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 vegetables, fruits and whole grains 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 examples of heart-healthy eating.

Day 1 menu

Breakfast

1 cup cooked oatmeal, sprinkled with 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
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, canned in juice
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) with a whole-grain bun
1/2 cup green beans with 1 tablespoon 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	1,557
Total fat	45 g
Saturated fat	10 g
Monounsaturated fat	15 g
Cholesterol	89 mg
Sodium	1,462 mg
Total carbohydrate	218 g
Dietary fiber	25 g
Protein	82 g

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March 14, 2015 See more In-depth