Triglyceride meal plan, less sugar, more fish.
High triglycerides respond to a short list of changes: less added sugar and refined starch, less alcohol, more fish and more fiber. This week is built around them at about 1,600 calories, with fatty fish through the week. Alma can fit it to your goal.
Built from AHA and Dietary Guidelines advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Drop the sugary drinks
Soda, sweet tea and juice go first. Water, milk or sparkling water.
Fish twice a week
Mackerel, salmon, sardines or trout, tinned is fine.
Go easy on alcohol
Fewer drinks, or none. Heavier drinking raises triglycerides.
Sample week
Seven days of low-sugar, high-fiber meals
1,550 to 1,700 calories a day, no added sugar and no juice. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
Triglycerides of 500 mg/dL or more need a clinician's plan, not a meal plan alone. Ask your clinician before you start fish oil capsules, and tell them how much alcohol you drink, since both change the picture.
Day 1Monday
BreakfastSteel-cut oats with blueberries1 cup cooked steel-cut oats, 1 cup blueberries, 2 tbsp sliced almonds, cinnamon
LunchLentil and roasted pepper salad1 cup cooked lentils, roasted red peppers, spinach, 1 tbsp olive oil, vinegar, 1 whole-grain roll
SnackCottage cheese with cucumber1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup cucumber, black pepper
DinnerMackerel with barley salad4 oz grilled mackerel, 1 cup cooked barley, 2 cups mixed greens with 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
About 1,640 kcal90 g protein35 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastVeggie egg muffins2 egg muffins with spinach and pepper, 1 slice whole-grain toast, ½ cup strawberries
- LunchChicken and white bean salad4 oz chicken breast, ½ cup white beans, tomato, arugula, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackPear with walnuts1 pear, 3 tbsp walnuts
- DinnerSalmon with quinoa and green beans5 oz salmon, 1 cup cooked quinoa, 1½ cups green beans, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,620 kcal102 g protein31 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastGreek yogurt with raspberries and chia1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup raspberries, 1 tbsp chia seeds
- LunchSardines on toast with white beans1 can sardines in olive oil, ½ cup white beans, 2 slices whole-grain toast, lemon
- SnackAlmonds with an orange1 oz almonds, 1 orange
- DinnerTurkey stir-fry with brown rice4 oz turkey breast, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 2 cups broccoli and peppers, 2 tsp sesame oil, ginger
About 1,570 kcal103 g protein33 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastAlmond butter and banana toast2 slices whole-grain toast, 1 tbsp almond butter, 1 banana
- LunchQuinoa, chickpea and kale bowl1 cup cooked quinoa, ½ cup chickpeas, 2 cups kale, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackCarrot sticks with hummus1 cup carrot sticks, ¼ cup hummus
- DinnerBaked cod with lentils and chard6 oz cod, 1 cup cooked lentils, 2 cups chard with 1 tbsp olive oil and garlic
About 1,580 kcal93 g protein44 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastOatmeal with banana and flaxseed1 cup cooked rolled oats, 1 banana, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, ½ cup milk
- LunchSalmon and potato salad with dill4 oz salmon, 1 cup boiled potatoes, cucumber, 1 tbsp olive oil, fresh dill
- SnackKiwi with pumpkin seeds2 kiwis, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- DinnerChicken and chickpea curry3 oz chicken breast, ½ cup chickpeas, tomato curry sauce, ¾ cup cooked brown rice, 1 tsp oil
About 1,630 kcal91 g protein32 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastEggs with sweet potato and avocado2 eggs, 1 cup roasted sweet potato, ½ avocado
- LunchWhite bean and rosemary soup2 cups white bean and rosemary soup, 1 slice whole-grain bread, 1 tsp olive oil
- SnackStrawberries with cottage cheese1 cup strawberries, ¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese
- DinnerSheet pan salmon with farro5 oz salmon, 1½ cups Brussels sprouts, 1 cup cooked farro, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,640 kcal102 g protein39 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastVegetable frittata with toast1 large slice vegetable frittata made with 2 eggs, 2 slices whole-grain toast, sliced tomato
- LunchMackerel and beetroot salad3 oz smoked mackerel, 1 cup cooked beetroot, mixed leaves, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 whole-grain roll
- SnackPopcorn with a pear3 cups air-popped popcorn, 1 pear
- DinnerTurkey meatloaf with sweet potato mash4 oz turkey meatloaf, 1 cup mashed sweet potato, 1½ cups green beans, 1 tsp olive oil
About 1,650 kcal87 g protein34 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
Now and then
Read labels for added sugar. Four grams is about one teaspoon.
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 foods help lower triglycerides?
The 2011 American Heart Association statement points to cutting added sugar and refined starch, limiting alcohol, eating fish twice a week and getting enough fiber. Replacing saturated fat with olive oil, nuts and fish fits too. Every day here follows that list.
Is fruit okay when triglycerides are high?
Whole fruit is fine, and it brings fiber. The AHA statement lists about 22 g of fructose in a 12 oz cola, against 4 to 10 g in an apple or pear. This week uses whole fruit and leaves out juice and soda.
Does alcohol raise triglycerides?
At higher intakes, yes. The 2011 AHA statement found triglycerides rise as drinking goes up, and strongly recommends no alcohol at all for people with very high levels. Ask your clinician what is right for you.
How much added sugar is too much?
The American Heart Association recommends fewer than 100 added sugar calories a day for women and 150 for men, which is about 6 and 9 teaspoons. Sugary drinks use that up in one glass, so they are the first thing to drop.
How much fish should I eat?
Two servings a week is the goal, ideally fatty fish like mackerel, salmon or sardines. A serving is 3 oz cooked, and tinned fish counts. This week puts fish on the plate seven times, six of them fatty fish, so it clears the target with room to swap days around.
Should I take fish oil capsules?
That is a prescription question, not a shopping one. Fish oil can interact with medicines and the right amount depends on your numbers, so ask your clinician. This plan uses fish as food instead of relying on capsules.
How many calories is this meal plan?
About 1,550 to 1,700 calories a day, with 85 to 105 grams of protein and 30 to 45 grams of fiber. Added sugar stays near zero beyond what whole foods carry. Scale portions to your needs.
How does Alma help with high triglycerides?
Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds, and each one gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100, drawing on Harvard's Alternate Healthy Eating Index. The sugar calculator adds up added sugar for the day, which is the number that matters most here.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed November 4, 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.