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

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

• 4 ounces salmon
• 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 2 menu

Breakfast

• 1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt, topped with 3/4 cup blueberries
• 3/4 cup calcium-fortified orange juice

Lunch

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

Dinner

• Chicken stir-fry (3 ounces) with eggplant (1 cup) and basil
• 1 cup brown rice with 1 tablespoon chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup steamed broccoli
• 4 ounces red wine or concord grape juice

Snack

• 2 tablespoons mixed, unsalted nuts
• 1 cup fat-free frozen yogurt

On both days, if you're thirsty, drink water as a calorie-free way to hydrate.