Burrito bowls are delicious, filling and customizable. For people with diabetes, the carbohydrates in a typical burrito bowl, like you might get at Chipotle or Qdoba, can add up past your ideal amount for a meal. Here are a few tips to build a bowl best for your blood sugars at these restaurants or make one yourself at home.
Learn how much carbohydrate you need in a day by working with a registered dietitian. Schedule a virtual visit here.
- Choose beans over rice, or ask for just a light amount of rice. Both have carbohydrate, but a good portion of the carbohydrate in beans comes from dietary fiber. Fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar and helps keep you feeling full longer.
- Pick a lean protein. Chicken or lean beef are good options. At home, try it with grilled shrimp or slow cooked pork tenderloin.
- Add veggies. Lettuce and grilled or sautéed veggies are your typical options at the restaurants. At home, try creative options like sliced jicama, shredded cabbage or zucchini.
- Choose a fat. The options are typically sour cream, cheese or guacamole. If you have a weight loss goal, choose one of these. If you are making your bowl at home, try swapping sour cream with plain reduced fat Greek yogurt. It tastes like sour cream but retains more of the protein from milk and less of the fat.
- Spice it up with a salsa of your choice! If it’s available, squeeze the juice of a lime wedge all over the bowl meal. It brings out the flavor of the ingredients without adding additional salt.
If you love bowl meals, try this cheeseburger bowl too.
Diabetes Meal Ideas 