7-Day No-Sugar Low-Sodium Meal Plan, Created by a Dietitian

Salt and sugar are two ingredients that have stood the test of time to make our food taste delicious. But recently, we've seen the amounts of these ingredients creeping up higher and higher in sneaky places, like flavored yogurts, peanut butter, packaged snacks, sauces and frozen meals.

While some sources of salt and sugar are easy to avoid, the hidden ones can make it hard to stick to a healthy diet. Heavily salting your food at home may play a part, but foods prepared outside of the home and packaged foods are generally the worst culprits. So instead of trying to always find low-sodium, no-added-sugar convenience foods, we focus on simple home-cooked breakfasts, lunches and dinners in this meal plan. Relying more on citrus, herbs and spices, rather than salt and sugar can drastically reduce your salt and sugar intake. And since potassium works to negate the effects of sodium in your body, this meal plan also includes plenty of foods high in potassium, such as spinach, kale, avocados and bananas.

Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You

This low-sodium, no-added-sugar diet plan sticks to 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day, the recommended amount from the American Heart Association when following a low-sodium diet. This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 2,000 calories to support those with different calorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.

Sneaky Sources of Added Sugar

• Flavored Yogurt: Flavored yogurts of all types can be high in added sugars to make them sweeter and less tangy.
• Flavored Nondairy Milk: Vanilla or chocolate soy milk or almond milk can be high in added sugars, despite being seen as healthier alternatives to dairy milk.
• Peanut Butter: Some brands of peanut butter include added sugars to improve flavor, making it important to check the label for hidden sweeteners.
• Granola Bars: While convenient and often considered a healthy snack, many granola bars are packed with added sugars to improve taste and shelf life.
• Marinades: Commonly used to add flavor to meats and vegetables, marinades can contain significant amounts of added sugar, contributing to your overall intake without you realizing it.
• Salad Dressings: Store-bought salad dressings, especially those that are low-fat or labeled as "light," often contain added sugars to enhance flavor.
• Pasta Sauce: Many commercial pasta sauces use added sugar to balance acidity and enhance flavor, making it another unexpected source of added sugar.

Foods That Have Low-Sodium Options

• Prepared Broth: Look for broths labeled as "low sodium" or "no salt added." These options significantly reduce your sodium intake while still providing flavor for soups, stews and other dishes.
• Canned Beans: Opt for canned beans labeled as "low sodium" or "no salt added." You can also rinse regular canned beans under cold water to remove some of the added sodium.
• Tomato Paste: Choose tomato paste that is labeled "no salt added" or "low sodium." This allows you to control the amount of salt in your recipes while still getting the rich tomato flavor.
• Canned Soup: Look for soups labeled as "low sodium" or "reduced sodium." Be sure to check the nutrition label for the actual sodium content, as some options can still be quite high.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:

1. Prepare Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa for lunch on Days 3 through 6.
2. Prepare 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli for breakfast on Days 5 through 7.

Day 1

Breakfast (295 calories)

• 1 serving Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries

A.M. Snack (249 calories)

• 1 large banana
• 4 teaspoons unsalted natural peanut butter

Lunch (417 calories)

• 1 serving No-Cook Black Bean Salad
• 1 medium apple

P.M. Snack (275 calories)

• 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Dinner (270 calories)

• 1 serving Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

Daily Totals: 1,506 calories, 77g fat, 70g protein, 153g carbohydrate, 41g fiber, 1,193mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup berries to breakfast; add 1 serving Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette and 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds to dinner.

Day 2

Breakfast (289 calories)

• 1 serving Strawberry-Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

A.M. Snack (109 calories)

• 2 cups cantaloupe

Lunch (270 calories)

• 1 serving Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

P.M. Snack (346 calories)

• 1/3 cup unsalted roasted cashews
• 1 cup blueberries

Dinner (485 calories)

• 1 serving One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 77g fat, 74g protein, 145g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,224mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 scrambled eggs to breakfast, add 1/3 cup unsalted almonds at A.M. snack and increase to 1 1/2 cups blueberries at P.M. snack.

Day 3

Breakfast (351 calories)

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 medium pear, sliced
• 3 Tbsp. slivered almonds

A.M. Snack (54 calories)

• 1 cup cantaloupe

Lunch (412 calories)

• 1 serving Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa

P.M. Snack (233 calories)

• 1/4 cup unsalted walnuts
• 2 clementines

Dinner (443 calories)

• 1 serving Zucchini Enchiladas

Daily Totals: 1,494 calories, 80g fat, 93g protein, 115g carbohydrate, 22g fiber, 984mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to A.M. snack, add 1 medium apple with 2 Tbsp. unsalted natural peanut butter at lunch, increase to 1/3 cup walnuts at P.M. snack.

Day 4

Breakfast (289 calories)

• 1 serving Strawberry-Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

A.M. Snack (275 calories)

• 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Lunch (412 calories)

• 1 serving Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa

P.M. Snack (84 calories)

• 10 dried apricots

Dinner (452 calories)

• 1 serving Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Daily Totals: 1,512 calories, 78g fat, 97g protein, 137g carbohydrate, 24g fiber, 992mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1/2 cup almonds at morning snack, add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and a medium apple to lunch and increase to 18 apricots at P.M. snack.

Day 5

Breakfast (220 calories)

• 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli

A.M. Snack (318 calories)

• 1 large banana
• 2 tablespoons unsalted almond butter

Lunch (412 calories)

• 1 serving Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa

P.M. Snack (200 calories)

• 1 cup edamame in pods

Dinner (363 calories)

• 1 serving 20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet

Daily Totals: 1,512 calories, 72g fat, 98g protein, 130g carbohydrate, 28g fiber, 1,043mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, increase to 1/4 cup almond butter at A.M. snack, increase to 1 3/4 cups edamame at P.M. snack,

Day 6

Breakfast (220 calories)

• 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli

A.M. Snack (342 calories)

• 2 cups blackberries
• 1/3 cup unsalted walnuts

Lunch (412 calories)

• 1 serving Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa

P.M. Snack (174 calories)

• 1 cup low-fat plain kefir
• 1 cup raspberries

Dinner (354 calories)

• 1 serving Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta

Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 65g fat, 88g protein, 164g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 1,204mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, increase walnuts to 1/2 cup at A.M. snack and add 1 medium apple with 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted natural peanut butter to lunch.

Day 7

Breakfast (220 calories)

• 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli

A.M. Snack (289 calories)

• 1 pear
• 1 cup low-fat plain kefir
• 1 tablespoon chopped unsalted walnuts

Lunch (308 calories)

• 1 serving Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
• 1 medium orange

P.M. Snack (275 calories)

• 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Dinner (408 calories)

• 1 serving Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Chicken & Vegetables

Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 77g fat, 75g protein, 148g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,042mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, increase kefir to 1 1/4 cups and walnuts to 1/3 cup at A.M. snack and add 1 large banana to P.M. snack.