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With the population of older Americans on the rise, the burden of chronic health conditions, functional decline, and diminished independence place an unprecedented strain on the resources of individuals, family members, caregivers, and healthcare systems. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects older adults at higher rates, notably within the most vulnerable subgroups of the population including women, minorities, those in poverty, and the homebound. Following a telephone screening process, in‐depth interviews were conducted at the homes of 31 African American, Hispanic, and non‐Hispanic White seniors who regularly receive home‐delivered meals. This interpretive methodology was developed to systematically assess health and dietary self‐management in older adults who receive home‐delivered meals. The interview guide focused on 5 areas: general health; history and perception; self‐management; program planning; and social support. Thematic analysis shows that participants felt liable for their health status, but attributed their non‐compliance to lack of social and economic assistance. The seniors in this study felt competent, but rarely had the opportunity to take protective measures to manage their DM due to a number of barriers. Key barriers to self‐management include financial hardship, food access, coping mechanisms, and psychological well‐being. These results contribute to better understanding of how to approach, support, and motivate homebound older adults with DM while addressing barriers that offer insight to the development of self‐management interventions. Recommendations include training volunteers as community health workers to help seniors with problem‐solving and better management of DM.