Menus for heart-healthy eating: Cut the fat and salt

Heart-healthy eating can be easy if you have a strong start. Use these menus to kick off your heart-healthy diet.

Do you want to adopt a heart-healthy diet, but aren't sure where to start? One way to begin is to create a daily meal plan that emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and limits high-fat foods (such as red meat, cheese and baked goods) and high-sodium foods (such as canned or processed foods).

Below are two days' worth of heart-healthy menus. Use them as a template for healthy eating.

Day 1 menu

Breakfast
1 cup cooked oatmeal, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and chopped walnuts
1 banana
1 cup skim milk

Lunch
1 cup low-fat (1 percent or lower) plain yogurt with 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
1/2 cup peach halves
5 Melba toast crackers
1 cup raw broccoli and cauliflower
2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese, plain or vegetable flavor (as a spread for crackers or vegetable dip)
Sparkling water

Dinner
Grilled turkey burger (4 ounces, or oz.) with a whole-grain bun
1/2 cup green beans with toasted almonds
2 cups mixed salad greens
2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 cup skim milk
1 small orange

Snack
1 cup skim milk
9 animal crackers

Day 1 nutrient analysis
Calories	1,637
Protein	85 g
Carbohydrate	245 g
Total fat	43 g
Saturated fat	9 g
Monounsaturated fat	14 g
Cholesterol	101 mg
Sodium	1,545 mg
Fiber	30 g
Potassium	4,290 mg
Calcium	1,887 mg

Day 2 menu

Breakfast
2 whole-wheat pancakes, 4-inch diameter, topped with 3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup calcium-fortified orange juice
1 cup skim milk

Lunch
1 whole-wheat pita stuffed with 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup sliced tomato, 1/4 cup sliced cucumber, 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese and 2 tablespoons reduced-fat ranch dressing
1 kiwi
1 cup skim milk

Dinner
Oriental chicken (5 oz.) with braised pineapple ring
1 cup brown rice with 1 tablespoon chopped dried apricots
1 cup steamed broccoli
4 ounces red wine or concord grape juice

Snack
3 graham cracker squares
1 cup fat-free frozen yogurt

Day 2 nutrient analysis
Calories	1,734
Protein	88 g
Carbohydrate	257 g
Total fat	29 g
Saturated fat	10 g
Monounsaturated fat	8 g
Cholesterol	159 mg
Sodium	2,376 mg
Fiber	25 g
Potassium	3,530 mg
Calcium	1,436 mg