Dr. Ahmed
Dash Diet Meal Plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are formulated here. You can add calories or lower your calorie intake by adding or removing the mid-day snacks. The meal plan for one whole week is just a sample. You can replace similar foods wherever you like.
The DASH Diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) was developed to help in the treatment of high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a serious cause of heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke that’s why it must be prevented.
The Dash diet is based on three principles:
- Cutting out daily sodium to less than 1500 mg per day
- Limiting saturated and trans fat
- Increasing the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
The DASH diet includes:
- 6-8 servings of grains
- 4-5 servings of fruits
- 2-5 servings of vegetables
- 2-3 low-fat dairy foods
- 2-3 of meat and poultry, and
- 4-5 servings of nuts and seeds.
DASH diet plan is normally a 2000-calorie plan but when weight loss is aimed, daily calories can be decreased too.
DASH Diet Meal Plan for Breakfast:
Breakfast is considered one of the three major meals of the day. Some people have the habit of skipping breakfast which is discouraged by most nutritionists and experts.
One should have about 300 to 500 calories in breakfast. Monday is the busiest day in most countries so, one should eat more calories on Monday compared to the rest of the days.
Here is a one-week breakfast menu:
Day | Breakfast | Total Calories |
| Monday | Whole grain toast + scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes + 1 cup fat-free milk | 400 |
| Tuesday | 1 cup fat-free yogurt + 2 large Crackers + 1 tbsp peanut butter | 305 |
| Wednesday | 1 cup cooked oatmeal + 1 medium Pear | 280 |
| Thursday | 1 cup bran flakes cereal + 2 Bananas | 240 |
| Friday | Low-fat Granola bar + 2 Bananas + 1 cup of orange juice | 310 |
| Saturday | Cheesy egg omelet + whole wheat bread (2 slices) + 1 Apple | 350 |
| Sunday | 1 cup sweet yogurt with strawberries + 2 boiled eggs + 1 Peach | 390 |
Dash Diet Meal Plan for Lunch:
Lunch is another major meal of the day. People who are on a weight loss diet are usually advised to eat something during mid-day or at lunch.
Skipping lunch may not help you lose weight. It can be hazardous especially if you have diabetes as well. Skipping lunch can result in low blood glucose and affect your working capacity and thought process.
It is generally recommended to take about 500 to 700 calories at lunch. Here is a sample DASH Diet menu for lunch:
Day | Lunch | Total Calories |
| Monday | Chicken Sandwich (2) (Skin-less chicken+ whole wheat bread+ lettuce, tomatoes, and onions + cheese or low-fat mayo) + 1 cup of cantaloupe chunks | 450 |
| Tuesday | Black bean corn soup + cucumber and apple salad + 1 cup orange juice | 380 |
| Wednesday | Tuna Spaghetti + minted Potatoes + ½ cup melon chunks | 510 |
| Thursday | 2 oz Turkey Meat loaf + 1 small whole wheat roll + 1 medium peach | 380 |
| Friday | Turkey Sandwich with Swiss cheese and lettuce leaves + 1 cup vegetable salad | 460 |
| Saturday | Stuffed Chicken Breast with vegetable rice | 450 |
| Sunday | Baked Red sauce chicken macaroni + 1 cup mint margarita | 370 |
Dash Diet Meal Plan for Dinner:
Dinner is a very important meal of the day. Apart from its health benefits, it is important for social and family gatherings.
One should take about 500 to 700 calories in dinner. Here is a sample one-week DASH Diet meal plan:
Day | Dinner | Total Calories |
| Monday | 2 oz Spicy Baked Fish + Plain Rice (1 cup) | 440 |
| Tuesday | Whole wheat Zucchini pasta with spinach and peas + 1 cup pomegranate juice | 470 |
| Wednesday | Steamed Chicken + Spanish rice + ½ cup apricots | 420 |
| Thursday | 2 oz Ginger Seasme salad with whole wheat roll + fresh spinach and mushroom | 460 |
| Friday | Vegetable rice + lentil kebabs (2) + ½ cup mixed bean salad | 410 |
| Saturday | Cinnamon French Toast (2) + Honey-glazed sweet potatoes | 430 |
| Sunday | White bean stew + whole wheat roll + thyme roasted beets | 450 |
DASH Diet Meal Plan: 1 Week Menu Plan Summarized:
A 7-day DASH diet meal plan with 1500-1550 calories along with a careful focus on daily sodium levels ( less than 1500 mg).
DASH Diet is basically a low-sodium meal plan. So, apart from calorie counting, one should focus on lowering sodium intake too.
Here is a one-week DASH Diet meal plan:
Day | Breakfast | Snack | Lunch | Snack | Dinner | Total Calories | Total Sodium |
| Monday | 1 cup bran flakes cereal + 2 Bananas Calories: 240 | ½ cup nuts mixed with raisins Calories: 180 | Chicken Sandwich (2) (Skin-less chicken + whole wheat bread + lettuce, tomatoes, and onions + cheese or low-fat mayo) + 1 cup of cantaloupe chunks Calories: 450 | 1 cup low-fat chocolate milk Calories: 220 | 2 oz Spicy Baked Fish + Plain Rice (1 cup) Calories: 440 | 1530 kcal | 1200 mg |
| Tuesday | 1 cup fat-free yogurt + 2 large Crackers + 1 tbsp peanut butter Calories: 305 | 1 cup roasted chickpeas Calories: 160 | Black bean corn soup + cucumber and apple salad + 1 cup orange juice Calories: 380 | ½ cup raisins mixed with almonds Calories: 240 | Whole wheat Zucchini pasta with spinach and peas + 1 cup pomegranate juice Calories: 470 | 1555 kcal | 1230 mg |
| Wednesday | 1 cup cooked oatmeal + 1 medium Pear Calories: 280
| 1 cup fat-free yogurt Calories: 120 | Tuna Spaghetti + minted Potatoes + ½ cup melon chunks Calories: 510 | 1 cup popcorns (without salt) Calories: 180 | Steamed Chicken + Spanish rice + ½ cup apricots Calories: 420
| 1510 kcal | 1245 mg |
| Thursday | Whole grain toast + scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes + 1 cup fat-free milk Calories: 400 | ¾ cup dried Figs Calories: 120 | 2 oz Turkey Meat loaf + 1 small whole wheat roll + 1 medium peach Calories: 380 | Whole wheat crackers (3) Calories: 180 | 2 oz Ginger Seasme salad with whole wheat roll + fresh spinach and mushroom Calories: 460 | 1500 kcal | 1440 mg |
| Friday | Low-fat Granola bar + 2 Bananas + 1 cup of orange juice Calories: 310 | ½ cup roasted peanuts (without salt) Calories: 120 | Turkey Sandwich with Swiss cheese and lettuce leaves + 1 cup vegetable salad Calories: 460 | Low-fat chocolate cookies (2) Calories: 220 | Vegetable rice + lentil kebabs (2) + ½ cup mixed bean salad Calories: 410 | 1520 kcal | 1450 mg |
| Saturday | Cheesy egg omelet + whole wheat bread (2 slices)+ 1 Apple Calories: 350 | ½ cup boiled sweet potatoes Calories: 120 | Stuffed Chicken Breast with vegetable rice Calories: 450 | 1 cup black grapes Calories: 150 | Cinnamon French Toast (2) + Honey-glazed sweet potatoes Calories: 430 | 1500 kcal | 1330mg |
| Sunday | 1 cup sweet yogurt with strawberries + 2 boiled eggs + 1 Peach Calories: 390 | 1 cup tropical green smoothie (spinach+ banana+ mango + orange + flaxseeds) Calories: 210 | Baked Red sauce chicken macaroni + 1 cup mint margarita Calories: 370 | Caramelized French Toast (2) Calories: 120 | White bean stew + whole wheat roll + thyme roasted beets Calories: 450 | 1540 kcal | 1480mg |
Recommendations:
Menu plans are only useful when foods, servings, and portion sizes are carefully chosen. If we make unhealthy choices, the same approach will not produce better results. Here are some things to bear in mind when following the DASH Diet.
- Use whole grain products as they have lesser sodium content than refined ones.
- Always go for low-fat or Swiss cheese. This simple change can bring your daily sodium levels down.
- Try to add fruits and vegetables to every meal.
- Check food labels carefully and avoid products that have too much sodium.
- For snacks go for fresh fruits, roasted nuts, dried fruits, popcorns, beans, unsalted crackers, etc.
- Avoid adding extra salt to foods.
