Low-sodium meal plan, flavor without the salt.
A low-sodium plan keeps you under 2,300 mg of sodium a day, and closer to 1,500 mg if your clinician suggests it. The work is mostly fresh food, herbs, citrus and reading labels. Here is a week at about 1,900 calories. Alma can fit it to your goal.
Built from AHA, FDA and NHLBI DASH advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Cook from fresh
Fresh meat, fish and vegetables carry little sodium on their own.
Read the label
Compare the sodium line and pick the lowest one in the aisle.
Flavor without salt
Lemon, vinegar, garlic, herbs and spice do the work instead.
Sample week
Seven days of low-sodium meals
About 1,850 to 1,980 calories a day. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
If you have kidney disease, heart failure, or take diuretics, your sodium target may be lower than 2,300 mg. Ask your care team for your number before you change how you eat.
Day 1Monday
BreakfastShredded wheat with banana and walnuts1 cup unsweetened shredded wheat, 1 cup 1% milk, 1 banana, 1 tbsp walnuts
LunchHerb chicken with couscous and cucumber4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked couscous, 1 cup cucumber and tomato, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon, parsley, 1 oz whole-grain bread
SnackApple, orange and unsalted almonds1 apple, 1 orange, 1 oz unsalted almonds
DinnerPork loin with sweet potato and broccoli5 oz roasted pork loin, 1 large sweet potato, 2 cups broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil, garlic and black pepper
About 1,930 kcal115 g protein37 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastScrambled eggs with tomato on toast2 eggs scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tomato, 2 slices whole-grain toast, 1 cup 1% milk
- LunchChickpea and herb salad with lemon1 cup no-salt-added chickpeas, cucumber, tomato and red onion, 2 tbsp unsalted pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon, parsley, ½ whole-wheat pita
- SnackYogurt with peach and sunflower seeds¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt, 1 peach, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- DinnerBaked cod with new potatoes and green beans6 oz cod baked with lemon and parsley, 1 cup boiled new potatoes, 1½ cups green beans, 2 tsp olive oil, 2 oz whole-grain bread
About 1,900 kcal116 g protein39 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastOvernight oats with blueberries½ cup rolled oats, ¾ cup 1% milk, 1 cup blueberries, 1 tbsp unsalted pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp unsalted peanut butter, cinnamon
- LunchTurkey and vegetable rice bowl4 oz home-roasted turkey breast, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup zucchini and peppers, ¼ avocado, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon and oregano
- SnackRice cakes with avocado and tomato2 brown rice cakes, ½ avocado, tomato, lime, 1 cup grapes
- DinnerChicken with rice noodles and bok choy5 oz chicken breast, 6 oz cooked rice noodles, 2 cups bok choy, pepper and carrot, 2 tsp canola oil, garlic, ginger, lime and chili
About 1,970 kcal113 g protein28 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastPoached eggs on toast with spinach2 poached eggs, 2 cups wilted spinach, 2 slices whole-grain toast, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 orange
- LunchTuna and potato salad with green beans3 oz canned tuna in water, drained and rinsed, 1 cup boiled potatoes, 1 cup green beans, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon, 1 slice whole-grain bread, 1 apple
- SnackUnsalted popcorn with an orange3 cups air-popped popcorn with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 orange, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- DinnerRoast beef with potatoes and carrots4 oz home-roasted beef, 1 cup roasted potatoes, 1 cup carrots, ½ cup peas, 1 tbsp olive oil, fresh horseradish
About 1,850 kcal101 g protein39 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastMuesli with yogurt and raspberries½ cup unsweetened muesli, ¾ cup plain yogurt, 1 cup raspberries, 1 tbsp almonds, 1 hard-boiled egg
- LunchQuinoa salad with chicken and roasted vegetables4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked quinoa, 2 cups roasted zucchini, pepper and onion with 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackGreek yogurt with honey and walnuts¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tsp honey, 1 tbsp walnuts, 1 pear
- DinnerSalmon with wild rice and asparagus6 oz baked salmon, 1 cup cooked wild rice blend, 12 asparagus spears, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
About 1,940 kcal140 g protein34 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastVegetable frittata with toast2 eggs baked with potato, pepper and onion in 1 tsp olive oil, 2 slices whole-grain toast, 1 cup 1% milk
- LunchBlack bean and corn salad with lime1 cup no-salt-added black beans, ½ cup corn, tomato and pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, lime and cilantro, 1 oz unsalted tortilla chips
- SnackApple with unsalted peanut butter1 apple, 1½ tbsp unsalted peanut butter
- DinnerHerb-roasted chicken with barley and carrots5 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked barley, 1 cup carrots, 1 tbsp olive oil, thyme, lemon
About 1,980 kcal105 g protein41 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastWhole-grain cereal with strawberries1 cup unsweetened whole-grain cereal, 1 cup 1% milk, 1 cup strawberries, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 hard-boiled egg
- LunchHomemade beef and vegetable soup2 cups homemade beef and vegetable soup with 3 oz beef, ½ cup no-salt-added white beans, 1 oz whole-grain roll, side salad with 1 tbsp olive oil
- SnackCantaloupe with unsalted almonds2 cups cantaloupe, 1 oz unsalted almonds
- DinnerBaked tilapia with couscous and zucchini6 oz tilapia, 1 cup cooked couscous, 2 cups zucchini and tomato with 2 tsp olive oil, 1 cup green beans, lemon and parsley, 1 oz whole-grain bread
About 1,950 kcal117 g protein43 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
Dairy1% milk, plain yogurt and Greek yogurtgreek yogurt- FlavorLemons, garlic, vinegar, black pepper, herbs and spicesolive oil
Now and then
- Takeout and fast foodOne restaurant meal can hold a full day of sodium
Bread, cheese and condiments are the hidden sources. Compare labels on those first, and pick the lowest-sodium version.
Make it yours
This week is a sample. Alma builds yours.
- Meals fit to your goal and the foods you like
- Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds
- Every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100
Questions
What people ask
What is a low-sodium diet?
A low-sodium diet keeps you under 2,300 mg of sodium a day, about 1 teaspoon of salt. The American Heart Association suggests moving toward an ideal limit of 1,500 mg a day for most adults. Most of the sodium to cut comes from packaged and prepared food.
How much sodium is in this meal plan?
Every day here is built from fresh food, with no canned soup, deli meat, soy sauce or salty cheese. Days should land under 2,300 mg, but bread, yogurt and condiments add up. Read labels and pick the lowest-sodium version.
Which foods have the most sodium?
The FDA, citing CDC data, lists deli meat sandwiches, pizza, burritos and tacos, soups, savory snacks, poultry, pasta dishes, burgers and egg dishes as top sources. Many of them do not taste salty, which is why labels matter.
How many calories is this meal plan?
About 1,850 to 1,980 calories a day, with 100 to 140 grams of protein and 28 to 43 grams of fiber a day. Scale portions to your size and activity. The calorie calculator gives you a starting number.
Does salt raise blood pressure?
The NHLBI reports that reducing sodium lowers blood pressure in people with and without high blood pressure. Combining less sodium with the DASH eating plan was more beneficial than either one alone.
Can I use a salt substitute?
Most salt substitutes swap sodium for potassium, which is not safe for everyone. If you have kidney disease or take a medicine that raises potassium, such as an ACE inhibitor or a potassium-sparing diuretic, ask your clinician before using one.
How does Alma help with a low-sodium plan?
Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds, and Alma scores it from 0 to 100 using Harvard's Alternate Healthy Eating Index, which rewards vegetables, beans and whole grains. Alma can build a plan around your goal and the foods you like.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed October 28, 2026. Calories and protein are estimates. This is general information, not medical advice. If you manage a health condition or take medication, check changes with your clinician. Editorial standards
Get a week built around you.
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like. It plans the meals and scores each one.