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Best Gifts For Diabetics: The Ultimate 2023 Guide!

Written By:
Cazzy Magennis
Last Updated:
April 21, 2023

Here's a complete guide to many of the more practical and quirky gifts for diabetics, that I absolutely love and which are available this year ...

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Are you looking for a perfect gift for your diabetic friend or loved one? 

Then look no further!

I’ve put together a list of all my favourite diabetic gifts that I think are perfect for all occasions. 

One thing to consider before you purchase any gifts for diabetics is whether they would appreciate one. 

Technically, you can give someone who has diabetes any type of gift in the world, but sometimes it’s fun to get something themed, funny or genuinely useful for the condition!

I appreciate all gifts, so all the diabetic themed gifts I mentioned below are things I actually like and would love to receive. 

To help you navigate your way through these great gifts, I’ve broken them down into different themed sections. 

I’ve also added links to products wherever possible (some products may not be available in certain countries).

Practical gifts for diabetics 

There are so many really awesome devices, gadgets and gizmos on the market that help make diabetes easier, or make it more stylish! So below I take you through some of the best. 

1. A Stylish Myabetic Bag 

Myabetic are leading runners in stylish and practical bags for diabetics. They’ve got something for everyone, and honestly they’ve created a product that actually makes you want to carry all your diabetes supplies with you in style. 

They’ve got bags for flying with diabetes, backpacks for stylish purposes, and even evening-wear bags for those date nights. Below I take you through some of my favorites. 

Myabetic Marie Diabetes Crossbody

This is a super stylish bag that’s perfect for days when you’re meeting friends for coffee, sightseeing in a city, or on a special date night or occasion. I love the black version as it’s a colour that will go with any outfit. It’s got secret compartments for all your diabetes supplies including your blood glucose meter, CGM receiver and insulin. 

It’s even got a removable waist pouch to store and dispose of used test trips. How practical is that!? 

And it’s also a bag, so it’ll hold your phone, purse, and lipstick. The perfect bag solution women! Especially for travelling through airport security.

Myabetic Banting Supply Case 

This is a classic case that comes in so many different colours, so you’ll be sure to find one that matches your style and personality. This is a really good day-to-day case for holding your diabetes supplies and you can easily pop it in a larger bag, or backpack if you’re travelling with diabetes

It’s capable of holding 2 insulin pens, syringes, insulin vials, your blood glucose meter, test strips and more. Plus, because of the design and choice of colours, it’s a great option for both men and women of all ages. 

Myabetic Brandy Diabetes Backpack 

This is my personal favourite. It’s super stylish, comes in a variety of colours and it’s just a great way to combine diabetes and style. I love how you could never tell it’s holding medical supplies, and I love how smart it is. 

This bag is capable of holding your diabetes testing essentials in the front section including glucose meter, test strips, insulin pens, vials and more and it even has an Insulated interior pocket, where you can pop a cold pack in to keep your insulin cool!

How great is that? This one is probably the most expensive one on the website, but, I think for the quality, style and convenience you're getting, it’s absolutely worth the money! 

I think this is also great for teenagers who’re maybe a bit self conscious about their diabetes. 

Myabetic Jay Diabetes Sling

This is the last one I’ll recommend here and this bag seems to have been created for a male audience (although there’s no reason women can’t use it too!). There is a range of great colours on offer, and the bag is a perfect backpack that you could take on sports days, runs, or even backpacking. 

This bag will hold all your essential diabetes supplies including your testing strips, lancets, insulin, etc AND it has an insulated section for juice boxes, glucagon, cold pack, or water bottle.

2. A Frio Bag 

frio bags

Frio is an insulin cooling case that is a great way to keep your insulin cool when you’re out and about, or on long walks, or just generally travelling. 

I’ve been using these for many years now and they’ve never let me down, so I certainly trust the brand. 

It’s also the type of product that you often forget to buy, so it’s a great, useful gift idea! 

They also come in lots of different sizes and designs, so you’re sure to find one that someone will love as a gift. 

There is also a really cool insulin pen cooler, that only holds one pen at a time, but it would be perfect for days out when you’re just carrying what you need for the day. 

3. MedAngel One Sensor

medangel one sensor

Another great device that’s perfect for tracking the temperature of your insulin. This is practical for when you’re out and about sightseeing, especially in extreme hot and cold climates, or even to make sure your insulin is at the correct temperature in your home. 

Absolutely perfect for me backpacking as I’m always needing hotels and hostels to store my insulin in their kitchen fridge. When communicating in a foreign country, there’s always the fear they will put it in a freezer instead of the fridge. At least with this I can keep an eye on it from afar and have peace of mind!

4. Get jazzy with Diabetic Accessories 

There are so many cool stickers available nowadays that help jazz up your diabetic devices. There’s no need for them to be boring anymore! You can express yourself with a range of really cool designs. Check out some designs for the following devices below: 

Birthday gifts for diabetics 

If you fancy getting your loved one or friend a funny diabetes related novelty gift, then I’ve got you covered. These make awesome birthday gifts, and you’re diabuddy is sure to love them. 

1. Type Onederful Jumper

This is a great gift for younger girls and guys who need a little reminder that they’re a warrior and amazing! It’s got unicorns on it, so it’s super playful and fun. 

2. Keep calm and take insulin

A classic slogan that’s made its way onto many varieties of merchandise, but this is one of my favourite slogans! 

You can get it in t-shirt form OR you can get the awesome “I Run on Coffee and Insulin” slogan on a t-shirt, cup, and much more! That one is my favourite! 

3. Diabadass prints for the home

Chessie King & her type 1 diabetic boyfriend, Matthew, collaborated together to create these awesome prints for your home. 

They’re super inspiring and motivating, and a great birthday gift for diabetics to remind them how awesome they are! 

4. A novelty mug 

There are so many awesome mugs on the market that have classic diabetic quotes on them! I could start a collection if I had the room. But some of my favourites are listed below. These are a great, simple gift to give to a friend. 

5. Genteel lancing device

Do you know a diabetic who HATES finger pricks? Then this is a perfect diabetic gift, especially for those who are just newly diagnosed.

The Genteel lancing device actually helps remove the pain associated with finger pricks. 

It’s the only lancing device that uses vacuum and depth control to draw blood from anywhere on the body. 

This means you don’t have to use your fingers, and can choose anywhere on your body that’s convenient! 

I think that’s pretty cool! 

They come in a bunch of different colours so I’m sure you’ll find one that’s perfect as a gift. 

Valentines Day gifts for diabetics 

Is your partner a diabetic? Lucky you, that means they’re super sweet! 

That was a terrible pun, sorry. 

Of course you can get your partner anything romantic style for Valentines Day, but if you want to get your partner a fun diabetic style gift, then these ones are pretty great! 

1. A piece of jewelry 

It’s important that diabetics wear diabetic ID, in case of an emergency, but honestly a lot of the time, we don’t like the style of diabetic IDs so it almost doesn’t seem worth it. 

You can change that by buying your partner a beautiful piece of jewelry, that also happens to be a diabetic ID! 

Lauren's Hope has some stunning bracelets that combine style and diabetes in a great form! There are so many to choose from on the website, but some of my favourites include: 

  • Rhythm and blues bracelet 
  • Kaye Bracelet 
  • Audrey Tennis Bracelet in Rose Gold (a seriously beautiful piece!)

2. A good book 

If you can’t think of a valentine's day gift, then you can’t go wrong with a bunch of roses and a good book. There are so many amazing books on the market, and I personally loved Celia Ahern (she’s my favourite author), but there are also pretty cool diabetic related books you could purchase too. Below are some of the most popular diabetic books on the market. 

3. A romantic hamper 

romantic hampers for diabetics
Can't beat roses!

You can’t go wrong with a classic hamper, and remember just because you’re buying a gift for a diabetic, doesn't mean they can’t enjoy the sweet things in life! 

You can get lots of great hampers online that would make perfect gifts for diabetics and below I list some of my favourites. 

4. Stylish clothing from Anna PS

The range of clothing here is awesome. Clothing has been fully designed with secret compartments to hold your insulin pump and diabetic gear which means you need to carry less stuff with you. Not only that, all the clothing on offer is super stylish! I’m going to point out some of my favourite pieces: 

Christmas gifts for diabetics 

If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas for diabetics then you’ll be happy to hear that all the diabetic gift ideas I’ve listed so far are perfect for Christmas too! But since Christmas is a special time of year, maybe it’s the time to invest in something that you know your diabetic buddy would really appreciate, perhaps something they’d not think of funding themselves. 

1. MiaoMiao CGM

miao miao for freestyle libre

If you really want to give your diabetic buddy the gift of the season, then why not give them the gift of alarms for their Freestyle Libre. The MiaoMiao actually turns the Freestyle Libre into a CGM which will alarm you if your blood sugar is too high or too low, and before then you can try and prevent these rises and dips in blood sugar.

I love this device and find it really useful, plus I have a handy MiaoMiao coupon code & review for you to check out. 

I think it’s a pretty practical and unique Christmas gift idea for diabetics. 

2. Bath & Shower Gift Set

Honestly you can’t go wrong with a great gift set for the shower and bath. Having diabetes is pretty darn stressful & avoiding diabetes burnout is important, and this is an excuse to just run the bath, grab a drink and read a book whilst relaxing in bubbles. Sounds perfect to me! So if you want to give someone the gift of relaxation for Christmas, then this is a great shout. 

3. Foot Massage 

Diabetics are prone to foot problems if complications arise with their blood sugars long term, so to help keep those feet healthy and to help relieve any discomfort associated with neuropathy, it could be a great idea to get a foot massage device of sorts. There are lots of different ones on the market which will suit all budgets. 

But I think this TheraFlow Foot Massager Roller is really cool and it’s cheap! So, if you’re looking for gifts for diabetic neuropathy then this is a pretty cool way to contribute. 

4. Apple watch or smart watch

apple watch for cgm

If you’ve got a Dexcom or FreeStyle Libre or other CGM, you can link them up to your smart watch and see your blood sugar via the watch, and it can send you alarms through it too. 

Which is pretty darn cool! 

A smart watch has become a really popular tool for diabetes management, so it’s a really cool gift idea. I’ll have to get myself one some day (or maybe Brad will get it for me this Christmas …).

Diabetic gifts for men 

Men always seem to be a little harder to buy for, or so we think! 

When it comes to diabetic accessories, the market seems focused on women, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t products out there that suit men too! 

All the above novelty gifts I mentioned would be perfect for men, as would any hamper gifts, but there are also some really great diabetic IDs for men too on Lauren's Hope, so I thought I’d give them a little mention for some further inspiration. 

Are there any gift ideas you’d like to add?

So there you have it, my ultimate guide on gifts for diabetics. 

I hope this little gift guide has brought you some inspiration on diabetic themed gifts for your family and friends. 

But as always, remember that technically you can buy a diabetic anything you want as gifts. 

We love perfume, chocolate, clothes, music, and a lot more. 

But, these diabetic gift ideas are perfect if you’re looking for that unique themed gift! 

Another final idea you could do is donate to a diabetic charity that is researching for a cure, it’s the next best thing to actually giving someone a cure in the form of a diabetes gift! :P 

Some great charities include: 

Now over to you …

Are there any gift ideas that you have?

I’d love to hear them and add them to the list, just drop me a comment below ...

Cazzy Magennis

Living with type 1 diabetes for over 10 years has given me a lot of life experience, challenges and opportunities. I’ve had ups and downs, but I’m proud that I can live out my dreams whilst managing t1d. I hope my stories can help your daily life with diabetes too!

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