A Guide to Low Sodium Meal Services: What You Need to Know
Are you looking to reduce your sodium intake without sacrificing flavor? Low sodium meal services are a great way to do just that. With a wide variety of options and easy access to delicious, healthy food, meal services that offer low sodium options are becoming increasingly popular. This guide will provide an overview of what to expect from low sodium meal services, from meal delivery options, personal chef services, to tips for succeeding on a low-sodium diet. With the right knowledge, you can make the most of your low-sodium meal service and start enjoying flavorful meals without the extra salt.
Overview of Low Sodium Meal Services
A low sodium meal service is a dietary program where meals are prepared with reduced sodium. They provide a low-sodium option to help you maintain a healthy diet and feel full while eating less. On average, low sodium meal services cut around 40-50 percent of the sodium in restaurant meals. Eating low sodium foods can help you stay within your daily sodium intake while also improving your nutritional intake. Low sodium meal plans are often part of an overall low-sodium dieting strategy. This can help you stick to your new eating habits and avoid falling back into old habits.
What to Expect from a Low Sodium Meal Service
A typical low-sodium meal service contains five or six main dishes that are delivered to your door regularly, or you could hire an affordable personal chef will prepare customized meals for you that adhere to low sodium guidelines. Some dishes can be labeled according to the sodium content, so you can see how much sodium you can save by choosing one of the lower sodium options on the menu. You can also ask the company you’re working with or chef for assistance in selecting a lower-sodium meal option. Low-sodium meal services are often designed to be lower in sodium than regular restaurant food.
Benefits of Low Sodium Meal Services
- Easy to Follow Diet – If you struggle to follow a strict diet, low salt meal services can be a helpful tool. Many of them provide low-sodium versions of popular meals and are easy to follow when eating at home or out.
- Healthier Weight – Those who commit to a low sodium diet may find that they crave unhealthy foods less. As a result, they consume fewer calories, which may lead to weight loss.
- Healthy Heart – Eating less sodium can reduce your blood pressure and help protect your blood vessels from heart disease, which is especially important for those with high blood pressure.
Different Types of Meal Services
- Meal Kits – Meal kits are typically pre-portioned, easy-to-make meals designed for busy people who don’t have the time to cook. They’re often sold in boxes of three or five meals, which make it easy to cook several healthy meals at once.
- Meal Delivery – Pre-packaged meals are intended for people who want to eat healthier, but don’t have the time or the means to grocery shop or prepare homemade meals.
- Personal Chef Service– Using a personal chef service like Chefs for Seniors allows you to choose exactly which menu items you’d like, and have your own chef prepare them for you in-home- customized to your liking.
Tips for Succeeding on a Low Salt Diet
- Eating at Home – Eating at home is always best, but if you eat out occasionally, try to pick lower-sodium menu options.
- Shop Smart – When grocery shopping, buy less processed foods and try to stick to whole grains, fruits and vegetables as much as possible.
- Seek Support – It can be hard to stick to a diet when you’re on your own, so make sure you have a support system in place like a dietician, doctor or loved one.
Summary
Low sodium meal services are a great way to follow a low-sodium diet without having to prepare and cook meals from scratch. They typically contain less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (or 1500 milligrams if you have a more severe restriction), which is below the recommendation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.