DASH Diet Sample Menus
Day One: Sample Meal Plan
Starting the Day
- Breakfast
- Oatmeal, one cup, prepared without salt
- Raisins, one-quarter cup
- Banana, one medium
- Fat-free milk, one cup
- Black coffee, unsweetened tea, or water
Midday Meal
- Lunch
- Hummus, half a cup
- Red bell pepper, half, sliced
- Cucumber, half, sliced
- Baby carrots, ten pieces
- Three small falafel patties
- One whole-grain pita pocket
- Water
Evening Meal
- Dinner
- Roasted salmon, four ounces, topped with a lightly sweet maple-balsamic glaze
- Wild and brown rice mix, one cup
- Sautéed green beans and red bell pepper, three-quarters cup
- Pear slices in juice, half a cup
- Unsweetened hot or iced tea
Snack Ideas
- Low-fat yogurt, one cup
- One medium peach
Nutritional Breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 1,940 |
| Total fat | 57 g |
| Saturated fat | 10 g |
| Sodium | 2,017 mg |
| Potassium | 4,469 mg |
| Magnesium | 470 mg |
| Calcium | 1,000 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 278 g |
| Protein | 86 g |
| Dietary fiber | 31 g |
| Added sugars | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 80 mg |
Key Features for Day One
- Grains: 6 servings
- Vegetables: 4 servings
- Fruits: 4 servings
- Low-fat Dairy: 2 servings
- Lean Protein (meat, fish, poultry, eggs): 4 servings
- Nuts, Seeds, Beans: 2 servings
- Healthy Fats and Oils: 1 serving
- Sweets: 0.5 serving
The menu keeps sodium under 2,300 mg, increases potassium and fiber with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and uses low-fat dairy for calcium. Salmon and falafel provide lean protein with little saturated fat and support heart health.
Day Two: Example Menu
Breakfast Time
- Mixed fruit such as melon and grapes, one cup
- Whole-wheat bagel, half
- One tablespoon of natural peanut butter
- Skim milk, one cup
- Coffee, tea, or water
Lunch Plate
- Spinach salad with three cups fresh spinach
- Sliced pear
- Canned mandarin oranges, half cup
- Red wine vinegar, one tablespoon
- Olive oil, one tablespoon
- Goat cheese, one ounce
- Grilled chicken, three ounces
- Whole-wheat roll, small
- Water
Dinner Ideas
- Whole-wheat pasta, one and a half cups
- Marinara sauce, half a cup
- Chopped summer squash, one cup
- Chopped frozen spinach, half a cup
- Melon, one cup
- Skim milk, one cup
Snack Tips
- Trail mix (unsalted), one-quarter cup
Nutritional Breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 1,727 |
| Total fat | 58 g |
| Saturated fat | 14 g |
| Sodium | 1,157 mg |
| Potassium | 3,660 mg |
| Magnesium | 512 mg |
| Calcium | 1,115 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 229 g |
| Protein | 87 g |
| Dietary fiber | 30 g |
| Added sugars | 12 g |
| Cholesterol | 104 mg |
Key Features for Day Two
- Grains: 6 servings
- Vegetables: 7 servings
- Fruits: 5 servings
- Low-Fat Dairy: 3 servings
- Lean Protein: 3 servings
- Beans, Nuts, Seeds: 1.5 servings
- Healthy Fats and Oils: 3 servings
- Sweets: 1 serving
Lunch offers a spinach salad with protein, healthy fats from olive oil, and fruit. Dinner includes whole grains and more vegetables. The menu lowers sodium even further.
Day Three: Daily Sample Plan
Morning Meal
- Avocado toast
- Whole-wheat bread, one slice
- Avocado, half to one medium
- Sun-dried tomatoes, one-quarter cup
- Poached egg, one
- Orange, medium
- Coffee, tea, or water
Lunch Menu
- Tuna salad on crackers
- Tuna (canned in water, low sodium), three ounces
- Onion, bell pepper, celery, all diced, quarter cup each
- Low-fat mayonnaise, one tablespoon
- Eight melba toast crackers
- Apple, one
- Skim milk, half cup
Dinner Table
- Vegetable stir-fry with
- Sesame oil, half teaspoon
- Onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots—half cup each
- Chopped ginger and garlic
- Mirin rice wine and reduced-sodium soy sauce, for light flavor
- Chopped cashews, half tablespoon
- Brown rice, one cup
- Low-fat yogurt, plain or lightly sweetened
- Water
Snack Choices
- Peach, one
- Almonds, one-quarter cup
Nutritional Breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 2,114 |
| Total fat | 74 g |
| Saturated fat | 12 g |
| Sodium | 1,462 mg |
| Potassium | 5,406 mg |
| Magnesium | 579 mg |
| Calcium | 1,333 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 290 g |
| Protein | 96 g |
| Dietary fiber | 44 g |
| Added sugars | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 233 mg |
Key Features for Day Three
- Grains: 5 servings
- Vegetables: 6.5 servings
- Fruits: 4 servings
- Low-fat Dairy: 2 servings
- Lean Meats, Fish, Eggs: 4 servings
- Nuts, Seeds, Beans: 1 serving
- Fats and Oils: 4 servings
- Sweets: 0 servings
This menu highlights plant-based meals and lean fish, with healthy oils, high fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Stir-fried vegetables and brown rice add important nutrients. The menu keeps sodium under 1,500 mg for those who need stricter limits.
Key Points Across These Sample Plans
- Meals deliver plenty of fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium by focusing on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, and legumes.
- Lean proteins—such as salmon, chicken, eggs, tuna, falafel, and legumes—help with fullness and muscle health without much saturated fat.
- Healthy fats come from olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds, while saturated and trans fats stay low by limiting whole-fat dairy, fatty meats, and processed foods.
- Sodium stays in check by using fresh ingredients and low-salt versions of prepared foods.
- Each day follows the DASH eating plan, and hydrogenated oils, sweets, and sugar-sweetened drinks are very limited or avoided.
- Drinking water is encouraged, and sugar-sweetened drinks are avoided for better hydration.
These daily options show how the DASH diet can be practical and flexible while meeting nutritional recommendations for sodium, fiber, calcium, and healthy fats.
