18 Low-Sodium Lunches for Heart Health

containers with spicy slaw bowls with shrimp & edamame

Enjoy a colorful and filling lunch with these delicious and nourishing recipes. Each dish meets our heart-healthy nutrition parameters, focusing on ingredients that are low in sodium and saturated fats like lean proteins, healthy fats and fiber-packed veggies to create a rainbow of flavors and textures. Meals like our Super Green Edamame Salad and Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp Edamame are balanced and tasty dishes that support a heart-healthy eating pattern.

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Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

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In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.

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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

containers with spicy slaw bowls with shrimp & edamame

The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

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Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables, depending on your mood.

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Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens

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For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.

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Super-Green Edamame Salad

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Avocado, fresh chives and spinach are blended right into the creamy, bright-green dressing in this healthy edamame salad recipe. Pink beans are popular in the Caribbean, but you can substitute pinto beans or light red kidney beans if you can't find them.

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Clean Out Your Fridge with This Veggie-Packed Farro & Chickpea Salad

A Hearty Farro and Chickpea Salad With Just 252 Calories in a serving dish
Jennifer Causey

Here's a great dinner template to keep in your back pocket when you get to the end of the week and you don't think you have anything stocked for dinner. A couple pantry staples, a little cooked whole grain, some bold-flavored condiments, a few crunchy veggies and you're done. Here, we use cilantro, lime juice and garlic in the dressing, but feel free to riff on it with whatever you might have on hand.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Sauce

Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

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Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries

a photo of a plated Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries
Jen Causey

This quick egg scramble with hearty bread is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss. It combines protein-packed eggs and superfood raspberries with filling whole-grain toast and nutrient-rich spinach. The protein and fiber help fill you up and keep you going through the morning.

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Southwestern Salad with Black Beans

Southwestern Salad with Black Beans

Here we top salad greens with black beans, sweet corn and grape tomatoes and bring it all together with a tangy avocado-lime dressing for a Mexican-inspired salad. Try this salad for a take-along lunch. To keep the salad greens from getting soggy, pack the greens, salad toppings and dressing in separate containers and toss them together just before eating.

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Veggie Egg Salad

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Crunchy carrot, cucumber and scallions are a colorful addition to this vegetarian egg salad recipe. Pack it with some crunchy crackers and tomatoes for a healthy, light lunch.

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Mediterranean Chicken Panini

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Another time, use the subtly seasoned Dried Tomato-Pepper Spread to spiff up a cold turkey sandwich.

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3-Ingredient Chicken Tabbouleh Bowls

3-ingredient chicken tabbouleh bowls
Photo by: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

This almost-instant grain bowl makes the most of the prepared-foods section at your grocery store. Toss together a ready-made salad with proteins for a healthy, quick dinner.

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3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

3-Ingredient Mediterranean Farro Bowl
Carolyn Hodges

To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.

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Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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This chicken salad is made with a blend of light mayonnaise and fat-free Greek yogurt. Served on butterhead lettuce leaves instead of bread, and topped with sweet cherries and crunchy almonds, this recipe is a great choice for a light lunch.

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Kale Turkey Wraps

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Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-calorie. If you can't find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap.

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Rice & Lentil Salad

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A simple dressing of sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and paprika flavors this rice and lentil salad. It's a great way to use up leftovers.

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Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing

veggie grain bowl in a glass to-go container

In about 10 minutes, you can prep a week's worth of lunches using 4 simple ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To minimize prep, we're taking advantage of prechopped fresh veggie mix and frozen quinoa (which heats in the microwave in under 5 minutes). These crunchy chopped salad bowls are high in fiber but lower in calories, making them perfect for those following a reduced-calorie diet.

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