It’s midnight and I’m at Target staring up at a giant basket stuffed with Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese. My friends are looking at me like I’ve completely lost my mind. But they’re fools. I’m gonna live off that basket for a month.
I did win the basket during the annual Target college event. And I did live off said Kraft Mac n’ Cheese basket for a month. As a classically trained music student with $20 to my name and an A1c that just wouldn’t cooperate, I have some experience doing unconventional things for food and the sake of my budget.
But here’s the deal: You don’t need a Whole Foods budget or chef-level skills to fuel your body well. Let’s talk about real options and how to nourish yourself when your bank account is low enough to set off your Dexcom.
I do this cute little self care ritual every week:
Sound familiar?
Fresh food can be expensive up front AND cost you more if you’re not able to use it right away. It has its place in the kitchen, but don’t feel bad if you’re – like me – a bit too busy to incorporate it into every meal.
When it comes to budget friendly meal planning, frozen and canned food are your new BFFs.
But Rachel, isn’t fresh food healthier?
NOPE. In fact, frozen produce is typically picked and flash-frozen at peak ripeness – meaning it might actually beat fresh in the nutrition department. Meanwhile, that “fresh” zucchini you just bought probably spent days on a truck and a shelf before it landed in your fridge.
Canned foods also hold their own. Yes, they’re preserved with salt, but unless you have specific medical reasons to limit sodium, a simple rinse under water can reduce the sodium in canned foods3. Don’t get too salty about it.
Bonus: canned and frozen foods have a little thing called a nutrition label fixed to them which makes for way easier carb counting (phew – another time saver).
So while reading the rest of this article or looking at recipes, feel free to go for the canned or frozen option.
A lot of foods covered by SNAP benefits are ultra-processed, and that’s often by design (shelf-stable, calorie-dense, etc.) Here’s the thing: Not all processed foods are created equal – and not all of them are bad news. Especially when they’re what’s within reach. “Processed” has also turned into a bit of a buzz word in the wellness space, so I want to discuss what processing actually is and why we do it.
Processing food happens when we modify it from its whole form.
Wheat in its whole form is inedible. We have to strip it down into flour to make it edible. This is done by grinding down the kernels into flour – either whole wheat (includes bran and germ) or refined (just the starchy part).
Refined flours may be bleached and enriched with added nutrients for shelf stability and texture. Then we can start making products by adding other ingredients like oils, sugars, and salt (helllooo cereal, pasta, and snack bars).
Each step adds something – whether it’s convenience, flavor, texture, or a longer shelf life. Different levels of processing serve different purposes, and processing is NECESSARY in many cases to make food edible in the first place.
Yes, as we process foods further, we tend to lose some nutrients and components of the whole ingredient. But labeling processed foods as “bad” is both misleading and classist. Plenty of processed options can still offer nutrition and convenience – two things that matter a lot when you’re juggling a full plate (pun intended).
And here’s what I want you to take away from this:
Relying on processed foods isn’t a personal failure – it’s often a reflection of a system that hasn’t made fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant foods consistently available to everyone.
In fact, processed foods are a necessary accommodation for many in the disabled and chronically ill community.
The real issue? When only certain communities are boxed into choosing highly processed options because of income, location, or access while others get to frame it as “convenience.”
That’s where the advocacy comes in: everyone deserves access to a variety of food options – fresh, frozen, canned, packaged – and the dignity to choose what works best for their body and life.
Food justice is diabetes justice. Period.
Ok. Off my high horse. Let’s get you a budget friendly meal plan strategy.
In order to build a personalized budget meal strategy, you’re going to first write down your favorite foods in each of these categories: carbs, protein, and fiber. Foods you actually enjoy! Not “kale because body builder Joey on Instagram says it’s an essential part of his anti-inflammatory whole 30 diet.”
Carbohydrates give you energy. Yes, you, even with your busted beta cells. Your body still needs carbohydrates. Some people opt to adjust the amount of carbs they eat to manage blood sugars, and that’s fine too. Do what works well for you.
Now, are these carb-heavy? Yep. Are they also accessible, affordable, and easy to work with? Absolutely. The trick is pairing them with protein and fiber.
Protein – another essential macronutrient – when paired with carbohydrates, helps keep your blood sugars from going haywire. Protein tends to be the pricier grocery item, but the good news is, you don’t need to eat as much of it as you typically see on body-builder-Tok. Most adults need around 0.75g of protein per kilo of body weight per day (for the average woman, this is 45g, or 55g for men)1. Obviously, don’t skip the protein, but also don’t sweat over it either.
While most people are freaking out about how much protein they’re getting, perhaps they should be more mindful about how much fiber they’re getting. An estimated 95% of American adults and children do not consume recommended amounts of fiber2. ENTER THE CANNED BEANS – the protein and fiber power house that is shelf stable and oh-so affordable.
Frozen and canned veggies are your low-effort ride-or-dies. Fresh can be great too – but again, it’s not required to get the nutrients you need.
Alright, now that you’ve got your list of favorites, grocery shopping should be a bit easier. Pick 1-2 from each category, some spices you have on hand, and maybe some pre-made sauces. This is what makes the food taste good which is equally as important as nutritional content.
Put it all together with this formula:
Carb + Protein + Fiber = Balanced-ish Blood Sugar & Full Belly
Here is some inspiration:
💡 The neurodivergent community has some amazing ideas for quick meals with minimal ingredients if you need inspiration.
Here’s something no one tells you when you’re 19, living on instant noodles, and trying to figure out how insulin works with your dining hall meal plan:
You weren’t meant to manage diabetes – or meals – in isolation.
If you’re a college student or young adult juggling classes, part-time work, rising grocery prices, and the emotional load of chronic illness…first of all, you’re doing amazing. And second, let’s talk about community care and how you can connect with and support those around you:
Meal share with friends or roommates
Rotate cooking duties, do grocery runs together, or bulk cook one big recipe and trade Tupperwares. It’s cheaper, more fun, and lowers the executive functioning load for everyone involved.
Tap into your campus or local resources
Many colleges have food pantries, swipe donation programs, free produce events, or nutrition workshops – and you deserve to access them. You’re not taking from someone else. You are someone.
Start a group chat for food swaps or cheap meal inspo
Sometimes you just need someone to say, “I made dinner out of rice, frozen veg, and hot sauce and it slapped.” Normalize cheering each other on for making any food choice that supports your energy and blood sugars.
Make “struggle meal” lists and share them
Everyone has 1–2 meals they can make half-asleep. Share your go-tos with your community, and you’ll always have a Plan B when your brain is mush and your Dexcom is yelling at you.
Navigating nutrition with diabetes is already enough of a juggling act. Add in budget limitations, energy fluctuations, or relying on food assistance programs, and it can feel like the deck is stacked against you.
But here’s the truth: you are not a failure for feeding yourself with what you have. Whether your dinner came from a can, a box, or a CSA – you deserve food that fuels your body and supports your blood sugars.
Processed foods aren’t the enemy. Hunger is. And a broken food system that limits options for low-income, disabled, and chronically ill folks? That’s where our frustration belongs – not at the frozen pizza in your freezer.
Embrace the imperfection and keep advocating for a world where everyone has access to a variety of foods – fresh, frozen, processed, culturally relevant, and affordable.
Until then, we work with what we’ve got. And what you’ve got? That’s more than enough.
Now go make yourself a peanut butter tortilla and call it self-care. You’re doing great.