Are you interested in following the DASH eating plan, but not sure how? Here are some sample menus to get you started.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is an eating plan to lower or control high blood pressure. The DASH diet emphasizes eating foods that are lower in sodium, as well as foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are nutrients that help lower blood pressure.

The DASH diet includes menus with lots of vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products, as well as whole grains, fish, poultry, and nuts. Offer limited servings of red meat, sweets, and sugary drinks.

You may want to try the DASH diet, but are not so sure how to incorporate it into your own daily menus. To help you get started, here are three days of DASH-compliant menus. Use these menus as the basis for your own healthy meal planning.

Remember that, some days, you can eat a little more or a little less than the recommended servings for a particular food group. This is generally fine, as long as the multi-day or week-long average is close to the recommendations. The exception is sodium. Try to stay within the daily sodium limit as much as possible. Also note that Nutrition Facts values ​​may vary depending on the specific ingredient brands you use or the changes you make to food preparation.

Menu of the day 1
Breakfast
– 1 store bought whole wheat bagel (commercial) with 2 tablespoons peanut – butter (no salt added)
– 1 medium orange
– 1 cup fat free milk
– Decaffeinated coffee

Lunch
– Spinach salad with:
– 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
– 1 pear sliced
– 1/2 cup canned tangerine chunks
– 1/3 cup sliced ​​almonds
– 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
– 12 reduced sodium salty wheat crackers
– 1 cup fat free milk

Dinner
– Herb Crusted Baked Cod, 3 oz (85 g) cooked (about 4 oz raw)
– 1/2 cup brown rice pilaf with vegetables
– 1/2 cup fresh green beans, steamed
– 1 small sourdough bread roll
– 2 teaspoons of olive oil
– 1 cup fresh berries with minced mint
– Herb iced tea

Collation (anytime)
– 1 cup low-fat, low-fat yogurt
– 4 vanilla wafers