nutritious foods that provide energy. But I don't want to default to high-carb, highly processed, shelf-stable foods like granola bars.

The second thing I want is ingredients that I can easily put together to make something resembling a dish. But it still has to require minimal prep and cleanup.

I landed on ideas that looked much like what I would put in a sack lunch. Why a sack lunch? Many of the ingredients don’t require refrigeration or cooking, and, conveniently, many of them are already available as single servings.

3 no-cook, diabetes-friendly meal ideas

Deconstructed charcuterie

Made mostly of small bites of meats and cheese, charcuterie is an appealing option for a self-serve meal or snack packed with protein and energy.

I would need to look for dry-cured meats or jerky. Vegetarians can use vegan jerky. Nuts could be another protein. I need to make sure any cheeses I use are shelf-stable and don't require refrigeration. Dried fruit, olives, and seed crackers add contrasting flavors and textures.

Cold antipasti

This is a variation on the charcuterie idea. Instead, I would focus on dry-cured meats, like dry salami. Add canned or jarred marinated vegetables, like artichoke hearts, mushrooms, or red peppers, for a totally different collection of flavors. Dry-roasted legumes or beans, like chickpeas and edamame, add more protein and a crunchy texture. Oh, and I can't forget olives.

Cracker sandwiches, revisited

Prepackaged peanut butter crackers are a classic emergency food staple. But they tend to be made from peanut butter with added sugars and white flour crackers. I can feel my glucose levels rising just thinking about eating them. There are better options.

I would start with low-carb crackers and flatbreads. Crackers made from almond flour, cheese, cauliflower, a multigrain, or, my personal favorite, seeds are all good alternatives.

Then I think about what to put on top of my cracker. There are so many options: tuna and other tinned fish or meats, dry cured meats, shelf-stable dry cheeses and cheese spreads, peanut butter, of course, and other nut butters.

Single packets of condiments, like mayonnaise, mustard, and relish, are also handy and can really enhance the filling.

Diabetes-safe ways to stay hydrated

Staying hydrated in an emergency is especially important with diabetes. Dehydration can drive glucose levels up and, in extreme cases, compromise kidney function. While water is considered the best hydrator, being limited to drinking tepid water for days on end can be discouraging.

Here are a couple of ways to change things up.

Add a flavor or electrolytes to water

Water flavorings are readily available. Look for single-serving, low- or no-sugar powders or drops. Flavorings can include instant tea, lemonade, fruits, or an electrolyte powder.

Electrolyte powders contain minerals (like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride) that help determine how much water your body retains. These minerals are essential for kidney function and can be depleted with excessive sweating.

While these flavorings and powders can make water more tasty, they come with a caution: use them in moderation.

Low- and no-sugar foods are often made with artificial sweeteners that can cause gastrointestinal distress. Using too many natural sweeteners can also pose this risk.

When taken in excess, electrolytes can also cause gastrointestinal distress. In extreme cases, they can create fluid imbalances, leading to health issues like muscle cramps or tremors, arrhythmia, and elevated blood pressure.

Shelf-stable drinks

These days, more kinds of drinks are packaged for shelf-stable storage. Dairy and non-dairy milk can be found on grocery store shelves rather than refrigerated. Some protein shakes come in single servings. And, of course, there are juice boxes.

Be sure to read the ingredient labels for these drinks and avoid or limit anything that contains ingredients that drive glucose levels up, such as sugars or caffeine.

Prep ahead to stay healthy in an emergency

Diabetes adds another layer to preparing for emergencies. With additional thought, I've thought of a few ways to make my emergency food supply more appealing and diabetes-friendly.

I'm curious. What kinds of foods do you store away to help keep your diabetes on track in an emergency? Please let me know in the comments.